Darbaza – Maktaaral: new railway to Uzbekistan, working traffic by the end of 2026

Construction of the 127.6 km Darbaza – Maktaaral railway line in Kazakhstan is nearing completion. Working traffic is planned to open by the end of 2026.

The new section will create an additional rail route from Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan and ease the load on the congested Saryagash – Tashkent section. The project includes a new border crossing between the two countries leading to Syrdarya station. Construction began in late November 2023, and the project cost was estimated at 545 million US dollars. Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister Serik Zhumangarin earlier estimated that the new section could take on 20 million tonnes of cargo.

For shipments in wagons and in containers on flatcars from China via Khorgos/Altynkol and Dostyk to Uzbekistan, and in transit to Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran, a second rail entry point into Uzbekistan widens the choice of routes in the southern direction.

Source: Gazeta.uz, 3 October 2026.