Construction of the Trans-Afghan railway is set to begin in 2025.

Information about the selected route and collaboration with project donors was presented to the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The initiative, which gained momentum following the commencement of construction for the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway in late 2023, aims to establish a new transport corridor from Central Asia to the South.

The roadmap for the project "Termez - Mazar-i-Sharif - Kabul - Peshawar" was signed by the three countries back in February 2021; however, the change in power in Afghanistan delayed its implementation. Nevertheless, in December of the same year, the interim government of Afghanistan confirmed its participation in the project, and in July 2022, expeditionary works commenced to determine the route and prepare the feasibility study (FS).

The length of the highway will be 573 km, with its transit potential estimated at 20 million tons of cargo annually.
The railway will serve as a crucial link connecting the European Union, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian countries.

To coordinate the efforts, a project office was opened in Tashkent in May 2023, and in August, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev described the future highway as "the best, cheapest, and safest route" to South Asia. According to him, the implementation of the project will take at least five years, but it will pay off through increased trade and logistical integration in the region.