TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, January 29. Uzbekistan and Austria discussed the prospects for expanding cooperation in the transport sector, Trend reports via the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan.
The issue was reviewed during a meeting between Deputy Minister of Transport Jasurbek Choriev and an Austrian delegation led by Elisabeth Weissenbeck, Director for Foreign Economic Relations at Austria’s Federal Ministry of Labour and Economy, which also oversees energy and tourism matters.
Particular attention was given to opportunities for implementing joint projects in the construction of road bridges and the development of railway infrastructure, as well as the potential launch of direct air service between Tashkent and Vienna.
The participants highlighted the strong potential for cooperation and expressed mutual interest in further strengthening collaboration in the fields of transport and logistics. Following the talks, the sides agreed to continue dialogue and work toward the development of concrete initiatives in the identified areas.
Meanwhile, Uzbekistan and Austria had earlier signed a protocol outlining practical steps to advance bilateral economic cooperation.
Uzbekistan's transport sector is integral to its economy, contributing over 18% of market services by 2025. Dominated by road transport (over 90% of cargo in 2024), it also includes rail and pipelines. Key points include significant growth in 2025, with transport services reaching 185 trillion soums, handling 1.5 billion tons of cargo and 7.2 billion passengers; a modal split favoring road transport; government investment in infrastructure modernization, including high-speed rail and international logistics corridors; and Uzbekistan Railways as the main rail operator, managed by the Ministry of Transport.
Trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Austria reached $261 million in January-September 2025, marking a 37.6% year-on-year increase, according to official data.
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