The Rail Route That Could Redefine Central Asian Trade

By Eurasianet - Nov 04, 2025

• Uzbekistan Railways and Pakistan’s SLG Trax Group held talks on a multimodal route linking the two countries through Afghanistan.
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• The discussions focused on creating a secure and reliable freight corridor and harmonizing cargo rates.
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• The project could enhance Uzbekistan’s access to global trade routes and support Western efforts to diversify critical mineral supplies.

In Tashkent’s ongoing effort to find a path to a seaport and expand global trade options, representatives of the state company Uzbekistan Railways have engaged a Pakistani logistics firm to establish a multimodal route connecting Uzbekistan and Pakistan.

The October 30 talks involving Uzbekistan Railways and Islamabad-based SLG Trax Group “discussed in detail” the feasibility of a secure and reliable freight rail line connecting the two countries via Afghanistan, according to a report published by the Uzbek government-connected UzDaily news outlet. The two sides also mulled cargo rates for the multimodal transportation of goods.

Although the meeting did not yield a formal deal or memorandum of understanding, “the parties agreed on the development of multimodal services using routes through third countries and on the development of unified approaches in this area,” according to the UzDaily report. A next step would seem to be engaging Afghan authorities in the process.

Earlier this year, Uzbek officials explored the possibility of using the Iranian port of Chabahar as an export outlet. Questions about the possible US sanctioning of the port appeared to give Tashkent second thoughts about Chabahar’s viability. But on October 30, India, which has an investment agreement with Iran covering port operations, announced the United States had granted a six-month waiver of sanctions for Chabahar.

A rail link connecting Uzbekistan and Pakistan via Afghanistan could provide a boost for US and EU efforts to open up imports of critical minerals, a stated aim of both the Trump administration and the EU Commission. A key port facility in Pakistan at Gwadar is controlled by China.

By Eurasianet