Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan to launch Astana–Samarkand train route

During a working meeting in Astana, representatives of "Passenger Transportation" JSC (a subsidiary of "Kazakhstan Temir Zholy") and "Uzrailpass" discussed the development of passenger transportation and opportunities to enhance cooperation.

As a result of the negotiations, both parties signed an agreement to operate tourist trains and established a working group to bring their plans to fruition. One of the first milestones was the recent launch of the "Jibek Joly" (Silk Road) tourist train.

"The parties also explored the possibility of launching new international routes, including the 'Astana–Samarkand' route, which will be a significant step in boosting tourism potential," the statement said.

At Uzbekistan's suggestion, the schedule of Train No. 1/2 "Almaty–Tashkent" was revised to make departure and arrival times more convenient for passengers.

Over the past year, Train No. 1/2 "Almaty–Tashkent" transported more than 72,000 passengers, highlighting strong demand for the route. The distance of this journey between the two countries is 988 kilometers.

The "Jibek Joly" tourist train tour was organized by "Passenger Transportation" in collaboration with Kazakh Tourism. The inaugural trip, a four-day tour, ran from Almaty to Tashkent in November.

Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have since agreed to extend the "Jibek Joly" train route to Samarkand. The train began its second journey from Almaty on January 3. More than 100 tourists took part in this tour, which includes stops in Turkestan, Tashkent, and Samarkand, with a return route via Shymkent.