Renowned for its exquisite beauty, Uzbekistan offers historic sites, mesmerizing landscapes, and busy markets. The railway network allows you to travel through major cities while you enjoy high comfort, safety, and budget travel options.
Here, we will go through all the details of Uzbekistan railways.
What Are The Different Uzbekistan Trains?
In Uzbekistan, you can travel by train to most cities while enjoying the scenic views. You can travel through fast trains or sleeper trains. However, ensure you reach the station 30 minutes before the train time.
The Afrosiyob Train
Image Credits: Deposit Photos
The Afrosiyob train is a high-speed modern train that connects major cities like Tashkent, Bukhara, and Samarkand. This train has advanced amenities like USB & power plugs and comfortable seats. You also get complimentary tea and snacks. It is considered the most expensive train for traveling in Uzbekistan for locals. The train costs approx $16 from Tashkent to Samarkand.
The train travels at a 210 km/h speed and runs daily between Tashkent-Samarkand-Bukhara and Tashkent-Samarkand.
Here are some approximate time frames of the train between major cities.
- Bukhara to Tashkent: 4 hours (Daily)
- Bukhara to Samarkand: 1hr 45 min (Daily)
- Bukhara to Navoi: 40 min (Daily)
- Tashkent to Samarkand: 2hr 15 min (Daily)
- Tashkent to Bukhara: 2hr 20min (Daily)
Remember: We tried to book the Afrosiyob train, but everything was booked. If you know the travel dates, we recommend booking this at least a few weeks prior.
The Sharq Train
The Sharq trains refer to the old trains that have been in commission since the Soviet era. These trains travel at a speed of 140km/hr. The Sharq train experience is not as smooth as the Afrosiyob train but is cost-effective. This train also connects the largest cities like Bukhara, Samarkand, and Tashkent.
The first-class carriage is fully air-conditioned and offers USB plugs with the seats. However, you will not find these amenities in second-class carriages. Here are some of the approximate time frames of the train for some routes connecting different cities.
- Navoi to Bukhara: 1hr 40min (Daily)
- Bukhara to Tashkent 7 hrs (Daily)
- Bukhara to Samarkand: 2hr 2min (Daily)
- Navoi to Samarkand: 1hr 20min (Daily)
- Navoi to Tashkent: 5hr 54min (Daily)
- Samarkand to Tashkent: 4hr 4min (Daily)’
We booked a Sharq train to travel from Tashkent to Samarkand in the morning in the Sidayachiy (seating), which took approx 3 hours and 15 minutes to reach. The seat has USB charging points, room to keep luggage, a clean washroom onboard, and a restaurant from which to get food. The tickets cost us $14 (for a couple).
Slow Trains
Similarly, there are slow trains that run at night. You can book a shared sleeper (Platzkartny) or a 4-person sleeper (Kupe). If you travel on your honeymoon and wish to enjoy more privacy, you can opt for a 2-person private sleeper (Lux/CB). You will get clean pillows and sheets. The 1st class carriage is fully air-conditioned. You will get USB plugs only in the first-class seats. If traveling in a second or third-class carriage, carry your power banks.
We booked a slow train on our way back from Samarkand to Tashkent. It took 4:06 hours to reach, and it wasn’t comfortable. While we did book sleeper or Platzkartny, the trains or washrooms were clean, and I felt a little suffocated. It cost $18.5 for two tickets.
Here are some approximate time frames of trains on different routes.
- Bukhara to Khiva: 6hr 36min (Daily)
- Bukhara to Urgench: 5hr 46min (Daily)
- Samarkand to Tashkent: 3hr 54 min (Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sun)
- Navoi to Tashkent: 5hr 4min (Full week except Tuesday)
- Navoi Samarkand: 1hr 37min (Full week except Tuesday)
Where To Find The Uzbekistan Railways Schedule?
You can check the train schedule through the Uzbek Railways official website. The site offers the translation option to change everything in English. However, getting familiar with the town name in the local language is best. Here are some popular city names in Uzbek(Cyrillic) for better understanding.
- Samarkand: Самарқанд
- Bukhara: Бухоро
- Navoi: Навоий
- Tashkent: Тошкент
- Khiva: ХИВА
How Much Does It Cost To Take A Train In Uzbekistan?
The traveling cost will depend on the route and the type of carriage that you are opting for while traveling. For example, traveling from Tashkent to Samarkand through a Sharq train will cost you approximately 77,590 UZS in the second class and 108,730 UZS in the first class.
These are the train prices we paid for a couple:
- Tashkent to Samarkand – $16
- Samarkand to Tashkent – $18.5
- Tashkent to Almaty – $119
Uzbekistan Railways Tickets: How To Book Train Tickets In Uzbekistan?
You can use the official website or smartphone app to book your tickets online. The seats for the fast trains fill quickly, so make sure you book your seats well in advance to avoid any last-minute hassle. However, you can book the ticket whenever you find the train booking option open, 30-45 before the actual train travel.
If you didn’t book online, you can visit the railway station to book the ticket. Let us get into the details of both modes.
How Do You Book Your Uzbekistan Train Tickets Online?
You can check out this video on Uzbekistan video to get an idea of how the trains we booked looked, the experience you can imagine, and how to use the railway tickets platform for Uzbekistan.
Here are the steps to book the tickets through online mode.
Step 1: Decide your travel dates and destination cities on the official page of Uzbek Railways.
Step 2: The website will ask you to register. You can use your Google account to complete the whole process. I used my email address to sign up.
Step 3: Once you register, you will be directed to the page where you will get the train schedule and the seats available according to your travel dates. The Afrosiyob and Sharq trains show the price of regular seats, while the night/passenger trains offer prices of all the options like Platzkartny, Lux, and Kupe.
Step 4: Select the required train and press on Continue.
Step 5: You will be redirected to a new page where you can select the carriage and seat. After this, you have to add your personal information like name, passport details, etc., and then press Continue (Продолжать).
Step 6: Check all the details and then select the preferred mode of payment. Add the payment details and opt for insurance if you wish.
Once your payment is completed successfully, you will get the e-ticket with a QR code on the registered account. You don’t need to print the ticket if you have an e-ticket. Just show the ticket, its QR code, and your passport while boarding your train at the station.
We preferred to print it because its easy to carry and show.
How Do You Buy Your Train Tickets on the Spot?
The ticket office is close to the station where most offices speak English. Ensure you carry your passport as it is required for ticket booking.
There can be a long queue at the office, so you can avoid them by going to the VIP desk on the other side of the station. It will cost a little extra, but you don’t have to wait.
Hope this guide helps you book and travel with trains around Uzbekistan.