Uzbekistan's Deputy Minister of Transport, Jasurbek Choriyev, announced plans to develop high-speed rail routes in all four directions of the country. The statement was made on May 5 in Samarkand during a panel session at the Asian Development Bank meeting.
According to Choriyev, the standard railway infrastructure in Uzbekistan spans approximately 8,000 kilometers. He highlighted the launch of the new high-speed Hyundai Rotem train 'Jaloliddin Manguberdi' on the Tashkent-Khiva route.
'I believe this is a huge achievement for our republic. Khiva was the only missing point among tourist centers that have long needed rail service,' said the deputy minister.
He emphasized that the new route will improve tourism opportunities and enhance the efficiency of existing infrastructure in tourist centers. 'Travel time has been almost halved — now the trip takes about 7 hours 30 minutes instead of 13.5 hours. This is a great success,' Choriyev stated.
Uzbekistan is expanding its high-speed train fleet, with six new Hyundai Rotem trains ordered, two of which have already arrived.
'In addition, new railway lines are being built in the east and south of the country. These are also high-speed rail projects included in Uzbekistan's strategic development program until 2030, which envisions creating a high-speed network across all four directions,' Choriyev said.
Under the 'Uzbekistan 2030' strategy, the country plans to increase transport services volume from 188 trillion to 320 trillion soums, transit freight volume from 15.2 million to 18.5 million tons, and air passenger numbers from 15 million to 24 million.
In the railway sector, freight transit time between Samarkand and Karakalpakstan is expected to be reduced from 10 to 6 days by 2030. The share of electrified railways is projected to rise from 51% in 2025 to 65% in 2030. The number of passengers carried by high-speed trains is planned to increase from 1.3 million to 3.25 million.
Choriyev previously told Gazeta that Uzbekistan has received the final feasibility study for the new Tashkent-Samarkand high-speed railway. He added that the project will be further refined to assess investment attractiveness before the tender begins.
In September 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced plans to build a new railway line for high-speed trains along the Tashkent-Samarkand and Samarkand-Navoi-Bukhara routes. The capacity of the existing network is limited due to simultaneous use for passenger and freight services.
Source: www.gazeta.uz