- Alisher Anvarovich, where does JSC Uzbekistan Temir Yollari stand in Uzbekistan’s economy and the national transport sector?
- In Uzbekistan, railways constitute a key component for freight and passenger transportation. Thanks to Uzbekistan’s strategic location, our company acts as a key transit hub connecting Central Asia with regions such as Russia, Kazakhstan, and China. This turns railways into a vital factor in fostering international trade and integrating Uzbekistan into the global economy.
On the economic front, our railway system delivers reliable logistics solutions for moving agricultural produce, industrial commodities, and raw materials.
JSC Uzbekistan Railways is a cornerstone of the country’s economy and transport system, fostering the expansion of the domestic market and facilitating the nation’s entry into global transport corridors. As globalization accelerates and the need for streamlined logistics grows, our place within the global transportation system will become increasingly prominent.
- Could you share the key performance indicators for Uzbekistan Railways in 2024, and how do they compare to the results from 2023?
- Enhancing and reforming passenger services is of great significance to JSC Uzbekistan Railways. These aims are being pursued through a series of carefully planned steps.
In the period of 2023–2024, passenger carrier JSC Uztemiryulyulovchi reported remarkable revenue growth and managed to lower its expenses effectively.
Revenues rose by 130 percent, while expenses dropped by 125% highlighting the company’s strong performance and sound financial management.
These remarkable outcomes were largely the result of the well-coordinated and strategic management practices within the Company. Several steps have been taken to improve passenger service standards, including obtaining modern rail cars, carrying out extensive repairs on current rolling stock, and enlarging the passenger train fleet across various routes.
Specifically, with the help of concessional loans and urgent capital repairs, 28 new rail cars were acquired and 58 units underwent repair. As a result, the number of rail cars on high-demand routes increased and new passenger trains were launched.
Thanks to the addition of new passenger cars, the composition of long-distance trains to destinations such as Tashkent, Nukus, Kungrad, Urgench, and Khiva has grown from 14 to 22 cars.
Moreover, a separate 15-car train has been introduced on the "Tashkent – Sariosiya – Tashkent" line. The frequency of services on the "Kungrad – Andijan – Kungrad" and "Andijan – Termez – Andijan" routes has also been increased by one train each. At the same time, new suburban trains have been launched on the "Andijan – Khanabad – Andijan" and "Namangan – Chodak – Namangan" routes.
These enhancements in train services and car numbers allowed the Company to boost its average daily passenger count to 27,541 people. These figures point to growing demand for railway services as well as enhanced competitiveness within the transport industry.
Looking ahead, the outlook is ambitious: 28 new passenger cars were bought in 2024, and the purchase of another 35 is planned for 2025. These steps will help the organization grow its operations further and raise service standards.
A key highlight of 2024 was the reestablishment of the rail link between Tashkent and Moscow, giving travelers the special chance to journey between these two vibrant cities. This route ranks among the most popular and sought-after, and with its revival, passengers can once again experience a comfortable and safe journey by train.
One important innovation during the reinstatement of this route was rolling out an electronic ticket sales platform, making it possible for passengers to obtain digital tickets. This has streamlined the purchase process and cut costs related to printing special forms.
The rise in electronic sales from 40 to 60 percent highlights passengers’ willingness to adopt new technology for a simpler travel experience.
The implementation of an electronic payment system stands out as another key change, offering passengers extra service options such as the flexibility to switch travel classes mid-journey.
Furthermore, stations have adopted new procedures that permit seamless entry and exit for both passengers and vehicles, eliminating document checks and expediting the boarding and unloading process. The company is committed to consistently updating its rolling stock and elevating the quality of service on its trains. The successful replacement of bedding throughout all passenger cars and raising the number of cars with cooling systems from 160 to 220 by late 2024 are clear indicators of the company’s efforts to ensure a comfortable and convenient travel experience for all passengers.
- What are the plans for the development of the railway network in Uzbekistan?
- Plans include the construction and electrification of various railway facilities, with work already underway including:
– the high-speed passenger railway between Tashkent and Samarkand and the electrification of the Bukhara – Khiva railway, which is nearing completion, are expected to bring more than 1,000,000 passengers to Khorezm.
