Freight operators report faster journeys and lower transport costs as infrastructure improvements strengthen regional trade links. But border delays remain a significant obstacle, prompting further investment in modernising cross-border procedures.
A major highway in Central Asia is being expanded to improve freight transport along a trade corridor connecting China with markets further west, including Europe.
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In Karakalpakstan, an autonomous republic in northwestern Uzbekistan, a 25-kilometre section of the A380 on the road connecting the cities of Nukus and Urgench is being widened from two to four lanes. Construction is about 90% complete, with the work expected to finish by the end of 2026.
Further northwest, a separate 240-kilometre stretch of the same highway, running from Kungrad towards the Kazakhstan border, was completed in 2024. Transport operators say the upgrade has significantly reduced journey times and vehicle maintenance costs.
"We export products to Türkiye, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and elsewhere through Karakalpakstan. Previously, trucks needed at least 10 to 12 hours to cover the 240–250 kilometres between Kungrad and Beyneu. The roads were in poor condition. Now, trucks can complete the journey in three to four hours," said Damir Mamutov, general manager of transport company Promizvest Servis.
Mamutov, whose company has operated in international freight transport for around 15 years, said trucks previously needed tyre and suspension repairs after as few as one or two journeys. He said these problems have become less frequent since the reconstruction, reducing maintenance costs.
Highway expansion to increase capacity
The ongoing 25-kilometre reconstruction project, valued at $48.7mn (€43.6mn), is part of the wider programme supported by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
According to Bahodir Boltaboyev, deputy director of the ADB Project Implementation Group, approximately three kilometres of concrete road surfacing and work on an overpass remain to be completed.
The project also includes dedicated U-turn overpasses designed to allow vehicles to change direction without entering lanes carrying traffic in the opposite direction.
"Previously, around 6,000 to 7,000 vehicles used this road daily. Once reconstruction is completed, this figure is expected to rise to 14,000 to 15,000," Boltaboyev told Euronews.
A $383mn (€343mn) investment in regional transport
The wider road improvement programme has a budget of $383.4mn (€343mn), including $274.2mn (€245mn) in loans from the Asian Development Bank and a $109.2mn (€97.7mn) contribution from the Uzbek government.
The A380 forms part of Corridor 2 of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) programme, which brings together 11 countries to improve transport infrastructure, facilitate trade and strengthen economic cooperation.
According to Begzod Djalilov, regional cooperation specialist at the ADB, developing economic corridors also requires investment in sectors such as tourism, agriculture and services, with the aim of creating jobs, increasing local incomes and expanding export opportunities.
Border crossings remain a challenge
Despite improvements to the road network, customs procedures and delays at international borders can still slow freight traffic.
"Along with investing in hard infrastructure, at the same time, we work on modernisation of border crossing points," Djalilov told Euronews. He outlined efforts to digitise procedures and introduce electronic queuing systems for trucks.
In August 2026, the ADB approved a separate $400mn (€358mn) regional financing facility, known as Border Upgrades for Integration, Logistics, and Development (BUILD), to modernise road and rail border crossings across the CAREC region through improved digital systems, inspection equipment and border management.
