Which train to take
| Train | Tashkent → Samarkand | Fare (2026) | What it is like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afrosiyob | about 2 h 10 min | Economy ~311,000 som (~$26), Business ~455,000, VIP ~709,000 | High-speed, airline-style seats, café car |
| Sharq | slower | 2nd class ~200,000 som (~$17), 1st class ~300,000 | Classic air-conditioned train, daily |
| Nasaf | slower | 2nd class ~200,000 som (~$17) | Classic train, seats or compartments |
Afrosiyob continues to Bukhara: about 3 h 40 min from Tashkent (Economy ~509,000 som, ~$42) and about 1.5 hours from Samarkand. There is no Afrosiyob to Khiva; a separate train runs there a few days a week and takes around 7–8 hours from Tashkent.
Fares are from mid-2026 and change, so check the current price when you book.
How to buy tickets
- Use the official site eticket.railway.uz (switch the language to English at the top right) or the official Uzbekistan Railways app.
- Enter your passport number exactly as printed: it is checked at boarding.
- Book early. Sales open up to about 60 days ahead (sometimes less), and Afrosiyob seats often sell out, especially in spring and autumn. One to two weeks ahead is a safe minimum.
- Keep the e-ticket on your phone. Tickets are issued partly in Cyrillic; the train number, date and car/seat are what matter.
If the official site will not take your card, resellers such as 12Go or Bookaway sell the same trains to foreign cards for a fee.
At the station
- Tashkent has two stations, Tashkent (North/main) and Tashkent South (Yuzhny), about 7 km apart. Check which one is on your ticket.
- Arrive about 30 minutes before departure: there is a ticket and passport check and a security scan at the entrance.
- Luggage allowance is generous: up to 36 kg per adult on Afrosiyob.
- Samarkand station is 6–8 km from Registan, and Bukhara station is in Kagan, about 12 km from the old town. Take a taxi (Yandex Go works well; pick cash if your card is declined).
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