TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, May 5. Construction of a high-speed railway for South Korean company Hyundai Rotem trains has been completed in Uzbekistan, Trend reports, citing the Uzbek president’s office.
Uzbekistan has completed the construction of a high-speed electrified railway connecting Bukhara, Urgench, and Khiva, a major infrastructure milestone aimed at enhancing the country’s transportation capacity. The 465-kilometer railway is fully electrified, features protective fencing along the route, and includes modern engineering structures to support safe and efficient operations.
As part of the project, Uzbekistan will acquire six high-speed electric trains from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem. These state-of-the-art trains will operate under the name Jaloliddin Manguberdy and are scheduled to begin service next year on the Tashkent–Khiva route.
The launch of this high-speed railway is expected to significantly improve passenger and freight logistics across the region. Passenger capacity is projected to exceed 3 million people annually. Travel time between Tashkent and Khiva will be cut nearly in half—from 14 hours to just 7 hours and 40 minutes. Meanwhile, freight capacity will increase sixfold, from 1 million tons to 6 million tons per year.
Meanwhile, this development aligns with the broader railway sector reforms outlined in the Presidential Decree dated October 10, 2023, which emphasizes modernization and efficiency. As part of these reforms, the country is actively renewing its railcar fleet. In the first quarter of 2025, the first 10 new passenger wagons were manufactured domestically, supported by a $50 million allocation from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development aimed at boosting the national railcar industry.
