Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Aim to Increase Railway Freight to 55 Million Tons
Kazakh Minister of Transport Nurlan Sauranbayev held an online meeting with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov to discuss the expansion of bilateral railway cooperation and measures to strengthen transit capacity.
The discussions focused on achieving the target of increasing transit cargo volumes to 55 million tons. To support sustained growth and ensure the agreed throughput capacity, the parties approved a joint action plan предусматривающий infrastructure upgrades at the Saryagash, Oasis, and Syrdarya railway junctions, as well as the completion of the Darbaza–Maktaral section.
Currently, up to 36 pairs of trains operate daily through Saryagash, with plans to increase this number to 40 pairs. Through Oasis, two pairs of trains operate per day, with capacity expected to expand to 10 pairs. At Syrdarya, operations are projected to reach 10 pairs of trains per day following the commissioning of the Darbaza–Maktaral section.
By the end of 2025, bilateral railway freight volumes reached 32.3 million tons, representing a 16% year-on-year increase. Both sides underscored the strategic importance of Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan railway connectivity for trade development, transit expansion, and regional integration, and agreed to further coordinate infrastructure modernization, maintenance schedules, customs control procedures, and operational efficiency measures.
Photo credit:KTZ
