Turkmenistan transport projects rank among Central Asia's top 10 by EDB
This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.
Turkmenistan's transport projects rank among the top 10 largest initiatives in the Eurasian transport framework by investment volume, according to a new Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) report. The report highlights six projects worth $6.05 billion planned or underway through 2035, with highways accounting for $4.7 billion. Turkmenistan's share of total Central Asian transport investment stands at 10%.
Investment Breakdown
The EDB report identifies six transport corridor projects in Turkmenistan with a total investment of $6.05 billion. Of this, $4.7 billion is allocated to highways, $1.2 billion to railways, and $0.15 billion to border crossing points. Two projects are fully state-funded, while four involve borrowed financing. The investment-to-GDP ratio for transport stands at 7.8%.
Key Completed Projects
The largest completed project is the Ashgabat–Turkmenabat highway, specifically the Mary–Turkmenabat section (288 km) opened in April 2026 at a cost of $2.40 billion. The four-to-six-lane road reduces travel time from Uzbekistan to Iran and the Turkmenbashi port by 30%. Another completed project is the Turkmenbashi–Garabogaz–Kazakhstan border road with a new bridge over Garabogazgol Bay, costing $0.45 billion.
Corridor Integration
Projects worth $5.9 billion are linked to the TRACECA corridor, while $0.15 billion are part of the North–South corridor. The new highways in Turkmenistan, combined with Uzbekistan's Tashkent–Samarkand and Tashkent–Andijan roads, will create a high-speed road corridor connecting China, Central Asia, Iran, the South Caucasus, the Persian Gulf, and Turkey.
What's Next
Turkmenistan plans to continue developing its transport network through 2035, with additional projects likely to be announced. It remains unclear how the country will secure financing for the remaining projects and whether regional integration will accelerate trade volumes as projected.
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Turkmenistan transport projects rank among Central Asia's top 10 by EDB
