Shipping spare parts and general goods from China to Afghanistan

As of November 2026, spare parts and general goods from China reach Afghanistan overland through Central Asia: by rail or truck through Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan to the Hairatan border post, then on to Mazar-i-Sharif and Kabul. The Pakistan crossings at Torkham and Chaman have been closed to trade since October 2025, so there is no Karachi route. Golden Way's typical transit is 30–45 days, and every shipment passes a compliance check before we quote.

At a glance

How it works

1. Compliance check firstSend the parts list with part numbers and HS codes, the consignee, the end user and the payment route; we screen them before quoting.
2. Collect and consolidateWe collect from your suppliers, check quantities and part numbers, and consolidate into one container or truck.
3. Export from ChinaWe file the export declaration and the cargo leaves by rail via Khorgos or Altynkol, or by truck via Irkeshtam.
4. Transit Central AsiaThe goods cross Kazakhstan or Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan under transit documents, TIR or national transit.
5. Clear at the borderA licensed broker declares the goods in ASYCUDA at Hairatan, or they move under bond to inland customs.
6. DeliverOnce duty and fixed tax are paid, a truck delivers to the consignee in Mazar-i-Sharif, Kabul or elsewhere.

The working route 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. The main route runs by rail from China through Kazakhstan to Uzbekistan, south to Termez and over the Friendship Bridge to Hairatan, where the Uzbek-run line continues to Mazar-i-Sharif. Kazakhstan's railway reports a Chongqing–Hairatan container service at 12–15 days. Trucks can run Kashgar–Irkeshtam–Osh and through Uzbekistan to Termez, or through Tajikistan to Sher Khan Bandar for Kunduz and the north-east. From Mazar-i-Sharif, trucks take the Salang road to Kabul, which heavy snow can close in winter.

Why not Karachi or Iran

Pakistan closed Torkham and Chaman to trade in October 2025 after border clashes. In 2026 they opened mainly for Afghans returning home. Pakistan's interior minister said in August 2026 that crossings and transit routes would reopen, but no official reopening for commercial trade had been confirmed at the end of October 2026, so we cannot book through Karachi. Iranian routes are disrupted by the conflict that began on 28 February 2026, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and the US blockade of Iranian ports, and Iran is under sanctions. We do not offer Iranian ports or transit as a standard route; any such request goes to our compliance team.

Customs, duties and documents

The Afghanistan Customs Department, under the Ministry of Finance, uses ASYCUDA World at Hairatan, Kabul and other main offices. The importer needs a business licence and a tax ID. Duty follows 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 ones, plus fees. Rates and reference values change by decree, so our broker confirms them per HS code. Describe parts precisely, with part name, part number, the vehicle or machine they fit and the material: a line reading spare parts slows clearance. Wet lead-acid batteries are Class 8 dangerous goods, and oils need an SDS.

Compliance and payments

Ordinary trade with Afghanistan is allowed. UN Security Council Resolution 1988 imposes an asset freeze, travel ban and arms embargo on listed individuals and entities, not a country-wide embargo, and Resolution 2615 protects humanitarian activity. OFAC general licences authorise many transactions, including paying taxes and customs duties to Afghan governing institutions, and US export controls require licences for many dual-use items. We screen every party against the UN, OFAC, EU and UK lists. Parts for aircraft, drones, communications or night-vision equipment, or for military or government end use, go to our compliance team and may be refused. We accept payment only through approved, transparent banking channels, never hawala or unexplained third-party payers.

Checklist before you book

• Parts list with part names, part numbers and HS codes
• Consignee, end user and end use stated in writing
• Importer's Afghan business licence and tax ID
• Payment through an approved bank, from a named party
• Commercial invoice with true values and a matching packing list
• Certificate of origin and Central Asian transit documents
• SDS and DG declaration for batteries, oils and chemicals
• Permits or ANSA certificates where the goods require them

Questions

Read next

General information checked against the sources below. Our team confirms the route, papers and timing for your shipment before booking; prices are quoted per shipment.

Sources

1. UN Security Council: 1988 Sanctions Committee
2. UN Security Council Resolution 2615 (2021)
3. US Treasury OFAC: Afghanistan-related sanctions and general licences
4. Afghanistan Ministry of Finance
5. Kazakhstan Temir Zholy: First railway route China–Afghanistan has been organized
6. KabulNow: Pakistan to reopen border crossings and transit routes with Afghanistan (9 August 2026)
7. Dawn: Government allows re-export of Afghan transit cargo; border closed since 11 October 2025 (January 2026)
8. Pajhwok: Salang highway closed due to heavy snowfall (January 2026)