Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have opened a new railway connection designed to strengthen cross-border freight traffic and create an additional export route for Kazakh goods across Central Asia. The Darbaza – Maktaaral line carried its first train, loaded with Kazakh coal, in October.
A new route to Uzbekistan
The start of traffic on the line was announced on November 4 during a meeting of the board of directors of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund. The railway was presented as one of the key infrastructure projects implemented with the fund’s participation.
The Darbaza – Maktaaral connection is expected to increase the capacity of Kazakhstan’s railway network, support higher freight volumes and broaden export routes to Central Asian markets. The project also includes the opening of a new border crossing with Uzbekistan, linked to the Syrdarya railway station.
Infrastructure built for rising freight demand
Construction began in late November 2023. The main tracks extend for 127.6 kilometres, while the total length of the railway formation is approximately 152 kilometres. The project was valued at 286 billion tenge, or about $545.7 million.
Kazakhstan’s Transport Ministry had previously said that working traffic on the line would be launched by the end of the year. The first coal shipment indicates that the route has already begun moving into operational use, although the full impact on regional freight capacity will depend on the completion of border and related logistics arrangements.
The new connection forms part of Kazakhstan’s broader effort to expand its transit potential. In December 2025, the country opened the 75-kilometre Zhetygen – Kazybek Bek railway, which bypasses Almaty. That line is intended to relieve pressure on the city’s railway hub and shorten delivery times for cargo travelling from China to Europe and Central Asian countries.
For international companies in furniture, construction materials, interior and exterior manufacturing, trade, design and architecture, the Darbaza – Maktaaral line could improve access to Uzbekistan and neighbouring Central Asian markets by adding capacity and a new cross-border route. Its value will be particularly relevant to businesses assessing multimodal supply chains, regional distribution hubs and future manufacturing or warehouse investments in southern Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
