Tashkent–Samarkand high-speed toll highway: $2.185 billion and a planned construction start

According to Tashkent Times (May 28, 2026), Uzbekistan has selected a Chinese contractor to build the Tashkent–Samarkand high-speed toll motorway.

What is known

• length: 282 km, including 108 km in Jizzakh Region and 47 km in Samarkand Region;
• cost: $2.185 billion (according to the head of the National Bank); the main contractor is a Chinese corporation whose name has not been disclosed;
• signing of the EPC contract was expected in June 2026 and the start of construction in July 2026, in four stages;
• financing: China Development Bank, Exim Bank of China, Bank of Communications; a $200 million bridge loan is possible;
• travel time will be cut by a factor of 2–2.5.

These are the timelines as of May 2026; the actual start of construction was not verified for this article.

What this means for renters

ST24 comment: a highway of this scale will need a lot of heavy machinery, but the main contractor is a foreign corporation with its own fleet; local rental providers may get subcontracts and the chance to supply services near the route.

Sources

• Tashkent Times — Uzbekistan selects Chinese contractor for $2.18 billion highway to Samarkand

This material was prepared by the ST24 editorial team from open sources and is not legal advice: check the text of the document before making decisions.

Illustrative photo: Reinhold Möller Ermell · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons