[[[separator]]]
For over two centuries, the vast territory inhabited by Mongol nomads has been an important element in the political puzzle of Central Asia.
In recent years, the rapidly increasing number of projects and trade agreements concluded between Russia and China stimulated the need to redefine the status and position of Central Asian countries. In the face of these new realities and the resulting challenges, but also benefits, there is a future in the development of the transit potential of this region. The benefits of making the territory of these countries available for the needs of international and even intercontinental countries, as well as the transport of various raw materials and goods, are a challenge
for the economy and politics of these countries. These benefits are also an opportunity for domestic investors, and affect the infrastructure development of the entire region. Additionally, these benefits can attract foreign capital from countries that are third neighbours, which is important for maintaining geopolitical and economic balance. This in turn is very important in maintaining the security, sovereignty
and independence of these countries. Over the last decade, successive governments have realised that their countries have much more to offer than just mineral resources, and that focusing on one branch of the economy is not economically or politically safe. Finding ways to diversify the sectors of the national economy while maintaining the stability of democracy and the foundations of the free market achieved just over thirty years ago is a challenge that contemporary activities and processes of the global economy pose to the countries of Central Asia. We need to take advantage of every opportunity that arises, and certainly one of them is the development of potential and transit possibilities in the face of the permanent development of the PRC economy and the strengthening economic relations between Moscow and Beijing. There are already opinions that only by connecting the network of asphalt roads, railways, gas pipelines and power lines of Russia and China will the development of the entire Central Asia region be possible. This book examines the main question of whether Central Asian countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan can become important global transport hubs, and what direct impact this will have on the further development of the region. The Central Asian region, positioned at the point of intersection of major continental trade routes, has emerged as a key player in the evolving global transit and transportation landscape. With strategic geopolitical importance, abundant natural resources, and growing infrastructural ambitions, countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are increasingly shaping regional and international logistics networks. This volume explores the multifaceted dimensions of transit development across Central Asia, with a particular focus on rail infrastructure, digital mobility services, and the broader economic and legal contexts. The first chapter, by Jan Rogala, sets the stage by analysing Mongolia’s strategic role in transit development and how it is integrated into state policy, highlighting how transit contributes to economic growth and regional influence. This is followed by a chapter by Robert Dygas, who provides a comparative overview of selected Central Asian countries, examining their growing influence and integration into the global economy. In Chapter 3, Paweł Lesiak offers a comprehensive assessment of the region’s transit potential, identifying key strengths and constraints that affect logistical capacity and regional cooperation. Andrzej Krasuski then shifts the focus to the digital realm, analysing legal aspects of digital mobility services in selected Asian nations and emphasising the importance of regulatory frameworks for innovation and connectivity. Chapters 5 through
10 delve deeper into the specifics of rail transport, a cornerstone of Central Asia’s transit infrastructure. Mirosław Antonowicz provides a geostrategic analysis of rail transport across five key countries, shedding light on regional cooperation and infrastructure modernisation. In subsequent chapters, national case studies examine the current status, challenges, and opportunities of railway systems: Zubaida Aspayeva
on Kazakhstan, Bakyt Orozbaev on Kyrgyzstan, Elena Tsvirko (Petrenko) and Sergey Kabenkov on Tajikistan, and a joint analysis by Antonowicz and Tsvirko on Turkmenistan. Finally, Shukhrat Kayumkhodjaev explores the development trajectory and plans for modernisation of Uzbekistan’s railway sector. Collectively, these contributions offer a detailed, multidisciplinary perspective on transit as a catalyst for economic development and regional integration in Central Asia. By combining policy analysis, legal perspectives, and infrastructure studies, this volume serves as a valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and professionals engaged in Eurasian transport, logistics, and regional development. An interdisciplinary study will allow the use of team research methods in which we will combine knowledge
and skills from various fields of science. By using heuristic methods in our research, an in-depth analysis of macro- and microeconomic statistical data of the last decade, describing economic realities on a national, regional and global scale, and supplementing them with methods used in cultural studies, we will be able to create a clear description of transit in the region and its future prospects. This will enable
us to produce an expert opinion that should be useful in further research.
