China completes key tunnel on Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan rail link, shortening Europe trade route

Construction crews have completed a 210-metre tunnel in the Kyrgyz section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, the first tunnel fully drilled since the project’s major build phase began in June 2025. The railway, a joint venture of companies authorized by the three governments, will span more than 500 km, with about 305 km crossing Kyrgyzstan’s mountainous landscape and linking Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang region to Andijan in Uzbekistan.

The route promises the shortest land corridor from China to the Middle East and Europe, potentially shaving up to eight days off transit times versus one outlet China-Europe Railway Express routes through Russia or Kazakhstan. The line will combine China’s standard gauge for the 167.5-km stretch to Makmal and the Soviet-era broad gauge for the remaining nearly 140 km, with a transshipment hub at Makmal to connect the two systems.

Plans include 27 tunnels, 43 bridges, 88 roadbed sections and 20 stations, aiming to boost Kyrgyzstan’s freight capacity to 15 million tonnes, more than double its 2025 level. Deputy Prime Minister Edil Baisalov estimates the railway could yield over US$300 million a year even under pessimistic scenarios.