Editing Transport in Afghanistan (section)

==Road==
{{Further|Lapis Lazuli corridor|Belt and Road Initiative}}
Most major highways were asphalted around the mid-20th century with assistance from the United States and the [[Soviet Union]]. The Soviets built a highway and [[Salang Tunnel|tunnel]] through the [[Salang pass]] in the 1960s, connecting northern and eastern Afghanistan. A highway connecting the principal cities of [[Herat]], [[Mazar-i-Sharif]], [[Lashkar Gah]], [[Kandahar]], [[Ghazni]], [[Kabul]] and [[Jalalabad]], with links to highways in neighboring [[Pakistan]] originally formed the primary road system of Afghanistan.
[[File:Street scene in Kabul-2012.jpg|left|thumb|A typical street scene in [[Kabul]]]]
[[File:Inside the Salang Tunnel in November 2013.jpg|thumb|The [[Salang Tunnel]], a major north-south connection that cuts through the mountains in high elevation]]
[[File:K-G_Pass in 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Khost-Gardez Pass]] in eastern Afghanistan]]
[[File:Kabul-Jalalabad Road pass.jpg|thumb|View of the [[Kabul-Jalalabad Road]]]]
[[File:Convoy of trucks in Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|Convoy of trucks on the [[Kabul-Kandahar Highway]]]]
As of 2017, Afghanistan had {{cvt|17903|km}} of paved roads and {{cvt|17000|km}} of unpaved roads, for an approximate total road system of {{cvt|34903|km}}.<ref name="Factbook"/> Traffic in Afghanistan is [[left- and right-hand traffic|right hand]]. In 2008, about 731,607 vehicles were registered in Kabul.<ref name=who>{{cite web|url=https://www.who.int/violence_injury_prevention/road_safety_status/country_profiles/afghanistan.pdf|title=Afghanistan|publisher=World Health Organization (WHO)|access-date=January 8, 2012}}</ref> At least 1,314 [[traffic collision]]s were reported in December 2022.<ref name="Nearly 3,000 people killed, injured in traffic accidents in past 9-month">{{Cite news |title=Nearly 3,000 people killed, injured in traffic accidents in past 9-month |url=https://pajhwok.com/2022/12/16/nearly-3000-people-killed-injured-in-traffic-accidents-in-past-9-month/ |date=16 December 2022 |access-date=2022-06-22 |work=Pajhwok Afghan News}}</ref> Many vehicles in the country are driven without registration plates. The Afghan government passed a law banning the import of cars older than 10 years. [[Toyota Corolla]] has been the most widely used vehicle in the country since the mid-1990s.<ref name="Afghanistan gives antiquated Toyotas a new life">{{cite news|url=https://www.stripes.com/afghanistan-gives-antiquated-toyotas-a-new-life-1.356184|title=Afghanistan gives antiquated Toyotas a new life|work=[[Stars and Stripes (newspaper)|Stars and Stripes]]|date=July 3, 2015|access-date=2020-10-09 |location=United States}}</ref> Afghanistan recently began manufacturing its own [[Microcar|microcars]] for domestic consumers.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://in.reuters.com/article/afghanistan-vehicles-idINKBN25T1TO|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200903011824/https://in.reuters.com/article/afghanistan-vehicles-idINKBN25T1TO|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 3, 2020|title=Afghan firm eyes emerging middle class with new cars, trucks|editor=Hameed Farzad|work=Reuters|date=September 2, 2020|access-date=2020-10-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/south-central-asia_afghan-company-introduces-locally-made-vehicles/6195407.html|title=Afghan Company Introduces Locally Made Vehicles|publisher=Voice of America|date=September 3, 2020|access-date=2020-10-09}}</ref> Long distant road journeys are made in private cars, vans, trucks and [[coach (bus)|buses]].<ref>{{YouTube|Q_2LVVGd8zE|شام کابل گزارش ضیا، ترمینل پایتخت، مسافران شمال ,Capital terminal kabul}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.afghanrentals.com/|title=Vehicles Rental in Afghanistan &#124; Afghan Logistics|website=AfghanRentals}}</ref> Many of the national roads are in need of serious repair due to damage caused by overloaded trucks. For this reason, tourists, business people and the upper class prefer using airline service for long distant travels. The national roads can also be dangerous due to accidents and lack of security forces.

===Highways===
The highway system is currently going through a reconstruction phase. Most of the regional roads are also being repaired or improved. For the last 30 years, the poor state of the Afghan transportation and communication networks has further fragmented and hampered the struggling economy.

The following is a partial list of the major highways in Afghanistan:
*[[Gardez]]–[[Dand Aw Patan District|Pathan]] Highway in Paktia Province (still under construction as of February 2015)
*[[Jalalabad–Torkham Highway]]
*[[Kabul–Bamyan Highway]]
*[[Kabul–Kunduz Highway]]
*[[Kabul–Khost Highway]]
*[[Kabul–Ghor-Herat Highway]]
*[[Kabul–Jalalabad Road]] (A-1)
*[[Kabul–Herat Highway]] (A-77)
*[[Kabul–Kandahar Highway]] (A-1
*[[Kabul–Mazar Highway]] (A-76)
*[[Kandahar–Bamyan Highway]]
*[[Kandahar–Boldak Highway]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2017/11/14/improved-transport-access-to-markets-leads-to-lower-costs-and-more-investments|title=Afghanistan: Improved Roads Unlocks Access to Services and Opportunities|publisher=World Bank}}</ref>
*[[Kandahar–Herat Highway]]
*[[Kandahar–Tarinkot Highway]]
*[[Kunduz-Khomri Highway]]
*[[Kunduz–Fayzabad Highway]]
*[[Herat–Islam Qala Highway]]
*[[Herat–Mazar Highway]]
*[[Route Trident]] ([[Lashkar Gah]] to [[Gereshk]])
*[[Route 606 (Afghanistan)]]