[[[separator]]]
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1.0
MONGOLIAN TRANSIT AND ITS ROLE IN BUILDING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL. STATE ECONOMIC POLICY AND POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
JAN ROGALA
CHAPTER 2.0
THE ROLE OF THE CHOSEN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES (MONGOLIA, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TURKMENISTAN, AFGHANISTAN) IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
ROBERT DYGAS
CHAPTER 3.0
THE TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE CENTRAL ASIA REGION
PAWEŁ LESIAK
CHAPTER 4.0
DIGITAL MOBILITY SERVICES IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES: AN ANALYSIS OF LEGAL ASPECTS
ANDRZEJ KRASUSKI
CHAPTER 5.0
PROSPECTS FOR RAIL TRANSPORT IN CENTRAL ASIA (KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN) – A GEOSTRATEGIC CONTEXT
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ
CHAPTER 6.0
TRANSIT AND TRANSPORT POTENTIAL OF KAZAKHSTAN
ZUBAIDA ASPAYEVA
CHAPTER 7.0
TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE KYRGYZ RAILWAY
BAKYT OROZBAEV
CHAPTER 8.0
THE ROLE OF RAIL TRANSPORT IN TAJIKISTAN
ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO), SERGEY KABENKOV
CHAPTER 9.0
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN TURKMENISTAN
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ, ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO)
CHAPTER 10.0
A NEW OUTLOOK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UZBEKISTAN RAILWAYS
SHUKHRAT KAYUMKHODJAEV
CONCLUSIONS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Opis
Wstęp
For over two centuries, the vast territory inhabited by Mongol nomads has been an important element in the political puzzle of Central Asia.
In recent years, the rapidly increasing number of projects and trade agreements concluded between Russia and China stimulated the need to redefine the status and position of Central Asian countries. In the face of these new realities and the resulting challenges, but also benefits, there is a future in the development of the transit potential of this region. The benefits of making the territory of these countries available for the needs of international and even intercontinental countries, as well as the transport of various raw materials and goods, are a challenge
for the economy and politics of these countries. These benefits are also an opportunity for domestic investors, and affect the infrastructure development of the entire region. Additionally, these benefits can attract foreign capital from countries that are third neighbours, which is important for maintaining geopolitical and economic balance. This in turn is very important in maintaining the security, sovereignty
and independence of these countries. Over the last decade, successive governments have realised that their countries have much more to offer than just mineral resources, and that focusing on one branch of the economy is not economically or politically safe. Finding ways to diversify the sectors of the national economy while maintaining the stability of democracy and the foundations of the free market achieved just over thirty years ago is a challenge that contemporary activities and processes of the global economy pose to the countries of Central Asia. We need to take advantage of every opportunity that arises, and certainly one of them is the development of potential and transit possibilities in the face of the permanent development of the PRC economy and the strengthening economic relations between Moscow and Beijing. There are already opinions that only by connecting the network of asphalt roads, railways, gas pipelines and power lines of Russia and China will the development of the entire Central Asia region be possible. This book examines the main question of whether Central Asian countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan can become important global transport hubs, and what direct impact this will have on the further development of the region. The Central Asian region, positioned at the point of intersection of major continental trade routes, has emerged as a key player in the evolving global transit and transportation landscape. With strategic geopolitical importance, abundant natural resources, and growing infrastructural ambitions, countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are increasingly shaping regional and international logistics networks. This volume explores the multifaceted dimensions of transit development across Central Asia, with a particular focus on rail infrastructure, digital mobility services, and the broader economic and legal contexts. The first chapter, by Jan Rogala, sets the stage by analysing Mongolia’s strategic role in transit development and how it is integrated into state policy, highlighting how transit contributes to economic growth and regional influence. This is followed by a chapter by Robert Dygas, who provides a comparative overview of selected Central Asian countries, examining their growing influence and integration into the global economy. In Chapter 3, Paweł Lesiak offers a comprehensive assessment of the region’s transit potential, identifying key strengths and constraints that affect logistical capacity and regional cooperation. Andrzej Krasuski then shifts the focus to the digital realm, analysing legal aspects of digital mobility services in selected Asian nations and emphasising the importance of regulatory frameworks for innovation and connectivity. Chapters 5 through
10 delve deeper into the specifics of rail transport, a cornerstone of Central Asia’s transit infrastructure. Mirosław Antonowicz provides a geostrategic analysis of rail transport across five key countries, shedding light on regional cooperation and infrastructure modernisation. In subsequent chapters, national case studies examine the current status, challenges, and opportunities of railway systems: Zubaida Aspayeva
on Kazakhstan, Bakyt Orozbaev on Kyrgyzstan, Elena Tsvirko (Petrenko) and Sergey Kabenkov on Tajikistan, and a joint analysis by Antonowicz and Tsvirko on Turkmenistan. Finally, Shukhrat Kayumkhodjaev explores the development trajectory and plans for modernisation of Uzbekistan’s railway sector. Collectively, these contributions offer a detailed, multidisciplinary perspective on transit as a catalyst for economic development and regional integration in Central Asia. By combining policy analysis, legal perspectives, and infrastructure studies, this volume serves as a valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and professionals engaged in Eurasian transport, logistics, and regional development. An interdisciplinary study will allow the use of team research methods in which we will combine knowledge
and skills from various fields of science. By using heuristic methods in our research, an in-depth analysis of macro- and microeconomic statistical data of the last decade, describing economic realities on a national, regional and global scale, and supplementing them with methods used in cultural studies, we will be able to create a clear description of transit in the region and its future prospects. This will enable
us to produce an expert opinion that should be useful in further research.
