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The first tunnel on the Kyrgyz section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway has been drilled through, marking a major milestone in the construction of the cross-border rail project, the project company said Saturday.
The 209.6-metre-long Kosh Dobo North No. 2 tunnel is the first tunnel to be completed on the Kyrgyz section, according to the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Company, a joint venture established by companies authorised by the governments of the three countries.
Construction of the tunnel began in June 2025.
Since then, work has started on 27 tunnels, 43 bridges and 88 roadbed sections, while construction of 20 railway stations is also underway.
The railway is a flagship infrastructure project linking China with Central Asia under the Belt and Road Initiative.
Once completed, the railway will create a new rail corridor connecting China with Central Asia, running from Kashgar in northwest China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region through Kyrgyzstan’s border city of Jalalabad to Andijan in eastern Uzbekistan.
The railway will stretch more than 500 kilometres in total, including 304.84 kilometres through Kyrgyzstan.
The project is expected to strengthen regional connectivity and facilitate trade and transport between China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan by providing a shorter rail route between China and Central Asian markets.