China Completes First Tunnel on China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway

China has completed the first tunnel on the Kyrgyz section of the long-delayed China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway, marking a major milestone in the development of a new trade corridor linking China with Central Asia and markets in the Middle East and Europe.

The 210-metre (690-foot) tunnel was drilled through in Kyrgyzstan following the commencement of full-scale construction on the country’s section in June 2025.

According to China’s state broadcaster CCTV, construction on the Kyrgyz section has reached 17 per cent completion.

The milestone was recorded shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Kyrgyzstan, where both countries reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the smooth implementation of the railway project.

The CKU railway, a key component of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, will extend for more than 500 kilometres (310 miles), with approximately 305 kilometres (190 miles) running through Kyrgyzstan.

The line will connect Kashgar in China’s Xinjiang region with Andijan in Uzbekistan, crossing the mountainous terrain of Kyrgyzstan.

When completed, the railway is expected to provide a shorter overland route from China to the Middle East and Europe, with Chinese authorities projecting transit-time reductions of up to eight days compared with the China-Europe Railway Express.

The project is also expected to strengthen trade opportunities for Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan by providing them with direct rail access to China and wider Asia-Pacific markets.

Construction is currently under way on 27 tunnels, 43 bridges and 88 roadbed sections, while work has also begun at 20 planned railway stations.

Decades of delays
The railway was first proposed in 1997 but has been delayed for decades because of difficult mountainous terrain, financing challenges and disagreements over railway gauge standards.

The project has also attracted geopolitical attention because it would provide China with a trade route into Central Asia that bypasses traditional corridors through Russia and Kazakhstan.

To address the gauge issue, the railway will use two different track standards.

The approximately 167.5-kilometre section from the Chinese border to Makmal will use China’s standard gauge, while the remaining section of nearly 140 kilometres toward Uzbekistan will use the Soviet-era broad gauge.

Cargo is expected to be transferred between the two systems at a planned logistics hub in Makmal.
The arrangement will allow China’s standard-gauge railway system to extend deeper into Central Asia while maintaining compatibility with existing regional infrastructure.

Completion date uncertain
There are differing expectations over when the railway will become operational.

Project chief engineer Xi Jihong said the line could be ready for operation by June 2031. Uzbekistan, however, has called for faster construction and has targeted completion by 2028.

Despite the disagreement over the timeline, the completion of the first tunnel on the Kyrgyz section provides a significant indication that the long-awaited railway project is moving from planning into sustained construction.

Once completed, the CKU railway is expected to become an important transport and trade corridor between China, Central Asia and markets farther west.