Spis treści
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1.0
MONGOLIAN TRANSIT AND ITS ROLE IN BUILDING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL. STATE ECONOMIC POLICY AND POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
JAN ROGALA
CHAPTER 2.0
THE ROLE OF THE CHOSEN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES (MONGOLIA, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TURKMENISTAN, AFGHANISTAN) IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
ROBERT DYGAS
CHAPTER 3.0
THE TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE CENTRAL ASIA REGION
PAWEŁ LESIAK
CHAPTER 4.0
DIGITAL MOBILITY SERVICES IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES: AN ANALYSIS OF LEGAL ASPECTS
ANDRZEJ KRASUSKI
CHAPTER 5.0
PROSPECTS FOR RAIL TRANSPORT IN CENTRAL ASIA (KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN) – A GEOSTRATEGIC CONTEXT
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ
CHAPTER 6.0
TRANSIT AND TRANSPORT POTENTIAL OF KAZAKHSTAN
ZUBAIDA ASPAYEVA
CHAPTER 7.0
TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE KYRGYZ RAILWAY
BAKYT OROZBAEV
CHAPTER 8.0
THE ROLE OF RAIL TRANSPORT IN TAJIKISTAN
ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO), SERGEY KABENKOV
CHAPTER 9.0
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN TURKMENISTAN
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ, ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO)
CHAPTER 10.0
A NEW OUTLOOK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UZBEKISTAN RAILWAYS
SHUKHRAT KAYUMKHODJAEV
CONCLUSIONS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Opinie
For over two centuries, the vast territory inhabited by Mongol nomads has been an important element in the political puzzle of Central Asia.
In recent years, the rapidly increasing number of projects and trade agreements concluded between Russia and China stimulated the need to redefine the status and position of Central Asian countries. In the face of these new realities and the resulting challenges, but also benefits, there is a future in the development of the transit potential of this region. The benefits of making the territory of these countries available for the needs of international and even intercontinental countries, as well as the transport of various raw materials and goods, are a challenge
for the economy and politics of these countries. These benefits are also an opportunity for domestic investors, and affect the infrastructure development of the entire region. Additionally, these benefits can attract foreign capital from countries that are third neighbours, which is important for maintaining geopolitical and economic balance. This in turn is very important in maintaining the security, sovereignty
and independence of these countries. Over the last decade, successive governments have realised that their countries have much more to offer than just mineral resources, and that focusing on one branch of the economy is not economically or politically safe. Finding ways to diversify the sectors of the national economy while maintaining the stability of democracy and the foundations of the free market achieved just over thirty years ago is a challenge that contemporary activities and processes of the global economy pose to the countries of Central Asia. We need to take advantage of every opportunity that arises, and certainly one of them is the development of potential and transit possibilities in the face of the permanent development of the PRC economy and the strengthening economic relations between Moscow and Beijing. There are already opinions that only by connecting the network of asphalt roads, railways, gas pipelines and power lines of Russia and China will the development of the entire Central Asia region be possible. This book examines the main question of whether Central Asian countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan can become important global transport hubs, and what direct impact this will have on the further development of the region. The Central Asian region, positioned at the point of intersection of major continental trade routes, has emerged as a key player in the evolving global transit and transportation landscape. With strategic geopolitical importance, abundant natural resources, and growing infrastructural ambitions, countries such as Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Afghanistan