Transport in Afghanistan is done mostly by road, rail, and air. Much of the nation's road network was built in the mid-20th century but left to ruin during the last two decades of that century due to war and political turmoil. Officials of the current Islamic Emirate have continued to improve the national highways, roads, and bridges.[1] In 2008, there were about 700,000 vehicles registered in Kabul.[2]
Most major highways were paved around the mid-20th century with technical assistance from the United States and the Soviet Union. Engineers from the Soviet Union built a highway and tunnel through the Salang pass in the 1960s, connecting northern and eastern Afghanistan. A highway connecting the principal cities of Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Lashkar Gah, Kandahar, Ghazni, Kabul and Jalalabad, with links to highways in neighboring Pakistan originally formed the primary road system of Afghanistan.
As of 2017, Afghanistan had 17,903km (11,124mi) of paved roads and 17,000km (11,000mi) of unpaved roads, for an approximate total road system of 34,903km (21,688mi). Traffic in Afghanistan is right hand. In 2008, about 731,607 vehicles were registered in Kabul.[2] At least 1,314 traffic collisions were reported in December 2022.[4] Many vehicles in certain parts of the country are driven without registration plates. The Afghan government passed a law banning the import of cars older than 10 years. Toyota Corolla has been the most widely used vehicle in the country since the mid-1990s.[5] Afghanistan recently began manufacturing its own microcars for domestic consumers.[6][7] Long distant road journeys are made in private cars, vans, trucks and buses.[8][9] Many of the national roads are currently being repaired and modernized.
Afghanistan's highway system is going through a reconstruction phase, with major terminals and rest areas being added.[10] Most of the regional roads are also being repaired and modernized.[11]
The following is a partial list of the major highways in Afghanistan:
Due to the lack of a modern public urban transport systems, private buses, vans, taxis and auto rickshaws are popular in the major cities, the latter especially in Jalalabad, Herat, Kandahar, and Kunduz. In recent years electric rickshaws and scooters have been introduced in Afghanistan. Kabul demanded a much needed public transport system in the 21st century with a rapid increase in traffic and population, but many projects were put on hold. The Kabul Municipality recently launched a bus system accompanied by bus stops, the city's first in decades.[20] Many urban dwellers ride motorcycles, scooters and bicycles. Some people living in rural areas still use donkeys, mules and other animals for transportation purposes, especially in the mountainous terrain.
Afghanistan has a total of four railway connections with three neighboring countries.[21]
Afghanistan-Iran rail connections
A rail line from Khaf in Iran to the city of Herat in Afghanistan has been under construction since 2006.[22] The Iranian line is a 1,435mm (4ft8+1⁄2in)standard gauge.[23] In December 2020 the line had reached the Ghoryan District in Herat Province of Afghanistan.[24][25] Shipment from China can now make its way to as far as Rozanak rail station,[26][27] which is located about 71km (44mi) west of Herat. This railway line is being extended from the Rozanak station in Ghoryan District to the Khwaja Abdullah Ansari International Airport in the Guzara District.[28] From there it will be extended all the way to Kandahar Province in the southeast and Balkh Province in the west.[29][30]
Afghanistan-Turkmenistan rail connections
A 10-kilometer-long 1,520mm (4ft11+27⁄32in)broad gauge line extends from Serhetabat in Turkmenistan to the town of Torghundi in Afghanistan, which is about 115km (71mi) to the north of Herat. An upgrade of this Soviet-built line, to renovate and connect the line from Torghundi to Herat, began in 2017.[31]
A second rail connection between the two countries extends from Aqina dry port in Faryab Province of Afghanistan, via Imamnazar to Atamyrat (a.k.a. Kerki), where it connects with the Turkmen rail network.[32] The line extends from Aqina south to Andkhoy in Afghanistan, which is approximately 58km (36mi) long.[33][34][35] It will be extended from Andkhoy in the future to other parts of Afghanistan.[36][37]
Military aviation in Afghanistan had its origins in the 1920s with assistance provided by the Soviet Union. Changing political influence in the country resulted in aircraft orders and military assistant changing between the world superpowers after the Second World War, principally between NATO and the Soviet Union. The current aerial warfare service of Afghanistan is the Afghan Air Force.
Bagram Air Base was originally constructed during the 1950s. It then saw significant expansion during Soviet and later NATO military operations in the region. Its facilities are capable of landing large aircraft such as Boeing 747, Lockheed C-5 Galaxy and Antonov An-124. As a legacy of Soviet and NATO military operations, a large number of military airfields and heliports can be found throughout the country. However, not all of these are in use, and in varying states of repair.
India-Iran-Afghanistan transport corridor map, which provides access to Chabahar Port in Iran
The chief inland waterway of land-locked Afghanistan is the Amu River, which forms part of Afghanistan's northern boundary. The river handles barge traffic up to about 500 metric tons. The main river ports are located at Hairatan in Balkh Province and Sher Khan Bandar in Kunduz Province.
Pipelines
There are petroleum pipelines from Bagram into Uzbekistan and Shindand into Turkmenistan. These pipelines have been in disrepair and disuse for years. There are 180km (110mi) of natural gas pipelines. The Turkmenistan–Afghanistan–Pakistan–India Pipeline (TAPI) for delivering natural gas from Turkmenistan to India (via Afghanistan and Pakistan) is still under development. Only Turkmenistan has completed its section of the TAPI infrastructure as of 2025. The development of TAPI is projected to foster greater economic cooperation and mutual resource utilization between the 4 countries, giving Turkmenistan alternative routes of natural gas exports and reducing the dependence of South Asian countries on conventional exporters like Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran and Brunei.
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