Kyrgyzstan Approves Financing For China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway

Kyrgyzstan, June 2026 — Kyrgyzstan’s parliament has approved a preferential loan agreement with the Export-Import Bank of China to support the country’s financial contribution to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway project. The loan will provide approximately US$304.5 million to fund half of Kyrgyzstan’s equity contribution to the joint railway company overseeing the development.

The CKU railway is planned as a 523 km international corridor connecting Kashgar in China with Torugart, Makmal, and Jalal-Abad in Kyrgyzstan before continuing to Andijan in Uzbekistan. The project is expected to carry up to 15 million tonnes of freight annually and create a direct rail link between China and Central Asia through Kyrgyz territory, where no direct railway connection currently exists.

For the rail sector, the project represents a major expansion of Eurasian freight connectivity by providing a shorter trade route between China and markets further west. The railway is expected to improve regional logistics efficiency, support new supply chain routes, and reduce reliance on existing northern corridors for freight movement between Asia and Europe.

The Kyrgyz section of the railway will be among the most technically challenging parts of the project, covering more than 300 km and requiring extensive tunnelling and bridge construction due to the country’s mountainous terrain. The route is expected to include 29 tunnels and 50 bridges, with around 40% of the Kyrgyz alignment consisting of tunnels and bridges.

The CKU railway forms part of broader efforts to strengthen regional transport integration across Central Asia. As investment continues in cross-border rail infrastructure, the corridor is expected to enhance trade links between China, Central Asia, and international markets while reinforcing rail’s growing role in developing resilient global supply chains.

Source: The Times of Central Asia