The Kyrgyz Republic serves as a key overland transit country connecting western PRC to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan via CAREC Corridors 1, 3, and 5. Road transport dominates due to its flexibility and coverage. The fragmented rail network, split into the northern and southern segments that are still not connected, has limited efficiency for domestic and transit traffic.
Recent efforts to modernize 151 km of railway lines and advance the China–Kyrgyz Republic–Uzbekistan (CKU) railway display a strategic push to integrate the republic into regional containerized rail systems. However, containerization remains limited, with pilot shipments and test corridors only beginning to take shape.
TFI trends highlight a positive shift in road transport performance, particularly a 54% reduction in TFI1, driven by improved lane management at BCPs such as Irkeshtam and Torugart. However, TFI2 for inbound road traffic spiked in 2023 due to inconsistent fee structures, undermining cost competitiveness. To consolidate its regional role, the Kyrgyz Republic is committed to completing the China–Kyrgyz Republic– Uzbekistan railway infrastructure, expand intermodal facilities, and harmonize transit regulations to reduce cost volatility and unlock multimodal potential.
A Mixed Picture
Table 6.4: Trade Facilitation Indicators for the Kyrgyz Republic (2021–2023)
| Trade Facilitation Indicators | Road Transport | Rail Transport | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | % change | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | % change | ||
| TFI1 | Time taken to clear a border-crossing point (hour) | 3.7 | 2.8 | 1.3 | -53.67% | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 36.17% |
| Outbound | 4.7 | 2.1 | 1.0 | -50.75% | – | – | – | – | |
| Inbound | 2.8 | 3.2 | 1.4 | -55.23% | 1.6 | 1.0 | 1.3 | 36.17% | |
| TFI2 | Cost incurred at border-crossing clearance ($) | 23 | 31 | 116 | 276.63% | 175 | – | – | – |
| Outbound | 22 | 26 | 19 | -27.99% | – | – | – | – | |
| Inbound | 25 | 34 | 186 | 445.98% | 175 | – | – | – | |
| TFI3 | Cost incurred to travel a corridor section | 2,194 | 1,888 | 1,505 | -20.8% | 413 | 556 | – | -100.00% |
| ($, per 500 km, per 20-ton cargo) | |||||||||
| SWD | Speed to travel on CAREC Corridors (km/h) | 27.0 | 26.5 | 32.0 | 20.74% | 19.4 | 24.5 | 23.9 | -2.74% |
| SWOD | Speed without Delay (km/h) | 52.5 | 51.8 | 54.1 | 4.47% | 21.2 | 30.1 | 32.4 | 7.56% |
The Kyrgyz Republic recorded substantial improvement in road border clearance times. TFI1 fell from 3.73 hr in 2021 to 1.27 hr in 2023, marking a 53.7% decrease. Outbound clearance saw even sharper decline (–50.8%), from 4.66 hr in 2021 to just 1.02 hr in 2023. Inbound clearance also improved by 55.2%. These positive changes suggest enhanced customs processing, improved inter-agency coordination, and more efficient lane management at key BCPs such as Irkeshtam and Torugart.
Rail transport data show a more complex picture. Border clearance time declined from 1.60 hr in 2021 to 0.98 hr in 2022, but rose to 1.33 hr in 2023 (+36.2%), with the overall values staying relatively low. The fluctuation stemmed from procedural adjustments, such as increased document checks or operational limitations at interchange points with Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan.
TFI2 trends for road transport depict a dramatic rise in 2023, with border clearance cost escalating from $30.71 in 2022 to $115.68 in 2023 (+276.6%). While outbound costs decreased by 28%, inbound costs surged by 446% to $185.78. This disparity implies potential overcharging or inefficiencies in inbound processing due to fee hikes, increased inspection costs, and inconsistent service charges.
Corridor travel costs for road transport declined significantly, from $2,193.59 in 2021 to $1,505.26 in 2023, a 20.3% reduction from improved fleet efficiency, competitive freight market pricing, and better road maintenance.
Corridor speed metrics for road transport showed improvement. SWD increased from 27.02 km/h in 2021 to 32.00 km/h in 2023 (+20.7%), suggesting reduced waiting time at borders and fewer bottlenecks. SWOD rose marginally from 52.49 to 54.07 km/h (+4.5%), reflecting the modest road infrastructure upgrades.
Rail transport saw a slight decrease in SWD from 24.53 to 23.86 km/h (–2.7%), but SWOD rose from 21.24 to 32.42 km/h (+7.6%), signaling improved rail operation speeds. These trends suggest that despite increasing average running speeds, occasional delays continue to hinder consistent performance.