The first direct passenger train named 'Slavic Caravan' departed from Orsha-Vostochnaya station in Belarus towards Chukursai station in Uzbekistan on July 30, 2026.
The first direct passenger train named 'Slavic Caravan' departed from Orsha-Vostochnaya station in Belarus towards Chukursai station in Uzbekistan on July 30, 2026.
The launch of this new railway connection resulted from agreements reached during the state visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Belarus, which took place on July 9, 2026.
According to Uztemiryo'lcontainer JSC, the consist has a standard length of 71 wagons and transports various goods, including wood processing products, sugar, food products, and compound feed.
Initially, it is planned that the train will run twice a month. This new route is intended to increase the volume of freight transport between Belarus and Uzbekistan, contributing to the development of transport and logistics links, as well as strengthening trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.
Uztemiryo'lcontainer JSC announced its readiness to provide a full range of transport and logistics services along this route for both import and export, offering clients reliable international transportation.
Belarus and Uzbekistan have begun work on a new railway route intended for freight transport. The first through train, named 'Slavic Caravan,' started its journey from the Orsha-Vostochnaya station. This train will travel through the territories of Russia and Kazakhstan without needing to break up the consist, which will ensure a significant reduction in delivery time.
The first trip included wagons loaded with wood processing products, sugar, potato starch, and compound feeds. Initially, it is planned to send such a train twice a month. In the future, containers with multimodal cargo, previously transported by road, will be included in the consist.
Head of Belarusian Railways Valery Verenich emphasized that this service will reduce delivery times by almost half. If previously individual wagons could take up to two months in transit, now the cargo will reach Uzbekistan in only 5–7 days. The train will move according to a set schedule similar to passenger train timetables.
The new route also allows small enterprises to send goods in batches, starting with a single 20-ton container, bypassing the need to wait for a full wagon load. Furthermore, there is a function for forming consolidated containers from several different shippers.
The 'Slavic Caravan' project aims to increase the export of Belarusian products to the Uzbek market. In the return direction, the transportation of Uzbek goods, including vegetables, fruits, and light industry products, is planned. Chairman of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee Alexander Rogozhnik noted that using the new train to transport a 20-ton container costs at least one and a half times less than road transport.
Alexander Rogozhnik also announced his visit to Uzbekistan in mid-August, where the signing of a cooperation roadmap with the Andijan region is expected. It should be recalled that during July meetings in Minsk, Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Alexander Lukashenko set the goal of increasing mutual trade turnover to $2 billion.
