Deputy Minister of Transport Jasurbek Choriyev announced on May 5 at an OTB meeting in Samarkand that the feasibility study (FS) for the new high-speed railway project between Tashkent and Samarkand has been prepared.

According to him, the final version of the FS was presented on April 28 by South Korea's Saman Engineering. However, there are questions, and some aspects may need to be revised jointly with the Ministry of Finance, possibly with another consultant.

“Technically, it is clear. But we need to make it attractive for investors, highlight the attractive aspects of the project, clearly define which sections, facilities, and infrastructure can attract investors and what would be interesting for them,” Choriyev said.

The Ministry of Transport is currently discussing with the World Bank the possibility of engaging a consultant for a brief review and validation of the project. “We are now talking with the World Bank, perhaps we will involve a consultant, conduct a short review and validation. After that, we will proceed to the tender process,” he added.

When asked whether construction could begin this year, the deputy minister indicated it would be difficult. “I would say it is very difficult because we prepared the FS in a record short time. This is a very complex project,” Choriyev noted.

The new high-speed railway is expected to connect Tashkent's new international airport with the “heart” of Samarkand. In September last year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced the construction of a new railway line for high-speed trains along the Tashkent-Samarkand and Samarkand-Navoi-Bukhara routes.

The FS was developed by a consortium of Korean companies including Saman Engineering, Dong Myeong Engineering Consultants & Architecture Co., Korea Railroad Corporation, and Korea National Railway, funded by a grant from Korea's Eximbank. In July, Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamov stated that preparation of tender documents would begin in January 2026.

Source: www.gazeta.uz