BEIJING — Central Asia’s longest railway tunnel has been completed and trains began running through it on a trial basis, the Chinese contractor said on May 27.

Qamchiq Tunnel, part of the Angren-Pap railway line that connects Tashkent and Namangan, was built by China Railway Tunnel Group. The project began in 2013 and was completed three months earlier than the original plan.

The 19.2 kilometer tunnel goes through Qurama Mountains and is a key cooperation project in the China-proposed “Belt and Road” initiative, which is expected to reduce regional transportation costs and help boost trade and economy.