Uzbekistan Railways and the Italian Arsenale S.p.A. plan to work on a tourist train project, the state company’s press service reported.

The parties signed a memorandum of cooperation at the investment forum held within the framework of the session of the General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) in Samarkand. The head of the Tourism Committee, Ulugbek Shodiyev, also signed the document.

The memorandum outlines plans for the development and construction of a luxury train cruising. It is expected that it will begin running between the historical cities of Uzbekistan at the end of 2026.

The carriages are planned to be equipped with all modern amenities. Passengers are promised to be provided with maximum comfort during their trips.

The first deputy head of Uzbekistan Railways, Khikmatulla Rakhmetov, called the memorandum “the first step on a long and exciting path” of cooperation. He noted that railway cruises will draw attention to the cultural heritage of Uzbekistan and are consistent with the trend of sustainable development.

Cooperation with Uzbekistan will be a “unique project,” said Arsenale Group CEO Paolo Barletta. The top manager also highlighted the environmental friendliness of rail tourism and indicated that the company intends to make this experience available “in the most exciting places in the world”.

For Arsenale Group, Uzbekistan has become the third market country in Asia. Prior to this, the company announced plans to launch luxury trains in Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

Negotiations between Uzbekistan Railways and Arsenale Group started in July. As it was reported then, the future train will be able to transport up to 66 passengers between Tashkent and Khiva via Samarkand and Bukhara.