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The Ministry of Transport will try to begin construction of the Tashkent-Samarkand high-speed railway this year

Construction of the Tashkent-Samarkand high-speed railway could start as early as this year. On May 5, Deputy Minister of Transport Zhasurbek Choriev spoke about this in an interview with a Spot correspondent on the sidelines of the 59th annual meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank in Samarkand.

Deputy Minister of Transportreported, that on April 28, the final report on the feasibility study of the project developed by a consortium of South Korean companies: Saman Engineering, Dong Myeong Engineering Consultants & Architecture Co., Ltd, Korea Railroad Corporation and Korea National Railway was held.

“There are issues and improvements that we need to work out together with the Ministry of Economic Finance and, possibly, with other consultants. On the technical side, everything is clear, but in order for the project to become more attractive to investors, it is necessary to strengthen its investment component. We must highlight the “highlights” and show which areas and infrastructure facilities can attract investment, and what will be of interest to investors. This part now needs to be improved a little,” he said.

Now the Ministry of Transport, together with the World Bank, is working to attract a consultant who will conduct a brief review and validation of the project. After this, the department will be able to proceed to the tender.

Answering a question about the prospects for starting the implementation of the high-speed highway project this year, Zhasurbek Choriev noted that the project is quite complex. At the same time, the feasibility study of the project was completed in record time - about 14 months. Khokimiyats were also involved in the work and provided their recommendations.

The deputy head of the Ministry of Transport said that the department will try to begin construction work on the railway this year.

At the beginning of the year, the head of the representative office of Exim Bank of Korea in Tashkent, Sangjin Kangreported, that the project implementation period will average 7-10 years, and the full launch of the high-speed railway is planned for the first half of the 2030s. The length of the route will be 300 km, the average speed will be 185.7 km/h, and the travel time will be about 1.5 hours.

From May 2 between Tashkent and Khiva there will belaunchedHyundai Rotem high-speed train, manufactured in South Korea. The train includes seven cars and is capable of reaching speeds of up to 260 km/h.

About the high-speed highway project

For the first time about plans to build a separate line for high-speed traffictoldSpot first deputy head of Uzbekistan Temir Yollari Khikmatulla Rakhmetov in November 2023. According to him, the current infrastructure is not enough for the growing volume of passenger and freight traffic.

In September 2024 Shavkat Mirziyoyevannouncedconstruction of high-speed railways at a meeting of the governors of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in Samarkand. They will pass along the routes Tashkent - Samarkand and Samarkand - Navoi - Bukhara. For construction there may beattractedTurkish group Rönesans Holding.

In February 2025, the Ministry of Transportagreedwith a consortium of companies from South Korea on the start of development of a feasibility study for the construction of a high-speed railway Tashkent - Samarkand. The Korean Exim Bank allocated a grant of $3 million for this purpose.

There is interest in the railway project, including financingExport-Import Bank of ChinaAndEuropean Investment Bank.

Last July, Transport Minister Ilkhom Makhkamovtoldon the progress of the Tashkent-Samarkand high-speed railway construction project.

“We are completing the development of a feasibility study for the Tashkent-Samarkand railway project. By the end of the year, work on the feasibility study will be fully completed. Preparation of documents for the tender will begin in January 2026,” the head of the Ministry of Transport shared.

In 2026will beginconstruction of a high-speed railway Tashkent - Samarkand, says the financial strategy of the Ministry of Economic Finance for the next three years.

October 24, 2025 South Korean Saman Engineeringpresented3 options for high-speed railway Tashkent - Samarkand based on proposals from the Ministry of Transport, Uzbekistan Railways and other departments.

The parameters voiced by Sangjin Kang correspond to the first option, according to which the railway length will be 282 km, travel time will be 1 hour 26 minutes, and the average speed will be 185.7 km/h. In total, it is planned to build 74 bridges and 3 tunnels with a total length of 8.9 km.

At the end of December, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, speaking with his annual address to the Oliy Majlis and the people of Uzbekistan,announcedthe beginning of construction of a new railway line for high-speed passenger trains on the route Tashkent - Samarkand.

PresidentinstructedThe Ministry of Transport, together with Uzbekistan Temir Yollari, by May 1, 2026, with the involvement of foreign consultants, must develop and submit to the Cabinet of Ministers in the prescribed manner the assessment documentation for the project for the construction of a “separately dedicated two-lane high-speed railway in the Tashkent-Samarkand direction.”

Previously Spotwrotethat the Jaloliddin Manguberdy train set off on its first flight from Tashkent to Khiva.



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