===Official border crossing points===
There are over a dozen official [[border crossing point]]s all around Afghanistan. They include [[Abu Nasar Port]] in [[Farah Province]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2022/06/21/afghanistan-iran-resume-goods-transport-at-abu-nasar-port/ |title=Afghanistan, Iran resume goods transport at Abu Nasar Port |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=June 21, 2022 |access-date=2022-08-05}}</ref> [[Angur Ada]] in [[Paktika Province]], [[Aqina]] in [[Faryab Province]], [[Dand Aw Patan District|Dand-aw-Patan]] in [[Paktia Province]], [[Ghulam Khan]] in [[Khost Province]], [[Hairatan]] in [[Balkh Province]], [[Islam Qala]] in [[Herat Province]], [[Ishkashim, Afghanistan|Ishkashim]] in [[Badakhshan Province]], [[Sher Khan Bandar]] in [[Kunduz Province]], [[Wesh–Chaman border crossing|Spin Boldak]] in [[Kandahar Province]], [[Torghundi]] in Herat Province, [[Torkham border crossing|Torkham]] in [[Nangarhar Province]], and [[Zaranj]] in [[Nimruz Province]].<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-174055 |title=Analysts Predict Decrease in Govt Revenue as Border Town Falls |work=TOLOnews |date=7 August 2021 |access-date=2022-12-16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/info/infographic/24092 |title=Afghan border crossings gain more importance amid Taliban's advance |publisher=Anadolu Agency |date=July 13, 2021 |access-date=2022-08-05 |location=Turkey}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-58283177 |title=Afghanistan: How many refugees are there and where will they go? |publisher=BBC News |date=August 31, 2021 |access-date=2022-08-05 |location=United Kingdom}}</ref> The Afghanistan-China border crossing at [[Wakhjir Pass]] in the [[Wakhan District]] is under development since 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1863386/world |title=Set in concrete: In a first, Kabul builds $5m road via tough terrain to access China |publisher=Arab News |date=May 23, 2021 |access-date=2022-08-13}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/08/14/china-afghanistan-wakhan-corridor-imperial-ambitions/ |title=China Is Protecting Its Thin Corridor to the Afghan Heartland |publisher=Foreign Policy |date=August 14, 2021 |access-date=2022-08-13}}</ref>

The [[Tajik–Afghan bridge at Panji Poyon|Afghanistan-Tajikistan bridge]] at [[Sher Khan Bandar]]-[[Panji Poyon]] connects by road Afghanistan and Tajikistan. It was built by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers]] (USACE) in 2007.<ref>[http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/August/20070829160347saikceinawz0.2609064.html Afghanistan-Tajikistan Bridge Links Central, South Asia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831013643/http://www.america.gov/st/washfile-english/2007/August/20070829160347saikceinawz0.2609064.html |date=2009-08-31 |location=United States}}</ref> The two countries are also connected by the smaller [[Tajik–Afghan bridge at Tem-Demogan]]. The [[Afghanistan–Uzbekistan Friendship Bridge]] connects Afghanistan by road with Uzbekistan. The [[Route 606 (Afghanistan)|Delaram-Zaranj Highway]] was constructed with Indian assistance and was inaugurated in January 2009.<ref>{{cite news |title=India hands over strategic highway to Afghanistan |url=http://www.hindu.com/2009/01/23/stories/2009012355311200.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090203072429/http://hindu.com/2009/01/23/stories/2009012355311200.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=2009-02-03 |work=The Hindu |date=2007-07-12 |location=India}}</ref>

===Taxis, auto rickshaws and urban public transport===
{{Further|Milli Bus}}
[[File:Jalalabad street with rickshaws.jpg|thumb|[[Auto rickshaw]]s in [[Jalalabad]]]]
Due to the lack of public urban transport systems, taxis and [[auto rickshaw]]s are popular in the major cities, the latter especially in [[Jalalabad]]. Kabul demanded a much needed public transport system in the 21st century with a rapid increase in traffic and population, but many projects were cancelled or not completed. The municipality launched a bus system accompanied by bus stops, the city's first in decades, in March 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://km.gov.af/6060/%D8%A8%D8%B3%D9%87%D8%A7%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1%DB%8C-%D8%B4%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%88%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%A8%D9%84-%D8%AF%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%B7%D8%AD-%D8%B4%D9%87%D8%B1-%D8%A2%D8%BA%D8%A7%D8%B2-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D9%81%D8%B9%D8%A7%D9%84%DB%8C%D8%AA-%DA%A9%D8%B1%D8%AF|title=Kabul Municipality - شاروالی کابل: بس‌های شهری شاروالی کابل در سطح شهر آغاز به فعالیت کرد!}}</ref> Many urban dwellers ride [[motorcycle]]s, [[scooter (motorcycle)|scooters]] and bicycles, particularly in [[Herat]], [[Farah, Afghanistan|Farah]], [[Lashkar Gah]] and [[Kandahar]].