Uzbekistan Launches New Freight Route Connecting China to Afghanistan

Uzbekistan’s national railway company has announced the launch of a new multimodal freight corridor linking China to Afghanistan through Central Asia. The overland route spans approximately 7,400 kilometers and is expected to streamline commercial shipments between the two countries.

Under the new logistics framework, cargo will travel by rail from China to the Altynkol station in Kazakhstan. From there, goods will be transferred to trucks for transport across Turkmenistan before reaching the western Afghan city of Herat. Officials estimate the complete journey will take around 30 days.

The corridor replaces a previously dominant maritime route that shipped goods from China to Iran’s Bandar Abbas port, followed by overland transport into Afghanistan. The shift to an overland network is intended to reduce reliance on sea freight for regional trade.

The development underscores Uzbekistan’s growing commercial engagement with the Taliban since the group’s return to power. By establishing direct transit links through neighboring states, Tashkent aims to expand cross-border trade and integrate Afghanistan into broader regional logistics networks. The railway company stated that the route will facilitate the movement of commercial goods and support economic cooperation across the region.