Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan launch freight trains on new railway line

Trial freight transportation has commenced between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan on the under-construction Darbaza–Maktaaral railway line. In October, the first test train carrying Kazakh coal traveled along the new route. Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov announced at a meeting of the board of directors of the Samruk-Kazyna Fund that the line's opening would be a significant step in strengthening transport links between the two countries, with full operational launch scheduled for December 2026.

Construction of the new mainline began in November 2023. The length of its main section is nearly 130 kilometers, while the total track length reaches 152 kilometers. The launch of this branch will provide direct access to Uzbekistan's Syrdarya station and significantly relieve the existing Saryagash–Tashkent section, which currently handles the bulk of freight traffic between the two countries.

For Uzbekistan, the new railway artery holds strategic importance not only for bilateral trade with Kazakhstan. The additional branch will expand transit opportunities for shipments toward China, Russia, and Belarus, and will also serve as a promising link in the International North–South Transport Corridor, connecting the region's countries with Iran and the Middle Eastern states.

The development of railway infrastructure complements the overall dynamics of transport convergence between Astana and Tashkent. Earlier, the parties also agreed to significantly expand air traffic, increasing flight frequency between Almaty, Astana, and Tashkent to 60 flights per week on each route.