Tashkent–Samarkand High-Speed Rail Line

The Tashkent to Samarkand high-speed rail line is a 344km, high-speed rail, connection between the two largest Uzbek cities of Tashkent and Samarkand and through four provinces: Tashkent, Sirdaryo, Jizzakh and Samarqand in Uzbekistan.

Construction began on the line on 11 March 2011, with completion planned for later that year at a cost of roughly US $70 million. The line includes both new and rebuilt trackage, as well as adding modern signalling systems to the route. In addition to building trackage capable of supporting high-speed service, track of lower standards was built to the cities of Bukhara and Khiva as part of the project. The 344 km high-speed line is capable of speeds up to 250 km/h, with a total travel time between Tashkent and Samarkand of about two hours. The line is planned to open for commercial operation in September 2011.

Two train sets for operation on the line were ordered in November 2009 from Talgo at a cost of €38 million. The cost of the purchase was split between operator Uzbekistan Temir Yollari and a loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan. The first train set, a Talgo 250, was delivered to Tashkent on 22 July 2011, with a second planned to follow in September. Each train set consists of two power cars, eight passenger cars with a capacity of 257 people and a dining car.