A ceremony for the trial operation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan international multimodal transportation system is held on October 15, 2025 in Kashgar, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Photo: Screenshot from China Media Group

A ceremony for the trial operation of China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan-Turkmenistan international multimodal transportation system was held on Wednesday in Kashgar, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, marking the addition of a new international transportation channel between China and Europe, China Media Group (CMG) reported.

The trial operation includes two international multimodal transportation routes. Goods such as lamps, daily necessities, and machinery equipment will depart from Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province, and Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan, via the multimodal transport system, the report said. 

The goods will be transported by rail to Kashgar, and then exit through the Irkeshtam Port, with one route involving road transport to Kyrgyzstan for rail transshipment, marking the first use of road-rail intermodal transport to reach Port of Turkmenbashi. From there, the goods will be transferred to container ships to cross the Caspian Sea, ultimately arriving in Baku, capital of Azerbaijan, according to the CMG report.

The other route will achieve direct transport through Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan by Chinese vehicles for the first time, reaching Ashgabat, Turkmenistan.

With the trial operation of this international transportation system, Kashgar will focus on optimizing port functions and improving customs clearance efficiency, striving to create a new international trade corridor with "high efficiency, low cost, and excellent service," while accelerating the development of an interconnected network for the Belt and Road Initiative, said the media report.



Global Times