Editing Kyrgyzstan (section)

===Railways===
[[File:3ТЭ10М-1024, Кыргызстан, Чуйская область, перегон разъезд № 148 - Каямат-Куркол (Trainpix 204613).jpg|thumb|]]
The [[Chüy Valley]] in the north and the [[Fergana valley]] in the south were endpoints of the [[Soviet Union]]'s rail system in Central Asia. Following the emergence of independent post-Soviet states, the rail lines which were built without regard for administrative boundaries have been cut by borders, and traffic is therefore severely curtailed. The small bits of rail lines within Kyrgyzstan, about {{convert|370|km|0|abbr=on}} ({{convert|1520|mm|1|abbr=on}} broad gauge) in total, have little economic value in the absence of the former bulk traffic over long distances to and from such centres as [[Tashkent]], [[Almaty]], and the cities of Russia.

In 2022, construction began on a new 186&nbsp;km extension of the existing railway from [[Balykchy]] to [[Karakeche]], primarily meant to carry coal from mines at Karakeche to [[Bishkek]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Kyrgyz president launches construction of railway to Kara-Keche |url=https://www.railwaygazette.com/infrastructure/kyrgyz-president-launches-construction-of-railway-to-kara-keche/61435.article |website=Railway Gazette International}}</ref> In June 2023, a railway between Balykchy and Bishkek was officially opened.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- not stated --> |date=16 June 2023 |title=Из Бишкека в Балыкчы начал курсировать пассажирский поезд |url=https://mtd.gov.kg/iz-bishkeka-v-balykchy-nachal-kursirovat-passazhirskij-poezd |website=Министерство транспорта и коммуникаций Кыргызской Республики |access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Kudryavceva |first=Tatyana |date=13 June 2023 |title=Напоминаем: завтра начнет курсировать поезд Бишкек — Балыкчи |url=https://24.kg/obschestvo/296574_napominaem_zavtra_nachnet_kursirovat_poezd_bishkek_balyikchi |website=24.kg |access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref>

The planned construction of a 523&nbsp;km {{ill|China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan Railway|ru|Железнодорожная магистраль Китай — Кыргызстан — Узбекистан}} (CKU) was announced in 2022, comprising {{convert|213|km|0|abbr=on}} in [[China]], {{convert|260|km|0|abbr=on}} in Kyrgyzstan and {{convert|50|km|0|abbr=on}} in [[Uzbekistan]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Work to start next year on China - Kyrgyzstan - Uzbekistan Railway |url=http://www.railpage.com.au/news/s/work-to-start-next-year-on-china-kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan-railway |access-date=2022-06-10 |website=Railpage |archive-date=10 June 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610062448/http://railpage.com.au/news/s/work-to-start-next-year-on-china-kyrgyzstan-uzbekistan-railway |url-status=dead }}</ref> The railway, conceived as part of China's [[Belt and Road Initiative]], is planned to lead from [[Kashgar]] through the [[Torugart Pass]] to [[Jalal-Abad]], and further on to the Uzbek city of [[Andijan]].<ref name="yang"/> Construction is set to begin in July 2025.<ref name="yang">{{cite web |last=Yang |first=William |date=9 January 2025 |title=China aims to deepen Central Asia influence with new railway project |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/china-aims-to-deepen-central-asia-influence-with-new-railway-project/7930839.html |website=[[Voice of America]] |access-date=19 February 2025}}</ref>

====Rail connections with adjacent countries====
:{|
|- style="text-align:left;"
! Neighboring&emsp;<br />country !! Rail<br />linked?&emsp; !! Rail link name&emsp; !! [[Rail gauge]] notes
|-
| [[Transport in Kazakhstan|Kazakhstan]] || Yes || [[Bishkek]] branch || Same gauge
|-
| [[Transport in Uzbekistan|Uzbekistan]] || Yes || [[Osh]] branch || Same gauge
|-
| [[Transport in Tajikistan|Tajikistan]] || No || &emsp;&emsp;— || Same gauge
|- style="vertical-align:top;"
| [[Transport in the People's Republic of China|China]] || No ||  &emsp;&emsp;—  || [[Break of gauge|Gauge break]]: 1524&nbsp;mm vs. 1435&nbsp;mm
|}