Darbaza — Maktaaral: freight traffic to Uzbekistan opens, first train carries coal

Freight trains have started running on the Darbaza — Maktaaral railway in Turkistan region, Railway Gazette International reported on 10 November 2026. The government of Kazakhstan confirmed the start of traffic on 4 November, with the first train carrying coal for export to Uzbekistan.

The 128 km single-track line links Darbaza station with Maktaaral near the Uzbek border and gives access to the Maktaaral — Sirdaryo border crossing. It provides an alternative to the congested Saryagash — Tashkent corridor and directly connects the Maktaaral and Zhetysay districts with the rest of Kazakhstan's network. Expected capacity is up to 20 million t a year; the project cost is 286 bn tenge.

The works include three stations, two passing loops, 33 bridges and 129 culverts. The largest structure is a six-span steel bridge over the Syr Darya with 66 m and 88 m spans on bored piles up to 41 m deep. Final works and full commissioning are scheduled for December.

For rail forwarding this is a second entry into Uzbekistan from southern Kazakhstan and more routing options when Saryagash is at peak load. Gateway Logistics supplies wagons, containers and container flatcars: Khorgos to Almaty, Astana and Kazakhstan regions; Khorgos/Altynkol and Dostyk–Alashankou into Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran and Turkmenistan.

Source: Railway Gazette International, 10 November 2026.