Uzbekistan Railways is the national railway company of the Republic of Uzbekistan. It owns and manages all infrastructure and operating freight and passenger train services in the country, and has a near-monopoly on long-distance train travel in Uzbekistan. It is a vertically integrated state-owned stock company, formed in 1994 to operate railways within Uzbekistan. As of March 2017, the total length of its main railway network is 4,669 km (2,446 km of which is electrified).
Infrastructure
4,714 kilometres (2,929 mi) rail network carries about 40% of total freight volume in the country, and about 4% of the total land passenger volume. Around 2,350 km of the network is currently electrified, as of 2019.
Branches
Uzbekistan Railways has the following 6 regional railway junctions (Russian: Региональный железнодорожный узел (РЖУ); Uzbek: Mintaqaviy temir yo'l uzeli (MTU)):
| No. | Branch name in Russian | Branch name in Uzbek | Website | Managed from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Кунградский РЖУ | Qo‘ng‘irot MTU | kungrad |
Qońirat |
| 2 | Бухарский РЖУ | Buxoro MTU | buxoro-mtu |
Bukhara |
| 3 | Ташкентский РЖУ | Toshkent MTU | toshkentmtu |
Tashkent |
| 4 | Кокандский РЖУ | Qo‘qon MTU | kokand |
Kokand |
| 5 | Каршинский РЖУ | Qarshi MTU | qarshimtu |
Qarshi |
| 6 | Термезский РЖУ | Termiz MTU | N/A | Termez |
High-speed lines
The Tashkent–Bukhara high-speed rail line started operation in September 2011 after being upgraded.
| Line | Termini | Length | Type | Maximum speed | Opening | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tashkent–Bukhara | Tashkent–Bukhara | 600 km (370 mi) | New | 250 km/h (160 mph) | 2011 | Operational |
| Bhukhara–Khiva | Bukhara-Khiva | 465 km (289 mi) | New | 250 km/h (160 mph) | 2030 | Under Construction |
Railway links with adjacent countries
- Afghanistan – yes, linked, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- Kazakhstan – yes, linked with Kazakhstan Temir Joly, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- Kyrgyzstan – yes, linked with Kyrgyz Railways, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- Tajikistan – yes, linked with Tajik Railways, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- Turkmenistan – yes, linked with Demirýollary, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
Uzbek Railways has direct passenger train links to Moscow, Ufa, Chelyabinsk, Novosibirsk, Saratov, Penza and Saint Petersburg (via Kazakhstan). From Almaty connecting trains are provided to Urumchi in China. Also Tajik trains of Dushanbe-Moscow (No: 319), Moscow-Dushanbe (No: 320), Khujand-Saratov (No: 335), Khujand-Atyrau (No: 335), Saratov-Khujand (No: 336), Khujand-Moscow (No: 359), Moscow-Khujand (No: 360), Kanibadam-Bokhtar (No: 389), Bokhtar-Kanibadam (No: 389) and Atyrau-Khujand (No: 692) passes through Uzbekistan.
The Karshi-Termez line, which extends across the border into Afghanistan, is being electrified. In March 2018, Uzbek Railways began a new service, connecting Tashkent with Balykchy. The China–Kyrgyzstan–Uzbekistan railway, which started construction in 2025, aims to build 523 km of new track (50 km of which is in Uzbekistan) connecting Kashgar, China via Kyrgyzstan to Andijan.
Rolling stock
Passenger trains
| Class | Type | Number | Year | Manufacturer | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ER9E | EMU | 1962 | RVR | refurbished | |
| ER2 | EMU | 1962 | RVR | refurbished | |
| Talgo 250 (Afrosiyob) | EMU | 6 | 2011–2021 | Talgo | |
| RegioPanter | EMU | 30 planned | after 2024 | Škoda | |
| UTY EMU-250 | EMU | 6 planned | after 2027 | Hyundai Rotem | planned |
| DMU |
Freight
- 3ES5K locomotives (~7, Novocherkassk Electric Locomotive Plant, 2018–2020)
