As part of the implementation of the President of Kazakhstan’s instruction to increase the country’s transit potential and bring annual transit cargo volumes to 55 million tons, the Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan on February 16 met with the Minister of Transport of Uzbekistan to discuss expanding cooperation in rail transport, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Transport.
The ministers noted the strategic importance of rail traffic between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, its key role in developing trade and economic ties, international transit, and regional transport integration, as well as the significant potential for further growth in cargo traffic volumes. In 2025, railway freight traffic between the two countries reached 32.3 million tons, 16% more than in 2024.
To ensure sustainable growth in traffic, the parties developed a Joint Action Plan, which includes infrastructure development at the Saryagash, Oasis, and Syrdarya junctions, as well as the completion of key projects, including the Darbaza-Maktaral railway line.
The Saryagash junction currently passes up to 36 pairs of trains per day, with plans to increase this to 40. The Oasis junction passes two pairs of trains per day, with plans to increase that to 10. The Syrdarya junction will pass up to 10 pairs after the opening of the Darbaza-Maktaral line.
The parties confirmed their mutual interest in further expanding cooperation and creating conditions for consistent growth in freight traffic volumes.
