Uzbekistan Quality Job Creation as a Cornerstone for Sustainable Economic Growth

Figure 2.4: Railway Lines, Uzbekistan, 2005–2018
(km)
2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
3,000
3,500
4,000
4,500
5,000
Without electrification
With electrification
No breakdown

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Infrastructure as a Foundation for Job Creation
Rail cargo is shipped in both goods wagons and intermodal containers, many 
of which are old and in poor condition. The UTY’s rolling stock is outdated 
and shows a high degree of physical deterioration. About 60% of the rolling 
stock is unable to provide nominal pulling capacity, often leading to railcars 
uncoupling from trains, failure to meet delivery deadlines, and reduced volume 
of rail freight transport (CER 2013a). Nearly 90% of the wagon fleet will need 
to be replaced in the next decade. The UTY is therefore improving its internal 
capacity to upgrade its wagon fleet. The UTY’s ability to rehabilitate and 
construct its rolling stock is being improved. 
Table 2.2: Rail Transport Indicators, Uzbekistan, 2011–2018
Traffic Volume
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
1st half 
2017
1st half 
2018
Freight traffic
(million tons)
59.2
61.5
63.7
65.7
67.2
67.6
33.1
33.3
Freight traffic
(billion ton-km)
22.5
22.7
22.9
22.9
22.9
22.9
11.6
11.6
Passenger traffic 
(million passengers)
14.9
15.9
17.4
19.1
20.1
20.5
10.9
11.7
Passenger traffic 
(billion passenger-km)
3.0
3.4
3.7
3.8
3.8
3.9
3.1
2.1
Sources: Uzbekistan Statistics. https://www.stat.uz/en (accessed 14 December 2018); ADB (2017b); Uzbekistan 
Railways. http://railway.uz/en/gazhk/statisticheskie-dannye/ (accessed 14 December 2018). 
The UTY is embarking on a step-wise program to modernize its locomotive 
fleet. The current fleet is 75% diesel (28% comprises mainline diesel 
locomotives and 47% comprises shunting diesel locomotives), with electric 
locomotives constituting only 25% of the fleet. The latter includes 37 electric 
locomotives procured within the last 10 years. The locomotive fleet, both 
diesel and electric, is of advanced age, with the majority having served more 
than 30 years. Limitations due to the number of electric locomotives and the 
aging fleet pose a major challenge to the expansion of freight and passenger 
train services on a reliable basis. The existing fleet is utilized to its maximum 
potential, making it difficult for the UTY to serve the growing demand. The 
slow acceleration and top speeds of diesel locomotives and the switching 
required between diesel and electric locomotives add to transport times 
and inefficiencies. Locomotive depots remain tailored to servicing diesel 
locomotives, and require upgrading to suit an increasingly electrified fleet. 
ADB is currently supporting the Uzbekistan government with the procurement 
of 24 electric locomotives (ADB 2019). 

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