Transit through Central Asian countries increased by 70 percent between 2020 and 2024. The Eurasian Development Bank’s Transport Projects Observatory reported.
It is noted that Central Asia has proven that being landlocked is not a death sentence. The region is becoming a key transit hub for Eurasia thanks to its unique location in the center of the continent and the implementation of infrastructure projects.
The growth in transit freight through the region is a sustainable trend, not a one-time spike, the report states.
80 percent of transit flows pass through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Rail transport accounts for approximately 60 percent of all transit freight.
More than 70 percent of all transit flows are between China on one side and Russia, Turkey, Afghanistan, and European countries on the other.
The development of the Eurasian transport framework is the main driver of transit growth and the formation of Eurasian transport crossroads. According to the EDB’s Transport Projects Observatory, over $52 billion will be invested in developing transport corridors in Central Asia by 2035.
«Over the past five years, we have witnessed a doubling of foreign trade between Central Asian countries and China. At the same time, transit flows have increased by 70 percent. But this is only the beginning. Central Asia, which is farthest removed from global markets than other landlocked regions, requires high-quality infrastructure. We estimate this will require nearly $53 billion by 2035. A significant portion of these funds will be allocated to transport projects developing the North-South route. This applies not only to the international North-South transport corridor but also to the Trans-Afghan Corridor, which opens new horizons for trade with the Gulf countries and South Asia,» Evgeny Vinokurov, Deputy Chairman of the Management Board and Chief Economist of the EDB, said.
Transit growth also directly depends on soft infrastructure. Simplifying border crossing procedures in Central Asia accelerates transit cargo flows, while coordinating tariff policies reduces the cost of container shipping.
