The long-planned China – Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan (CKU) railway line is now being built, as the Kyrgyz authorities have announced. The line connects Kashgar in China via Torugart, Makmal, and Jalalabad in Kyrgyzstan with Andijan in Uzbekistan. An investment agreement with the CKU Railway Company Limited regulates the planning, construction, financing, operation, and maintenance of the project. The railway could transport up to 15 million t of freight per year and reduce delivery times by up to seven days. Construction costs amount to around €7.7 billion (US$8 billion). In addition to the line, logistics centres and transit infrastructure are being developed. The Bedel border crossing is intended to facilitate the movement of goods and people at the Kyrgyz-Chinese border.
