Navigate from Tashkent (Tashkent-Passenger / Markaziy) to Bukhara across a span of 600km.
Scenery Highlights
Kyzylkum Desert edges — vast ochre dunes flanking the line between Jizzakh and Samarkand
Chirchiq river valley around Tashkent — irrigated orchards and cotton fields on the eastern approaches
Samarkand approach — Registan's blue domes and Shah-i-Zinda's turquoise mausoleums visible from the train on clear days
Zeravshan river valley between Samarkand and Bukhara — green ribbon of pomegranate orchards and mulberry trees cutting through the desert
Nakhshab junction — the fork point for the new Shakhrisabz branch (look out the left window heading west)
Karshi steppe — broad agricultural plain south of the Bukhara line, with cotton and wheat fields stretching to the horizon
Bukhara approach — the Ark fortress silhouette and the Poi-Kalyan minaret appear on the horizon in the last 20 minutes
Jizzakh valley in winter — dramatic low-lying fog hugging the foothills (best from a window seat)
Quick Facts
Duration
3.5 hours
Distance
600 km
Est. Price
Affordable to Mid-Range — from UZS 311K economy / UZS 455K business / UZS 709K VIP (Tashkent–Samarkand, Feb 2026); UZS 509K / 760K / 1,138K for Tashkent–Bukhara; cash UZS accepted at ticket offices, cards accepted on eticket.uz for foreign cards with 3-D Secure
Meals: None — cafeteria car available for purchase
Ensuite: No
Meals: Light meal and tea/coffee served at seat
Ensuite: No
Meals: Light Meal / Snacks and welcome drink
Ensuite: No
Engine / Locomotive
Talgo 250 — Spanish-built diesel-electric / electric multiple unit (Uzbek services run in electric mode where 25 kV AC overhead is available; the trainsets are dual-mode capable)
Locomotive Weight
~410 t (full 9-car consist, including power cars)
Track Gauge
1,520 mm (Russian broad gauge; Uzbekistan inherited the Soviet 1,520 mm alignment despite border crossings into 1,435 mm standard-gauge neighbours)
Braking Technology
Knorr-Bremse disc brakes on every axle; regenerative braking returning power to the overhead line; Talgo passive-tilting system reduces lateral force on curves
Route Engineering Challenges
Operation across Kyzylkum Desert in extreme temperature range (−20 °C winter to +50 °C summer)
Long stretch through uninhabited desert between Jizzakh and Samarkand requiring reliable onboard systems and no in-route rescue
Gauge incompatibility with neighbouring countries (Afghanistan 1,435 mm, Tajikistan 1,520 mm, Kazakhstan 1,520 mm) limits future cross-border high-speed extensions
Sandstorm exposure on the Bukhara–Tashkent corridor — special sealing on traction motors and brake calipers required
Single-track sections on the Shakhrisabz branch necessitate careful scheduling at Nakhshab and Karshi junctions
Winter fog in the Jizzakh valley periodically reduces visibility for trackside signalling maintenance
High-amplitude temperature swings between day and night in the desert require expansion-tolerant rail and bridge bearing design
Bilingual announcement system (Uzbek / Russian) requires periodic software updates and is not always synchronised with English translations on tourist-heavy services
Maximum Speed
250 km/h (design); 200–220 km/h operational average
Power Output
~4,400 kW per 9-car trainset (2 × 2,200 kW power cars)
Formation
Typical 8-car or 9-car configuration with power cars at each end; Talgo variable-gauge axles locked to 1,520 mm on Uzbek domestic services
Passenger Capacity
~257 seats (8-car) / ~335 seats (10-car); Uzbek domestic consists usually run 9 cars with ~280 seats
Inauguration
2011 (Tashkent–Samarkand), extended to Bukhara 2016, new Shakhrisabz route March 27, 2026
Manufacturer
Patentes Talgo S.L. (Madrid, Spain) with auxiliary systems by Bombardier and CAF
Operator
Uzbekistan Railways (O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari / Temir Yo'l)
Price Increase
15% price increase effective February 1, 2026
Booking Window
60 days in advance (updated from 45–60 days)
Booking Portal
eticket.railway.uz (also accepts foreign Visa and Mastercard with 3-D Secure)
25 kV 50 Hz AC overhead (electrified mainline), 3 kV DC backup diesel-electric for non-electrified station approaches
Currency on Board
UZS (Uzbek som); cafeteria car accepts UZS cash only
Languages
Uzbek, Russian, English announcements (latter on most tourist-heavy services)
Wheelchair Access
Designated Economy seats (rows 1 and 11), accessible toilet, ramp assistance on 24 h advance request via +998 71 200 50 50
Braking
Knorr-Bremse disc brakes + regenerative electric braking + Talgo passive-tilting system for curve stability
Track Operator
Uzbekistan Railways (Temir Yo'l) — own infrastructure, dispatching, and ticketing
Historical Note
Original Talgo-250 prototype unveiled at InnoTrans 2006 (Berlin); Uzbek order placed 2009; first trainset delivered 2011 after factory testing in Spain and Russia
Quick Facts
Duration
3.5 hours
Distance
600 km
Est. Price
Affordable to Mid-Range — from UZS 311K economy / UZS 455K business / UZS 709K VIP (Tashkent–Samarkand, Feb 2026); UZS 509K / 760K / 1,138K for Tashkent–Bukhara; cash UZS accepted at ticket offices, cards accepted on eticket.uz for foreign cards with 3-D Secure