Key points
- Hairatan, on the border with Uzbekistan, is the main gateway for Chinese cargo to Kabul in 2026.
- Rail from Chongqing to Hairatan is reported at about 12–15 days, before onward trucking and customs.
- Karachi with the Torkham or Chaman crossings is not available for trade at last check.
- Iranian ports and Iranian transit are not a standard route and need a compliance review.
- Every Afghanistan shipment is screened: the parties, the goods and the payment route.
Which routes work from China to Kabul in 2026
There is no operating trade crossing on the short China–Afghanistan border in the Wakhan corridor, so every shipment goes through a neighbour, and since October 2025 Afghan imports have moved north. Afghan officials reported in April 2026 that about 6.1 million tonnes moved by rail in the Afghan year ending in March 2026, up 39%, with about 4.2 million tonnes on the northern routes that include Hairatan. For Chinese cargo, the practical path is Central Asia to Hairatan, on to Mazar-i-Sharif, then a truck south to Kabul.
| Route | Path | Status (November 2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rail via Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan | Chongqing, Xi'an or Urumqi – Khorgos or Alashankou – Kazakhstan – Uzbekistan – Termez – Hairatan – Mazar-i-Sharif, then truck to Kabul | Running; the main route | Full containers and heavy cargo |
| Road or rail-road via Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan | Kashgar – Irkeshtam – Osh – Uzbekistan – Termez – Hairatan | Running; Irkeshtam closes at weekends and holidays, winter delays | Trucks, part loads, urgent cargo |
| Road via Tajikistan | Kashgar – Kyrgyzstan or Kulma pass – Tajikistan – Sher Khan Bandar – Kunduz | Working; mountain roads, smaller volumes | Northern and north-eastern Afghanistan |
| Rail via Turkmenistan | China – Kazakhstan – Turkmenistan – Torghundi or Aqina | Working; slower, heavier paperwork | Herat and western Afghanistan |
| Sea via Iran | Bandar Abbas or Chabahar – Islam Qala or Milak | Disrupted by the 2026 war, the Hormuz closure and sanctions | Not a standard route; compliance review only |
| Sea via Pakistan | Karachi or Port Qasim – Torkham or Chaman | Closed to trade since October 2025 | Not available at last check |
The Central Asian corridor through Hairatan
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and China Railway Container Transport run a container service to Hairatan, reported at about 12–15 days from Chongqing. Containers move to 1,520 mm broad-gauge wagons at the China–Kazakhstan border, cross Kazakhstan under customs transit, enter Uzbekistan at Saryagash and run south to Termez. They cross the Amu Darya on the Friendship Bridge, and the 75 km Hairatan–Mazar-i-Sharif line, run by a subsidiary of Uzbekistan Railways, takes them to the Naibabad terminals. From Mazar-i-Sharif, trucks take the Salang highway to Kabul. Heavy snow closed it several times in winter 2025–26, so allow extra days from December to March.
- Best for full 20' and 40' containers and heavy goods
- Reported 12–15 days Chongqing to Hairatan, plus trucking and customs
- One gauge change, at the China–Kazakhstan border, usually 1–3 days
- Moves under an SMGS railway waybill and transit procedures
- Suits part loads, urgent orders and goods from Xinjiang suppliers
- Crosses at Irkeshtam, which closes at weekends and on public holidays
- A 2022 rail-road service Kashgar–Osh–Andijan–Hairatan took about 9 days
- Moves under a CMR note, often with a TIR carnet
- Enters at Sher Khan Bandar into Kunduz province
- Useful for northern and north-eastern Afghanistan
- High mountain roads and smaller volumes
- Kabul is reached by road after customs at the border or inland
Iran and Pakistan: status as of November 2026
Pakistan closed Torkham and Chaman to trade on 12 October 2025 after border clashes. In December 2025 Pakistan allowed UN humanitarian cargo through in phases, and in 2026 the crossings opened mainly for Afghans returning home. Pakistan's interior minister said in August 2026 that crossings and transit routes would reopen, but we have not seen an official reopening for commercial trade. Afghan transit through Pakistan fell to about 11,600 containers (USD 367 million) in the last fiscal year, from about 89,000 before 2021. Iran is in an active conflict since 28 February 2026; the Strait of Hormuz is effectively closed to most commercial shipping and a US naval blockade covers Iranian ports, including Chabahar. The Islam Qala road crossing kept moving in early 2026, with about 1,300 trucks a day reported in March, but Iranian transit raises sanctions issues.
