Trans-Afghan Railway: How a Train to Afghanistan Could Transform Eurasia

Central Asia Column “Steppe Ahead”

Author: Thorsten Gutman

Anyone looking at Afghanistan today rarely thinks of new rail connections. Instead, they think of decades of war, the Taliban, and the systematic oppression of women. A country that for many has become synonymous with stagnation and regression. And yet, it is precisely here that a railway line is to be built that has the potential to shift the economic geography of all of Eurasia.

Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are planning a continuous rail link from Termez via Kabul to Peshawar. The so-called Trans-Afghan Railway is intended to create a direct land corridor spanning over 700 kilometers between Central Asia and Pakistan’s seaports. A framework agreement for a joint feasibility study was signed in Kabul. The project costs are estimated at around seven billion U.S. dollars. This could reduce the transport time between Tashkent and Karachi from over a month to just a few days.

What seemed unthinkable just a few years ago is now within reach—not because political conditions have improved, but because economic realities are forcing new approaches. Existing trade routes have become overloaded or geopolitically unstable. At the same time, the region is gaining the confidence not only to demand its own infrastructure projects but also to initiate and drive them forward itself.

Uzbekistan first floated the idea of the Trans-Afghan Railway back in 2018. Today, it fits perfectly with the country’s “Middle Corridor” strategy, which aims to position Uzbekistan as a logistical bridge between China, South Asia, and Europe. Pakistan, for its part, is seeking access to the resource-rich markets of Central Asia—not merely as a transit country, but as an economic player on equal footing. And Afghanistan? For the first time in this project, it is not playing the role of a disruptive factor, but rather that of a connecting element—both geographically and politically.

The fact that these three countries—with all their differences and conflicts—are now working on a joint project is remarkable. It is a sign of pragmatism in a region long marked by bloc thinking and external influence. One thing is clear: the risks are high. The security situation along the route remains fragile, and the administrative and technical hurdles are considerable. But the political will seems to be there—and the economic arguments are compelling.

The feasibility study that will now follow will show whether and how the project can be implemented. Yet it is already clear: The Trans-Afghan Railway is far more than a transportation project. It represents a new phase of Eurasian cooperation—bottom-up, regionally driven, and guided by real needs. It could become a symbol of something that has long been missing: the ability to forge connections through our own efforts—rather than waiting for solutions from outside.

Perhaps one day people will say: The first rail line laid through Afghanistan was not just a logistical milestone—but a political signal. A line through the uncertainty. And a step toward the power to shape our own future.