Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan plan major rail capacity expansion

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have agreed on a joint plan to increase the capacity of their railway corridors from 35 million to 60 million tonnes, the Kazakh government said, Report informs.

The initiative was discussed during the 23rd meeting of the Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Bilateral Cooperation, held in the city of Aktau and co-chaired by Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov.

Rail freight traffic between the two countries increased by 16% in 2025 to reach 32.3 million tonnes. Kazakhstan proposed upgrading cross-border railway infrastructure and opening additional border crossing points to accommodate future growth.

The two sides also reviewed trade and investment cooperation. Bilateral trade reached $4.8 billion in 2025, while trade turnover in January-May 2026 rose 37% year-on-year to $2.3 billion.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are currently implementing a trade and investment roadmap worth $7.8 billion. They are also advancing 80 joint industrial projects with a combined value of more than $1.8 billion.

The prime ministers agreed to strengthen cooperation in industry, transport and transit, water management, and other sectors of the economy. A protocol outlining the agreements reached at the meeting was signed at the conclusion of the talks.