A credit agreement to finance the construction project of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway was signed in Bishkek on December 16, 2025. The signing ceremony was attended by Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Kyrgyz Republic — Minister of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry Bakyt Torobaev.
The agreement was concluded between LLC “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Company,” a joint project company established by the three countries, and a syndicate of banks of the People’s Republic of China. The syndicate includes the China Development Bank and the Export-Import Bank of China.
The total cost of the project is estimated at USD 4.7 billion. About USD 2.3 billion will be provided by China as a 35-year loan to the joint project company. Repayment of this sum is to be carried out by the project company itself. Another USD 2.3 billion will be contributed to the company’s charter capital by the participating countries as follows: China — 51%, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan — 24.5% each.
Bakyt Torobaev said that one of the key provisions of the investment agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan and the joint project company is the requirement to complete full financial coverage of the project by December 20, 2025. According to him, this condition has been fulfilled ahead of schedule.
Zhou Xin, General Director of LLC “China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway Company,” noted that the joint project company intends to focus on the efficient use of the attracted funds and on fulfilling all obligations under the agreement within the established timeframes.
The railway project is considered one of the most technically and engineering-wise complex in the region. The construction plans include 50 bridges and 29 tunnels with a total length of 120 kilometers. Thus, about 40% of the route will run through tunnels and over bridges. The total length of the railway section on the territory of Kyrgyzstan will be 304 kilometers.
The official launch of construction of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway took place on December 27, 2024, in Jalal-Abad, Kyrgyzstan. The ceremony was attended by President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Japarov and representatives of the leadership of China and Uzbekistan, who delivered addresses on the significance of the project.
The Kashgar–Torugart–Makmal–Jalal-Abad–Andijan route will deliver cargo from China to Kyrgyzstan, as well as to countries of Central Asia and the Middle East, including Turkey and further to the European Union. Annual freight volumes along the corridor are expected to reach up to 15 million tonnes. The distance and delivery time for cargo from China to European countries will be reduced by several thousand kilometers and by almost one week. In addition, regular passenger services will become possible.
“In the future, linking this railway line with the Trans-Afghan corridor will make it possible to effectively connect and strengthen transport and communication connectivity between China, Central Asia and South Asia,” Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said in December last year.
The total length of the China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway will be 532.53 km. The construction of 20 railway stations is planned (two of them prospective), including 2 border stations, 1 transshipment station, 4 intermediate stations and 13 passing loops. In addition, transit and logistics infrastructure will be created, and warehouses and terminals will be built.
It was reported in December last year that construction of the railway mainline is expected to be completed by the end of 2030, after which it will begin operating at full capacity.