TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, December 16. Uzbekistan is moving forward with plans to build a separate high-speed passenger railway between Tashkent and Samarkand, marking a key step in the modernization of the country’s rail transport system, Trend reports via Uzbekistan Railways.
The project stems from a presidential resolution adopted in October 2023, which mandated the development of a feasibility study for a dedicated high-speed line along the busy Tashkent–Samarkand corridor. The feasibility study will be prepared by an international consortium comprising Saman Engineering, Dong Myeong Engineering Consultants & Architecture Co., Ltd., Korea Railroad Corporation, and Korea National Railway, with funding provided through a grant from the Korea Eximbank.
The planned railway is expected to significantly improve passenger mobility, reduce travel times, and ease pressure on existing rail infrastructure. It also aligns with Uzbekistan’s broader strategy to expand high-speed rail services and enhance connectivity between major economic and tourist centers.
At a meeting held on February 14, Uzbek and South Korean officials reviewed the approach and scope of the feasibility study, including technical parameters and implementation timelines. Representatives of the Korean consortium presented their vision for the project, outlining preliminary concepts for route design and high-speed operations.
The new project aims to move beyond the capacity limits of the current Afrosiyob system, which shares tracks with freight trains, causing bottlenecks.
While the current Afrosiyob trains operate at up to 250 km/h, the new dedicated line is being designed for operational speeds of up to 300 km/h.
The journey from Tashkent to Samarkand is expected to drop from the current 2 hours and 13 minutes to just 1 hour and 30 minutes (a 32% time saving).