| Torugart Pass | |||||
| Elevation M: | 3752 | ||||
| Traversed: | – ЭМ-11 (E125) | ||||
| Location: | China–Kyrgyzstan border | ||||
| Range: | Tian Shan | ||||
| Map: | China Xinjiang Southern# Kyrgyzstan | ||||
| Label Position: | top | ||||
| Embedded: |
| ||||
| S: | 吐尔尕特山口 |
| T: | 吐爾尕特山口 |
| P: | Tǔ'ěrgǎtè shānkǒu |
| S2: | 图噜噶尔特山口 |
| T2: | 圖嚕噶爾特山口 |
| P2: | Túlūgá'ĕrtè shānkŏu |
| Uig: | تورغات ئېغىزى |
| Uly: | Torghat éghizi |
| Usy: | Торғат еғизи |
| Lang1: | ky |
| Lang2: | Russian |
| Lang2 Content: | Перевал Торугарт |
Torugart Pass[1] (; ;[2]) is a mountain pass in the Tian Shan mountain range near the border between the Naryn Region of Kyrgyzstan and the Xinjiang Autonomous Region of China. It is one of two border crossings between Kyrgyzstan and China, the other being Erkeshtam, some 165 km (103 mi) to the southwest.
The scenic lake Chatyr-Köl lies near the pass on the Kyrgyz side. The road to Naryn and then to Balykchy and Bishkek - stretching for some 400km (200miles) - is narrow and in winter often impassable due to heavy snowfall and frequent avalanches. On the Chinese side, the Torugart Port of Entry (吐尔尕特口岸), where travelers must clear for customs, is located about 110km (70miles) from the pass itself in Ulugqat County of the Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture. Distances from the pass to major cities are: 110km (70miles) to Ulugqat, 165km (103miles) to Kashgar, to Artux and some 1630km (1,010miles) to Ürümqi.
The pass is also terminus of European route E125 and, under the new National Highway plans, the China National Highway 315, but neither are signed in this area by 2020.
The pass has been used since antiquity. During the Han dynasty it was under the jurisdiction of a micro-state called Juandu (Chinese: 捐毒国). During the Tang dynasty, the region came under Tang control as part of Anxi Protectorate.[3]
The pass is open to all nationalities but clearance requires careful arrangement of transportation.[4]
A China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway going through Torugart Pass has been in the works that would connect Kashgar and the Ferghana Valley since 2012.[5] However, the Kyrgyz section of the rail has been stalled due to financial and technical issues.[6] In 2023 the project development received new push from the governments of the tree countries involved.[7] A tripartite agreement was signed on 17 September 2022 during the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit,[8] however the funding is yet to be secured.[9]