Story perspectives

Kyrgyzstan’s North Koshtobe Tunnel Breakthrough Reached 209.6m

9/7/2026

Summary

Story summary

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway officials announced the first tunnel breakthrough on the Kyrgyz section.
The No. 2 North Koshtobe tunnel is 209.6 metres long and was completed on schedule.
Construction began in June 2025, bringing Kyrgyz-segment progress to 17 percent.
Over 2,000 Kyrgyz workers were hired and more than 1,800 received civil-engineering training.
Local sourcing includes over 10 billion som of materials, more than 60 percent of cement, and all fuel.

History

Historical Context

In 1864 the Russian Empire seized Turkistan and named its new southern provinces Turkestan. The city later lay on the Trans-Aral Railway, the line that opened Central Asian markets and foreshadowed the Turkestan–Siberian route. Today China Railway’s Kyrgyz-Uzbek venture breaks a new tunnel, echoing that historic cooperation; Turkistan’s 2024 population is about 165,000.

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Story summary

China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway officials announced the first tunnel breakthrough on the Kyrgyz section.
The No. 2 North Koshtobe tunnel is 209.6 metres long and was completed on schedule.
Construction began in June 2025, bringing Kyrgyz-segment progress to 17 percent.
Over 2,000 Kyrgyz workers were hired and more than 1,800 received civil-engineering training.
Local sourcing includes over 10 billion som of materials, more than 60 percent of cement, and all fuel.

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