As the Trans-Caspian Transport Corridor (TCTC) gains renewed momentum, Central Asia and the European Union (EU) are working to turn long-standing connectivity ambitions into concrete trade routes, investment deals and infrastructure upgrades.
With roughly €10 billion mobilised during the 2024 Investors Forum in Brussels, stakeholders say the corridor could become a major commercial bridge between Europe, Central Asia and beyond.
The TCTC - sometimes referred to as the “Middle Corridor” - aims to link Europe with Central Asia through a multimodal network of rail, sea, and land transport across the Caspian and Black Seas. The corridor promises to shorten transit times, reduce dependence on volatile routes, and open new markets for Central Asian exports.
At the 2024 EU–Central Asia Connectivity Investors Forum in Brussels, EU and regional partners pledged roughly €10 billion to fund rail upgrades, port modernisation, customs-processing improvements and logistics reforms.
Since then:
According to Uzbekistan’s Deputy Minister of Transport, Jasurbek Choriyev, the corridor’s success depends on timely infrastructure upgrades, modern logistics and regulatory reform.
“According to our current projections, if today the volume of cargo coming from China through our territory stands at around 5–6 million tonnes, we expect this figure to reach 10–15 million tonnes by 2030–2035, and up to 30 million tonnes by 2040,” Choriyev for AnewZ
He noted that to handle such a large increase in transit, Central Asia needs robust infrastructure. Once in place, the region’s full potential would be unlocked — enabling efficient delivery not only to Europe but also to neighbouring and southern countries.
What’s Next:
Key priorities for the coming years include:
If implemented, analysts predict the TCTC could significantly boost Central Asia’s export capacity, deepen regional cooperation, and attract foreign direct investment, making Central Asia a key node in global supply chains.
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