Uzbekistan Expands International Transport Routes

Uzbekistan’s unique geographical position—bordering all the countries of Central Asia—creates an opportunity not only to connect neighboring states but also to link East Asia with South Asia, and the Middle East with the Caucasus and Europe through a sustainable transport network. Today, Central Asian and Caucasus countries are experiencing dynamic development, and consistent economic growth necessitates further development of the transport and communication infrastructure of our countries.

Moreover, the rapid transformation of the global geopolitical landscape demands comprehensive and coordinated efforts to improve transport infrastructure, diversify foreign trade cargo routes, and develop new and sustainable transport corridors.

The increase in geopolitical tensions in the Red Sea and Eastern Europe in recent years has highlighted the urgent need for safe, sustainable, and mutually beneficial transport corridors between Europe and China, as well as Europe and Central Asia. Against this backdrop, the Trans-Caspian International Transport Corridor—also known as the Middle Corridor—has come into global focus as an alternative route connecting China, the Middle East, and Central Asia with Europe.

Uzbekistan is actively cooperating with the European Union to develop new and improve existing international transport corridors. The country is a participant in the international multimodal transport corridor CASCA+ (Asia-Pacific countries – China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan – Turkmenistan – Azerbaijan – Georgia – Turkey – Europe), within which the Trans-Caspian route is being developed.

Notably, on December 20, 2019, a five-party protocol was signed in Tashkent with the participation of the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan and the heads of the railway administrations of Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan on the development of the CASCA+ corridor. On December 17, 2021, Turkey joined this protocol, and a six-party meeting was held. The document provides for the development of a regulation for preferential tariff rates and unified freight transport conditions, the appointment of a logistics company responsible for organizing transit container trains from each country, improvements in coordination at border crossing points (including the implementation of a pre-notification system), and the development of logistics centers at key transshipment locations.

The Middle Corridor has several routes, but among the existing alternatives, the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Azerbaijan–Georgia–Turkey–Europe route is geographically the shortest between China and Europe (4,917 km).

Speaking at a summit of Central Asian and European Union leaders in Kyrgyzstan in June 2023, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized the importance of joint efforts to develop transport and communication links between Central Asia and Europe, especially through the Middle Corridor. As a result of reforms, freight traffic between Uzbekistan and Europe via the Caspian Sea amounted to 1.1 million tons in 2024—an increase of 55% compared to 2020 (492,000 tons).

In 2024, Uzbekistan's international freight turnover with the EU, Turkey, the Caucasus countries, the United States, and Brazil totaled 2.8 million tons, demonstrating the growth potential of the Middle Corridor. To further develop freight traffic on the Trans-Caspian route and safeguard Uzbekistan’s interests, the acquisition of two cargo vessels for operations on the Caspian Sea is being considered in 2025. Additionally, together with Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, South Caucasus countries, and Turkey, Uzbekistan is implementing the European Union’s “Global Gateway” investment strategy.

Despite practical measures taken, the Middle Corridor still lacks sufficient stability. Several pressing issues contribute to this: long delivery times, high transport costs, inefficient port operations in the Caspian and Black Seas, and declining Caspian Sea water levels.

Research has shown that adverse weather conditions at the Alat Port terminal zone (Azerbaijan) cause congestion of international freight trucks, with average waiting times of 25–30 days.

For comparison, according to the Eurasian Rail Alliance Index (ERAI), in the first half of 2024, container block trains traveling the China–Europe route via the Northern Corridor took an average of 7 days, with a transport cost of $3,289. According to Transgroup Systems LP, delivery time along the Middle Corridor from Tashkent averages 35–40 days, with a transport cost of $5,500.

Due to these factors, the Middle Corridor currently lags behind alternative routes (Northern and Southern Corridors) in terms of competitiveness.

However, it is important to consider that the Middle Corridor, or Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, opens new opportunities for trade between Asia and Europe.

To establish closer ties between the countries along this corridor and the European Union, it is necessary to address the aforementioned challenges and ensure further development of the corridor, encouraging EU countries and leading banks to invest in the ports of the Caspian and Black Seas (Turkmenbashi, Kuryk, Aktau, Alat, Poti, Batumi) and in the transport infrastructure of countries along the corridor (Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Georgia), all of which directly impact the corridor’s efficiency.

In today’s rapidly changing world, reliance on a single factor is not sufficient. To enhance the attractiveness of Uzbekistan’s transport corridors and to create alternatives, the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan is implementing a number of practical measures to develop the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran–Turkey corridor (5,430 km).

This route, linking China with Turkey, is the most advantageous, supported by a continuous railway infrastructure allowing cargo to be delivered from China (Kashgar) to Turkey (Istanbul port) by rail, and then further to European and Black Sea countries by road, rail, or sea.

To develop the corridor, on November 1, 2023, at a meeting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), transport ministers of Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Turkey signed a protocol on the development of the Uzbekistan–Turkmenistan–Iran–Turkey corridor. According to the document, each participating country will appoint railway operators responsible for container transportation, agree to conduct trial shipments, and offer preferential tariffs. Work is currently underway to involve China, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan in the protocol.

The construction of the strategic China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway is also expected to enhance the appeal of overland cargo routes between China and Europe. This project, recognized as a project of the century, aims to revive the ancient Silk Road. It will reduce the route to Europe by 900 km and cut delivery times by 7–8 days.

Establishing multiple transport corridors between Uzbekistan and the European Union will not only strengthen transport connectivity but also increase trade turnover, improve economic performance, and enhance quality of life.

Saidkamol Sultonbekov
Lead Specialist at the Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development
under the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Uzbekistan