DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, July 5. Tajikistan is exploring the possibility of joining the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project, Trend reports via the country’s Ministry of Transport.
The issue was discussed during a bilateral meeting between Tajikistan’s Minister of Transport Azim Ibrohim and China’s Minister of Transport Liu Wei, held on the sidelines of the 12th Meeting of Transport Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) member states in Tianjin.
Beyond the potential rail link, the two sides also reviewed China’s support for the further development of the multimodal corridor stretching from China through Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Türkiye to Europe.
The ministers discussed a wide range of transport and logistics initiatives. These included proposals to establish electric vehicle service centers in Dushanbe, allocate storage space for Tajik freight carriers in the Chinese city of Kashgar, and accelerate construction of the Varshez–Kulma highway segment. They also addressed the need for a new border crossing facility at the Kulma–Karasu checkpoint and plans for a logistics hub in the southern Tajik city of Kulob.
Ibrohim noted the steady growth in freight traffic between Tajikistan and China and proposed expanding the quota for international road transport permits.
The sides also reviewed progress on bilateral legal frameworks for transport cooperation. According to the Tajik ministry, Liu Wei expressed understanding of the proposals and confirmed China's readiness to take practical steps to address the raised issues.
The data of the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan shows that the total length of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway project is 532.53 kilometers. The plan includes the construction of 20 railway stations (including two prospective ones), featuring two border stations, one transshipment station, four intermediate stations, and 13 passing loops.
The official groundbreaking ceremony for the railroad took place on December 27, 2024, in Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad.