Urooj Niazi 
pakistan to uzbekistan by rail soon via afghanistan
New $4.8B Pakistan-Uzbekistan Rail Link
A New Rail Line From Pakistan to Uzbekistan via Afghanistan In a major development in regional trade and travel, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Uzbekistan signed a historic contract to build a 760-kilometre railway that connects the three countries. The agreement, signed in Kabul on July 17, 2025, is part of a Uzbekistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (UAP) Railway Corridor. It aims to increase trade and lower transportation costs while also strengthening regional cooperation.
A Major Development in Connectivity
Deputy Prime Minister of Pakistan Ishaq Dar, who led the Islamabad delegation said the railway project is a “major milestone” for regional connectivity and for the economic development of the respective countries.
Route and Benefits of the Trans-Afghan Railway
The railway will depart from Termez (Uzbekistan), travel across Mazar-i-Sharif and Logar (Afghanistan), and cross into Pakistan via the Kharlachi border crossing in the Kurram district.
- Total length: 760 km
- Length of track in Afghanistan: 573 km
- Anticipated Cost: $4.8 Billion
- Completion target: By 2027
When finished, this rail-way will:
- Eliminate up to 5 days in cargo travel
- Lower transport costs by 40 percent
- Move 15 million tonnes of cargo annually (by 2030)
What happens now?
The three countries will then form a Tripartite Coordination Committee that will manage the technical studies, funding models, and the entire intragovernmental project.Officials suggested that this project was more than laying tracks, it was about outcomes including reorienting trade routes, expanding economies, and building trust in the region.The Significance of Afghanistan. With most of the railway line (573 km) traversing Afghanistan, the nation will be a significant transit hub, boosting jobs and investment while also generating revenues from transit fees.
