ASTANA — Kazakh Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev held an online meeting with his Uzbek counterpart Ilkhom Makhkamov to discuss railway sector cooperation. The talks focused on enhancing Kazakhstan’s transit potential and increasing transit cargo volumes to 55 million tons.
Photo credit:KTZ
To ensure steady growth in cargo traffic and achieve the agreed throughput capacity, both ministries developed a joint action plan that includes infrastructure development at the Saryagash, Oasis, and Syrdarya railway junctions, as well as the completion of key projects, including the Darbaza-Maktaral section, the ministry’s press service reported on Feb. 16.
Currently, up to 36 pairs of trains per day pass through the Saryagash railway junction, with plans to increase the number to 40. Through Oasis, two pairs of trains operate daily, with capacity expected to rise to 10 pairs. At Syrdarya, up to 10 pairs of trains are planned following the opening of the Darbaza–Maktaral section.
By the end of 2025, railway freight volume between the two countries totaled 32.3 million tons, a 16% increase from 2024.
The officials emphasized the strategic importance of railway links between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for trade, transit and regional integration, noting strong potential for growth and logistics efficiency. They also discussed coordinating infrastructure and maintenance work, improving control procedures and enhancing overall transport operations.