Step by step: a China to Kabul shipment
- Compliance checkWe screen the consignee, end user, banks and agents and review the goods for dual-use risk before quoting.
- Route and quoteOur team compares rail and road options and sends a quote within one working day.
- Pickup and consolidationOur Guangzhou team collects from suppliers, counts and photographs cartons and consolidates the load.
- China export customsThe export declaration is filed and the container or truck is sealed.
- Transit through Central AsiaCargo crosses Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan under transit documents, with updates at each border.
- Arrival at HairatanThe cargo crosses the Friendship Bridge and is declared at Afghan customs.
- Afghan customsA licensed broker files in ASYCUDA; goods are cleared at the border or move under bond to Kabul customs.
- Delivery in KabulAfter duty and fees are paid, a truck delivers to your warehouse and you receive the documents.
Documents, duties and Afghan customs
Documents for a China to Kabul shipment
0/9The Afghanistan Customs Department, under the Ministry of Finance, runs ASYCUDA World at the main customs offices, including Hairatan and Kabul. You pay customs duty under the national HS-based tariff, plus a fixed tax reported at about 2% of the value including duties for licensed importers and 3% for unlicensed importers, plus municipal and handling fees. Customs often checks value against reference prices, and rates change by decree, so our licensed broker confirms them for your HS code.
Usable space: 20GP ~25–28 CBM, 40GP ~55–58, 40HQ ~65–68.
Compliance: what we check before we quote
Ordinary trade with Afghanistan is allowed. There is no country-wide UN embargo: UN Security Council Resolution 1988 imposes an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo on individuals and entities on the 1988 Sanctions List, and Resolution 2615 (2021) protects humanitarian activity. OFAC general licences authorise many transactions, including paying taxes and customs duties to Afghan governing institutions; the EU and UK apply the UN list; and US export controls require licences for many dual-use items. We screen every party against the UN, OFAC, EU and UK lists, review high-risk goods such as drones, communications gear, night-vision equipment and ammonium nitrate, and accept payment only through approved, transparent banks. We refuse hawala, third-party cash and any request to hide the end user, route or payer.
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Check your China–Kabul routing
Frequently asked questions
How long does shipping from China to Kabul take?
Typically 30–45 days door to door with us. Rail Chongqing–Hairatan is reported at about 12–15 days; border customs, trucking and Kabul clearance come on top.
Can I ship from China to Kabul through Karachi?
Not at last check. Torkham and Chaman have been closed to trade since October 2025, and an August 2026 reopening announcement has not led to an official reopening for cargo.
Is there a direct road from China to Afghanistan?
No. There is no operating trade crossing on the China–Afghanistan border in the Wakhan corridor. Cargo goes through Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan or Turkmenistan.
Can goods to Kabul go through Bandar Abbas or Chabahar?
Iranian routes are disrupted by the 2026 war, the Hormuz closure and a US blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran is sanctioned. It is not a standard route; compliance reviews any request.
Is it legal to ship goods to Afghanistan?
Yes. UN sanctions target named individuals and entities, not ordinary trade, and US general licences cover payments such as Afghan customs duties. Dual-use goods need a compliance review.
What duties do I pay when importing into Kabul?
Customs duty by HS code, a fixed tax reported at about 2% (licensed importers) or 3% (unlicensed), and fees. Rates change by decree, so a broker confirms them per shipment.
How do I pay for freight from China to Afghanistan?
Only through approved, transparent banking channels, from a payer who matches the shipment documents. We cannot accept hawala or cash transfers through third parties.
Sources
- UN Security Council: 1988 Sanctions Committee
- US Treasury OFAC: Afghanistan-related sanctions and general licences
- Kazakhstan Temir Zholy: First railway route China–Afghanistan has been organized
- RailTarget: Afghanistan rail freight growth across border corridors (22 April 2026)
- KabulNow: Pakistan to reopen border crossings and transit routes with Afghanistan (9 August 2026)
- BOL News: Pakistan to reopen Torkham and Chaman for UN humanitarian cargo (4 December 2025)
- Profit (Pakistan Today): Afghanistan-Pakistan transit trade plunges to $367 million (20 July 2026)
- India Sea Trade News: Afghan cargo containers stranded at Jebel Ali (May 2026)
- Pajhwok: Salang highway closed due to heavy snowfall (21 January 2026)
- Pajhwok: About 1,300 trucks cross daily as Afghanistan-Iran trade remains steady (9 March 2026)
General information checked on the date shown. Rules and rates change: our team confirms the details for your shipment.