The key facts

  • From November 7, 2026, additional fees will be introduced: 800,000–1.3 million soums ($67–109) per wagon
  • Exemptions: wheat, oil, petroleum products, and gas
  • The company says the goal is to prevent revenue decline; the Afghan side fears price increases

New fees and their amount

JSC Uzbekistan Temir Yollari has announced that from November 7, 2026, it will introduce additional fees for the rail transportation of goods to Afghanistan. This is stated on the company's official website, as noted by Daryo.uz and Zamon.uz. The fee amount depends on the tariff category of the cargo and will range from 800,000 to 1.3 million soums (approximately $67–109) per wagon.

Which goods are covered and why

The additional fees apply to most goods transported through Uzbekistan to Afghanistan. Wheat, vegetable oil, petroleum products, and gas will be exempt. Company representatives explained the decision as an effort to prevent a decline in the enterprise's revenue — this information is reported by the Afghan outlet TOLOnews.

Reaction from the Afghan side

Afghan businessman Omid Haidari said that the rising cost of transporting goods in wagons could lead to higher prices for goods in Afghan markets, and called on Uzbekistan to reduce transport and transit fees. Economic analyst Abdul Nasir Reshtia, in a piece for TOLOnews noted that expanding Afghanistan's ties with Central Asian countries makes it possible to diversify trade routes and reduce dependence on a single transport corridor.

Context: agricultural talks

Against the backdrop of reports about the fees, the deputy agriculture ministers of the two countries held an online meeting, where they discussed the export of Afghan meat and potatoes to Uzbekistan, the development of cotton growing and horticulture, as well as the creation of a seed production center. The press secretary of Afghanistan's Ministry of Agriculture, Sher Mohammad Hotami, saidthat the meeting was aimed at strengthening ties, developing trade cooperation, joint investment, and the exchange of technical experience. As Daryo.uz and TOLOnews note, it is not yet known how the new fees will affect trade between the two countries.