BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 30. Rail freight traffic between Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan increased by 10% in 2025, reaching 6.8 million tonnes, according to the Kazakh government.
The figures were announced at the Second Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan Interregional Cooperation Forum, titled "The Role of Regions in Developing Strategic Partnership", held in Bishkek with the participation of Kazakh Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov and Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers and Head of the Presidential Administration of Kyrgyzstan Adylbek Kasymaliev.
During the first nine months of 2026, rail freight traffic between the two countries reached 5.1 million tonnes, up 8.3% compared with the same period last year. The road freight traffic also increased, rising by 37% in 2025 to 3.7 million tonnes. The transition to electronic exchange of permits was highlighted as an important step towards simplifying transport procedures.
The forum noted that the tourism sector also offers considerable potential for cooperation. Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan have opportunities to develop joint routes for mountain, eco-, beach and business tourism. Mutual tourist flows between the two countries exceeded 4 million people in the first nine months of 2026.
The parties reaffirmed their interest in further expanding direct ties between regions and developing joint production, trade, transport infrastructure and tourism. The planned initiatives are expected to strengthen the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan strategic partnership and support sustainable economic development in the region.
Following the forum, the parties signed a number of documents aimed at expanding interregional cooperation. These included an agreement on developing sister-city relations between Almaty and Bishkek for 2026-2030, establishing sister-city relations between Turkistan and the city of Manas, and developing cooperation between the Shchuchinsk-Burabay resort area and the Issyk-Kul resort area.
Other agreements focused on expanding cooperation with Kyrgyzstan's Issyk-Kul, Jalal-Abad and Naryn regions. Several commercial documents were also signed in the areas of trade, exports, and the promotion of Kazakh products on the Kyrgyz market.
