Phoenix 24
The race is no longer only about infrastructure, but about making borders predictable.
Tashkent
European and Central Asian governments are accelerating efforts to transform the Trans Caspian Corridor into a faster and more reliable trade route linking Uzbekistan and neighboring markets with Europe. The current journey can take around 35 days, but officials want to reduce transit times to between 15 and 20 days.
For cargo moving west from Uzbekistan, the route can cross Kazakhstan to the Caspian Sea, continue by ferry to Azerbaijan and then move through Georgia and Türkiye toward European markets. The corridor therefore depends on the coordination of railways, roads, ports and maritime links spread across several national jurisdictions.
That complexity explains why policymakers are increasingly focusing on what they describe as soft connectivity. Physical infrastructure remains uneven and requires further investment, but customs procedures, digital documentation and predictable border crossings can create major delays even when rail and port capacity is available.
TRACECA, the intergovernmental organization supporting transport connections between Europe, the Caucasus and Asia, has identified digital connectivity and simplified cross border procedures as priorities for the next four years. European officials have similarly argued that documentation should move toward electronic formats and that customs systems should be harmonized across the entire corridor.
One proposal is particularly significant for logistics companies. Instead of requiring separate permits in every country crossed by a shipment, authorities are considering more integrated systems that would allow cargo to move under common or mutually recognized documentation. The objective is not simply speed but predictability, because transport companies need to know when goods will arrive in order to plan supply chains effectively.
Bottlenecks remain farther west. Capacity around the Black Sea, maritime security concerns and ferry availability can still restrict movement. New railway links involving Azerbaijan, Armenia, Nakhchivan and Türkiye could eventually improve connectivity by closing relatively short but strategically important gaps.
Uzbekistan has a particularly strong interest in the project because it is one of only two double landlocked countries in the world. Transport costs therefore have a major effect on the competitiveness of Uzbek exports. Tashkent is exploring investments in Caspian shipping, Azerbaijani infrastructure and ports in Georgia and the Black Sea.
At the same time, the planned China Kyrgyzstan Uzbekistan railway could eventually add substantial volumes of east west freight. Uzbekistan Railways estimates that the line could carry up to 15 million tonnes annually, increasing pressure to make the rest of the corridor more efficient.
The strategic value of the Trans Caspian route lies in more than shorter delivery times. It gives Central Asia additional access to Europe while giving Europe another trade pathway connecting it with Asian markets.
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