Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan have discussed restoring direct flights between the two countries, the Ministry of Transport reported.
On August 13, officials of Uzbekistan's transport and logistics sector met with Shadurdy Meredov, Turkmenistan's Ambassador Extraordinary And Plenipotentiary to Uzbekistan. The meeting brought together officials from the Center for the Study of Transport and Logistics Development Issues, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Association of International Road Carriers of Uzbekistan, national carriers and freight forwarding companies.
Talks focused on streamlining electronic visa processing and payments for freight carriers, improving procedures at the Farap–Alat border crossing, and cutting queues and wait times there.
The two parties also discussed setting up a dedicated corridor for perishable goods, building a second bridge in the neutral zone along the border, speeding up road and rail freight through the port of Turkmenbashi, and revisiting weight and size limits for cargo vehicles.
The Turkmen side said it was ready to review the proposals and pass them on to the relevant state agencies. The meeting concluded with an agreement to continue cooperation on developing transport and logistics ties between the two countries and creating more favorable conditions for carriers.
Tashkent and Ashgabat first planned to resume direct flights in July 2017, when Turkmenistan Airlines expressed interest in launching service between the two capitals. In 2021, then-Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade Sardor Umurzakov and Turkmen Deputy Prime Minister Esenmyrat Orazgeldiyev agreed to work out the details of restoring direct flights. In August 2025, Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov announced that Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan had reached an agreement to relaunch direct air service.
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