are increasingly shaping regional and international logistics networks. This volume explores the multifaceted dimensions of transit development across Central Asia, with a particular focus on rail infrastructure, digital mobility services, and the broader economic and legal contexts. The first chapter, by Jan Rogala, sets the stage by analysing Mongolia’s strategic role in transit development and how it is integrated into state policy, highlighting how transit contributes to economic growth and regional influence. This is followed by a chapter by Robert Dygas, who provides a comparative overview of selected Central Asian countries, examining their growing influence and integration into the global economy. In Chapter 3, Paweł Lesiak offers a comprehensive assessment of the region’s transit potential, identifying key strengths and constraints that affect logistical capacity and regional cooperation. Andrzej Krasuski then shifts the focus to the digital realm, analysing legal aspects of digital mobility services in selected Asian nations and emphasising the importance of regulatory frameworks for innovation and connectivity. Chapters 5 through
10 delve deeper into the specifics of rail transport, a cornerstone of Central Asia’s transit infrastructure. Mirosław Antonowicz provides a geostrategic analysis of rail transport across five key countries, shedding light on regional cooperation and infrastructure modernisation. In subsequent chapters, national case studies examine the current status, challenges, and opportunities of railway systems: Zubaida Aspayeva
on Kazakhstan, Bakyt Orozbaev on Kyrgyzstan, Elena Tsvirko (Petrenko) and Sergey Kabenkov on Tajikistan, and a joint analysis by Antonowicz and Tsvirko on Turkmenistan. Finally, Shukhrat Kayumkhodjaev explores the development trajectory and plans for modernisation of Uzbekistan’s railway sector. Collectively, these contributions offer a detailed, multidisciplinary perspective on transit as a catalyst for economic development and regional integration in Central Asia. By combining policy analysis, legal perspectives, and infrastructure studies, this volume serves as a valuable resource for academics, policymakers, and professionals engaged in Eurasian transport, logistics, and regional development. An interdisciplinary study will allow the use of team research methods in which we will combine knowledge
and skills from various fields of science. By using heuristic methods in our research, an in-depth analysis of macro- and microeconomic statistical data of the last decade, describing economic realities on a national, regional and global scale, and supplementing them with methods used in cultural studies, we will be able to create a clear description of transit in the region and its future prospects. This will enable
us to produce an expert opinion that should be useful in further research.
PREFACE
CHAPTER 1.0
MONGOLIAN TRANSIT AND ITS ROLE IN BUILDING ECONOMIC POTENTIAL. STATE ECONOMIC POLICY AND POLITICAL, ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
JAN ROGALA
CHAPTER 2.0
THE ROLE OF THE CHOSEN CENTRAL ASIAN COUNTRIES (MONGOLIA, UZBEKISTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, KAZAKHSTAN, TURKMENISTAN, AFGHANISTAN) IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY
ROBERT DYGAS
CHAPTER 3.0
THE TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE CENTRAL ASIA REGION
PAWEŁ LESIAK
CHAPTER 4.0
DIGITAL MOBILITY SERVICES IN SELECTED ASIAN COUNTRIES: AN ANALYSIS OF LEGAL ASPECTS
ANDRZEJ KRASUSKI
CHAPTER 5.0
PROSPECTS FOR RAIL TRANSPORT IN CENTRAL ASIA (KAZAKHSTAN, KYRGYZSTAN, TAJIKISTAN, TURKMENISTAN AND UZBEKISTAN) – A GEOSTRATEGIC CONTEXT
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ
CHAPTER 6.0
TRANSIT AND TRANSPORT POTENTIAL OF KAZAKHSTAN
ZUBAIDA ASPAYEVA
CHAPTER 7.0
TRANSIT POTENTIAL OF THE KYRGYZ RAILWAY
BAKYT OROZBAEV
CHAPTER 8.0
THE ROLE OF RAIL TRANSPORT IN TAJIKISTAN
ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO), SERGEY KABENKOV
CHAPTER 9.0
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RAILWAYS IN TURKMENISTAN
MIROSŁAW ANTONOWICZ, ELENA TSVIRKO (PETRENKO)
CHAPTER 10.0
A NEW OUTLOOK FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UZBEKISTAN RAILWAYS
SHUKHRAT KAYUMKHODJAEV
CONCLUSIONS
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
INDEX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
