Travelling Uzbekistan by train
Uzbekistan is one of the easiest countries in Central Asia to cross by rail. The high speed Afrosiyob service turns what used to be a long day on the road into a comfortable morning, and it is the backbone of almost every route we plan.
The Afrosiyob high speed service
Afrosiyob trains run along the main corridor from Tashkent through Samarkand to Bukhara, with seats in economy, business and VIP classes, air conditioning and refreshments served at your seat.
Tashkent to Samarkand is the busiest leg and the one most travellers use. It is fast, punctual and far more pleasant than the same journey by car.
Booking and seats
Popular departures, especially around Navruz in March and through the October high season, sell out days in advance. Seats are allocated, not open, so late booking can split a group across carriages.
We reserve rail tickets as part of every tour we operate, which avoids both the sell out risk and the queue at the station counter.
Reaching Khiva and the west
Khiva and the Khorezm region sit far to the west across the Kyzylkum desert. There is a rail connection and there are flights, and the right choice depends on your remaining days.
The overland desert crossing from Bukhara is long, but it takes you past the Khorezm fortresses and the emptiness that makes the walled city feel earned. If your schedule is tight, flying back saves most of a day.
When not to take the train
The Fergana Valley, the Nuratau villages, Shahrisabz and the Aral Sea are best reached by road, often on routes with no useful rail alternative at all.
Our own rule is simple: rail for the long city to city legs, private vehicle for everything that has stops worth making along the way.