Uzbekistan and Russia to Design Trans-Afghan Railway

Uzbek and Russian specialists will jointly work on designing the Trans-Afghan Railway, according to TASS, citing the press center of the Russian Trade Mission in Uzbekistan.

The new transport corridor aims to establish transit routes connecting Southeast Asia with CIS countries, China, and Europe. It is expected that the Trans-Afghan Railway will reduce cargo transportation costs by up to 40%.

The railway will also become part of the larger North-South transport corridor. The implementation of this logistics project is set to strengthen Uzbekistan’s position as a key regional hub.

«According to estimates, the North-South route is 30% cheaper and 40% shorter than the route through the Suez Canal,» the Trade Mission noted.

Kursiv Uzbekistan also reports that Kazakhstan plans to build a railway in Afghanistan as part of similar initiatives.