- Completion of the construction of the Tashkent—Parkent section and the construction of the Tashkent—Urgut section by September 1, 2025.
- Electrification of the Nukus—Miskin section.
- Relocation of freight stations from Tashkent and construction of large stations in Yangiyul and New Tashkent.
- Creation of the bypass line "Ozodlik — Gulistan" to accelerate freight transportation.
- Increase in the volume of transit transportation and development of a new route China—Turkey.
- Engaging Chinese companies for equipment supply, such as CRRC, for the acquisition of shunting locomotives.
- Which projects are being carried out by Uzbekistan Temir Yollari in Afghanistan? How far along are the preparations for the Trans-Afghan Railway project at this time?
- Construction of the Trans-Afghan railway Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan is planned to begin in 2025. The project envisions extending an 80-kilometer segment through Afghanistan to link up with ports in both Pakistan and Iran. In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan signed a roadmap in Tashkent for the construction of the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway. The project was scheduled to be prepared in May, with construction commencing in September 2021, but delays arose due to the political transition in Afghanistan. Nevertheless, the interim Afghan government joined the initiative in December. On July 18, 2022, teams started fieldwork in the country to map out the Trans-Afghan Railway route and carry out the project’s feasibility assessment.
- When can we anticipate the beginning of construction on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway? What kind of economic impact could the construction of this railway have?
- Construction work on the new China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway has begun in Jalal-Abad
On April 29, 2025, the Jalal-Abad region of Kyrgyzstan hosted an event celebrating the beginning of construction on key elements of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. This project plays a crucial role in enhancing regional connectivity and driving socio-economic growth in Central Asia.
Opening the event on behalf of the president, Deputy Prime Minister Bakyt Torobaev highlighted the urgency of implementing the project to improve people’s quality of life and strengthen foreign economic relations.
Among the attendees from Uzbekistan was Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, First Deputy Chairman of JSC Uzbekiston Temir Yullari, who underscored the importance of the project in reinforcing the economic potential of countries in Central Asia. He reiterated the company’s intention to actively contribute to each phase of the project’s construction by utilizing every resource required for success.
By joining key Central Asian regions to the ports in eastern China, the new railway will offer a trustworthy means of moving cargo and passengers. The first phase primarily consists of constructing three sizable tunnels with a combined length exceeding 10 kilometers:
- Tunnel No. 1 (Naryn, Jaman-Davan) measuring 12.5 km in length;
- Tunnel No. 2 (Koshtoba, Kazarman) with a length of 13.2 km;
- Tunnel No. 3 (Fergana, Suzak District) spanning 12.2 km.
Besides the main tunnels, construction will include dozens of bridges totaling around 16 kilometers in length, along with additional tunnel structures collectively extending approximately 103 kilometers. Therefore, more than one-third of the almost 533-kilometer-long route will feature complex engineering structures.
The principal sections of the railway line are delineated as follows:
- Chinese section ("Kashgar - Torugart") — 158.04 km;
- The Kyrgyz section is 304.94 km, of which 167.54 km will be constructed using a standard gauge width of 1,435 mm, and the remaining 138.77 km will use a broad gauge of 1,520 mm.
Twenty railway stations will also be established, including two border stations, one specialized freight operations station, four intermediate platforms, and thirteen stops.
During the project’s development, numerous safety requirements and environmental standards were taken into consideration. Overall funding is provided jointly by the governments of the three countries, with Kazakhstan contributing significant resources as a project partner.
Please note that on May 18, 2023, a tripartite agreement was signed in Xi’an, China, by the National Development and Reform Commission of the People’s Republic of China, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Kyrgyz Republic, and the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan, on the approval of the feasibility study for the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway construction project.
On July 6, 2024, a Cooperation Agreement was signed in Beijing between the governments of the three countries to jointly promote the “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway project, setting out the framework for financing, construction, and other arrangements. The groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan” railway took place on December 27, 2024, in the village of Tosh-Kutchu, Jalal-Abad Province.
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