News

2015-11-22:
I've finally updated several sections of this site.

Recent developments at Uzbek railways:

Afrosiab-highspeed trains are now running twice daily between Tashkent and Samarkand. Traivel time is just 2h10min. One Afrosiab-train continues beyond Samarkand to Karshi.
Electrificiation of the Samarkand-Bukhara railway line is currently being done and once finished, Afrosiab-trains are also expected to run on the Tashkent-Samarekand-Bukhara route. Uzbek Railways will buy 2 additional "Adrosiab"-trains from the Spanish company Talgo.

The Tashkent-Bukhara daytime express train "Sharq" noow runs twice daily on fridays and sundays and thus offers also afternoon departures.

A 2nd night train  travels between Tashkent and Bukhara 3 times weekly (during the weekend). This train continues beyound Bukhara to Alat.

The "Registon" train (previously the fastest train between Tashkent and Samarkand) doesn't run anyomore, but the Tashkent-Karshi "Nasaf" express train has been retimed and extended beyond Karshi to Kitab. It now offers a morning departure from Kitab/Karsghi to Samarkand - Tashkent and runs back in the evening from Tashkent to Samarkand, Karshi and Kitab.

The overnigh train Tashkent - Urgench now runs daily to Urgentch and is extended to Shavat (a few kilometers beyond Urgench) 3 times weekly.
The Tashkent - Nukus - Kungrad overnight train now runs 3 times daily (according to some sources 4 times daily).




2014-07-19:
I currently have not enough time to update this website regularily, but I hope that this website anyway provides some useful information for you.



2012-04-06:
I've just once again updated the timetable. The highspeed-train between Tashkent and Samarkand n
now runs daily (Tashkent 8h00 - Samarkand 10h30; Samarkand 17h00 - Tashkent 19h38).
The timetable of the "Registon"-train changed, now it goes 3 times weekly from Samarkand to Tahskent at lunch time and back in the evening.




2012-01-16:The first Talgo-trainset is now running on a regular basis (on weekends) between Tashkent and Samarkand. Travel time is now just 2h30.

The ordinary express trains (Sharq, Registon and Nasaf) has been slowed down a little bit (by 10 minutes) between Tashkent and Samarkand, they now make intermediate stops at Djizak and Gulistan.
However, the morning train (train no 3/4) from Samarkand to Tashkent and back in the afternoon seems to have been discontinued.

I've updated the domestic timetable section.


2011-09-08:The two Talgo-trainsets ordered by Uzbek railway finally were delivered to Uzbek Railways in summer. Some photos are availaible here.
The top-speed of the trains is 250 km/h. Revenue service between Tashkent and Samarkand is expected to start soon, with travel times reduced from 3,5 hrs to just 2 hrs.
Not only new trains were bought, also the tracks between Tashkent and Samarkand were upgraded to enable higher speeds.
A more detailed report is available here



2011-06-27:A new direct train now connects Bukhara and Urgench once weekly.
See http://www.uzrailpass.uz/main.cgi?lan=e&section=2&id=98



2011-02-09:A new train from Tashkent to Denau (in the south of the country, close to Dushanbe) is running every other day since 2011-02-04.
It replaces the former Tashkent - Kitab train, but Kitab will continued to be served with direct waggons in the new train, which ware uncoupled at Karshi.



2011-01-18:I've heard that the top-speeds of the express trains will be increased from 120 to 140 km/h from march. If this happens, further travel time reductions can be expected.


2010-06-01:A new evening express train Tashkent - Samarkand as well as a new morning train Tashkent - Samarkand was introduced.


2009-12-24:A new once-weekly Tashkent - Urgench - Shavat train was introduced in december 2009.
The dates of running of the other trains Tashkent - Urgench (3x weekly) and Tashkent - Kungrad (2x weekly) were changed.
Now there are 5 weekly trains between Tashkent and Urgench (3 to Urgench, 1 to Shavat and the international train to/from Saratov in Russia), which gives more flexibility for trips to Khiva.


2009-11-26:
Uzbek railways are currently finalizing negotiations with the spanish company Talgo about delivery of two high-speed trains till 2011.
They plan to run trains between Tashkent and Samarkand with speeds up to 250 km/h.

Source: http://www.rzd-partner.com/news/2009/11/26/348264.html


2009-08-01:
On weekends a 2nd overnight train between Tashkent and Bukhara has been introduced. It departs from Tashkent on friday evening and from Bukhara on sunday evening.

The Tashkent - Termez train no longer runs via Turkmenistan. Thanks to a new railway line between Tashkurgan and Kumkurgan the train can reach Termez without crossing through Turkmenistan. Passengers now save 7 hours and can use this train now without worrying about Turkmen transit visas.

The train 49/50 between Tashkent and Samarkand has been cancelled.

Please download the updated timetable at http://uzbekistan-railway.blogspot.com/2007/03/domestic-timetables.html



2009:
All trains depart/leave again from Tashkent main station.


2008-06-15:
A new train Tashkent - Nukus - St. Petersburg has been introduced. It runs once-weekly.


2008-06-01:
IMPORTANT:
Due to renovation works on the tracks near Tashkent main station all trains from Tashkent to the south or west (to Samarkand, Buchara, Urgench, Kungrad, Saratov) temporariliy depart/arrive at Tashkent Yuzhnyj station (Tashkent South) instead of Tashkent main station.
Also the transit-train Almaty - Tashkent - Nukus now serves Tashkent Yuzhnyj instead of Tashkent main station.


2008-03-20:
A new train Tashkent - Saratov via Urgench has been introduced. It runs once weekly.


2008-01-14:
A new train Tashkent - Almaty - Novosibirsk has been introduced. This train makes travelling betwenn Tashkent and Almaty more easier and also offers a possibility to reach Siberia directly from Uzbekistan (e.g. to connect with a trip on the Transsiberian railway). The new train runs every 4 days.


2008-01-10:
A new express train Tashkent - Samarkand - Karshi has been introduced. It is called "Nasaf".
Timetable:
Tashkent 7:35 - Samarkand 11:05/11:20 - Karshi 13:05
Karshi 15:35 - Samarkand 17:20/17:35 - Tashkent 21:07
The new train runs daily except saturdays and sundays.

The travel time of express train has been shortened between Tashkent and Samarkand by 10 minutes to 3h30 and between Tashkent and Buchara by 30 minutes to 6h30.


2007-05-04:
The speeds of express trains has been raised. The "Registon" now makes Tashkent - Samarkand in 3h40, whereas the travel time between Tashkent and Buchara on the "Sharq" has been cut by 30 minutes to exact 7 hours.