Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport, Ilham Mahkamov, has announced that construction of the Trans-Afghan Railway is set to commence in 2025. The project aims to expand an 80-kilometre section to provide access to Pakistan and Iran’s ports via Afghanistan.
The 573-kilometre railway will establish a vital transport link between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, facilitating trade between Central Asia, South Asia, and global markets.
According to Uzbek media reports citing Mahkamov, officials have presented the necessary details regarding the railway route and project financing to the President of Uzbekistan, who has been briefed on the initiative.
This railway forms part of an agreement signed in 2021 between Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan in Tashkent. While construction of the Turkmenistan-Mazar-e-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway was initially expected to commence that same year, the Taliban’s return to power in Afghanistan delayed its implementation.
By late 2021, the Taliban expressed their willingness to participate in the project, and by mid-2022, an exploratory team had begun assessing the route and conducting feasibility studies.
Cost Estimates and Capacity
Estimates for the railway’s construction cost vary. Uzbekistan’s primary design and research institute for transportation infrastructure has projected the cost at $4.6 billion. However, Pakistan has estimated it at $8.2 billion, while media reports suggest the overall project cost could range between $4.8 billion and $6 billion.
Once completed, the Trans-Afghan Railway is expected to handle an annual cargo capacity of up to 20 million tonnes, strengthening trade routes and fostering greater economic integration between Europe, Russia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
