OMM Redaksiyası
Excavation of one of the main tunnels under the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project has been completed. According to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company, work on the 209.6-meter-long Kosh-Dobo North No. 2 tunnel represents the first such achievement since full-scale construction began on the Kyrgyz section of the project.
The tunnel, being built as a single-track structure, has a maximum depth of 41 meters. Construction was completed according to schedule. Overall implementation of the project in Kyrgyzstan currently stands at 17%.
Construction began in June 2025. Since then, work has started on 27 tunnels, 43 bridges and 88 roadbed sections. Work is also under way at 20 railway stations planned along the route. Construction of the Naryn No. 1 tunnel, another key part of the railway infrastructure, is progressing in stages.
The idea for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway was first proposed in 1997. Implementation was delayed for years because of the mountainous terrain, disagreements over railway gauges and geopolitical changes.
Once completed, the line will be more than 500 kilometers long and connect Kashgar in China's Xinjiang region with Andijan in Uzbekistan via Kyrgyzstan. Approximately 305 kilometers of the route will pass through Kyrgyzstan.
The railway gauge issue has been resolved through a compromise. Chinese-standard tracks will be used on the approximately 167.5-kilometer section from the Chinese border to Makmal in Kyrgyzstan, while Soviet-standard broad-gauge tracks will be used on the approximately 140-kilometer section toward Uzbekistan. A special transshipment center for freight is planned in Makmal.
Once operational, the project is expected to become the shortest land route between China and the Middle East and Europe. The railway could reduce transportation times by up to eight days compared with the existing China-Europe Express.
According to the company, three vocational training centers have been established in Manas and Suzak in Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad region. More than 1,800 local workers have received training at the centers in civil engineering, equipment operation and metal structures. Graduates who meet the requirements are being offered jobs on the project.
Materials and equipment worth approximately $114 million have been procured locally under the project. All fuel is supplied from Kyrgyzstan, while more than 60% of key construction materials, including cement, are produced domestically.
The tunnel excavation took place several days after Chinese President Xi Jinping concluded a state visit to Kyrgyzstan. During the visit, Xi and Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov signed a new friendship treaty and elevated ties between the two countries to a higher level. The railway project was among the main issues discussed during the meetings.
