Baku, Azerbaijan, March 23
By Fikret Dolukhanov – Trend:
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan plan to launch the second interstate bus run over Tashkent – Almaty route.
In early January 2018, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan launched the direct international bus run over Tashkent – Shymkent – Tashkent route.
“We are currently holding talks with the respective Kazakh agency. We plan to open Tashkent – Almaty route. Moreover, we have certain plans on organizing new routes from Fergana valley to Kazakh cities. We also discuss transit of Uzbekistan-Russia buses via Kazakhstan,” Deputy Chief of the Uzbek Motor Transport Agency Shaalim Shavabakhov told Sputnik Uzbekistan news agency.
According to Shavabakhov, over 2,500 passengers used the existing bus run in just a few months and the number is steadily increasing.
“That allowed decreasing the transportation fee from 80,000 to 60,000 soums. The buses are currently running thrice a week, but we plan to increase the frequency,” he added.
On Nov. 17, 2017, the Protocol on amendments and additions to the Uzbekistan-Kazakhstan intergovernmental Agreement on international motor car communication has come into force. The document legally established possibility of organizing regular and irregular passenger transit between the two countries.
Among the advantages of the bus transit is a simplified customs check.
(8140.06 soums = 1 USD on March 23)