Azamat Abdukharimovich, what kind of operational and financial performance has Kyrgyz Temir Zholu delivered this year? How does this compare with last year's numbers?
In the first half of 2025, we handled 4.96 million tons of cargo across our network—that's a solid 23.8% jump from the same period last year, when we handled 4.01 million tons. We're talking about nearly a million additional tons. As the national railway company under the Ministry of Transport and Communications, our mandate is straightforward: deliver safe, reliable rail services that keep Kyrgyzstan's economy moving. We serve both the freight needs of businesses and provide passenger services for our citizens.
Rail freight continues to play a crucial role in Kyrgyzstan's economic framework, providing seamless cargo movement across the country. The consistent increase in freight volumes in recent years demonstrates that our strategic initiatives are working and highlights the strong potential for expanding the railway sector even further.
Are there plans to strengthen partnerships with Russian Railways and Russian logistics companies to boost freight traffic between Kyrgyzstan and Russia? What are the key factors, both favorable and challenging, that affect this collaboration?
The logistics network between Russia and Kyrgyzstan benefits from well-developed infrastructure and strong partnership ties through the Eurasian Economic Union, enabling efficient freight movement. Rail transport serves as one of the primary transportation modes.
The State Enterprise National Company Kyrgyz Temir Zholu maintains active contracts with Russian Railways and Russian logistics firms, fostering close, well-coordinated business relationships covering many aspects from domestic routing codes to international transit arrangements when we need to move cargo beyond our borders.
- The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project, a cornerstone initiative for Kyrgyzstan, has finally broken ground. What kind of impact are you expecting this landmark project will have on your operations? And how much of a game-changer will this be for regional connectivity across Central Asia?
- The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project stands as a crucial strategic initiative focused on advancing Eurasian transport infrastructure. This rail corridor will expedite freight movement from China to the Middle East and Europe while reducing shipping costs.
The Railway Company "China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan" (CKU) LLC was officially established on September 28, 2024. This joint venture, formed by the railway authorities of all three countries, will execute the project using a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) framework.
Construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway officially commenced on December 27, 2024.
The project will enhance regional integration across Central Asia and position Kyrgyzstan as a key international transport hub.
CKU holds the potential to serve as the backbone of Central Asia's emerging economic integration framework. Realizing this vision fully will require coordinated interstate cooperation, supported by domestic reforms and active diplomatic engagement.
The primary route under consideration is the "Combined" option: Torugart – Arpa – Kosh-Dobo – Makmal – Jalal-Abad, spanning 304.94 km. Plans include establishing a cargo transfer station near Makmal. This corridor will cut shipping time by 7-8 days and reduce distances by 900 km. The new railway could handle up to 15 million tons of freight annually.
This route design creates an efficient transit corridor while laying groundwork for expanding domestic rail networks. Given that the North-South highway intersects near Makmal, we’ve got a prime opportunity to build a world-class logistics center there.
- What factors led to the decision to move the wheel gauge conversion poin from Torugart to Makmal?
- We are positioning the gauge conversion facility around Makmal because of much friendlier natural conditions compared to Torugart, which throws some serious curveballs at us: we're talking 3,600 meters above sea level, massive permafrost areas, and brutal winter snow loads. These conditions would severely impact logistics efficiency and complicate large-scale infrastructure development. Operations would require a rotational workforce system due to the harsh environment, driving up logistics costs and creating operational difficulties.
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