Will Uzbekistan succeed in the dream of a transcontinental train?

The American newspaper “The Cradle” published a report on the Trans-Afghan railway project, considering that it represents an opportunity to change the rules of the game and build important trade relations throughout Eurasia, by connecting the countries of China, Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

However, the newspaper pointed out that the success of this project is mostly related to dealing with the challenges of design, financing, security and geopolitics.

“The Trans-Afghan railway project is an ambitious initiative that took six years to prepare, which aims to build a vital railway line between the three “stanats” of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan and Tajikistan,”she said.

The tripartite agreement has received enthusiastic support from key stakeholders, including the Pakistani finance and railway ministers.

The railway and transport authorities of these countries have jointly approved the proposed 573-kilometer railway line, which is planned to connect Tashkent, Kabul and Peshawar.

The envisaged route forms a link from the city of Mazar-i-Sharif in northern Afghanistan to the Kharlachi border crossing in the Kurram tribal region of Pakistan, which could reduce the travel time between Uzbekistan and Pakistan by five days and reduce transportation costs by about forty percent.