| Tashkent – Samarkand High speed Railway | |
|---|---|
Tashkent Main Railway Station in Tashkent |
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| Overview | |
| Type | High-speed railway |
| System | Uzbekistan Railways |
| Status | passenger service |
| Termini | Tashkent Railway Station, Tashkent Samarkand Railway Station, Samarkand |
| Operation | |
| Opened | 8 October 2011 |
| Owner | Uzbekistan Railways |
| Operator(s) | Uzbekistan Railways |
| Character | Passenger |
| Rolling stock | Talgo 250 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 344 km (214 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,520 mm (5 ft 0 in) |
| Operating speed | various |
The Tashkent to Samarkand high-speed rail line is a 344-kilometre (214 mi), 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. Train is operating twice a week under the brand Afrosiyob.[1]
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Construction began on the line on 11 March 2011, with completion planned for later that year at a cost of roughly $70 million.[2][3] The line includes both new and rebuilt trackage, as well as adding modern signaling systems to the route.[4] 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.[3] The 344 kilometres (214 mi) high-speed line is capable of speeds up to 250 kilometres per hour (160 mph), with a total travel time between Tashkent and Samarkand of about two hours.[4] The line is planned to open for commercial operation in September 2011.[5] However as of September 18 only 35 km of high speed track were installed and railway company reportedly lacked the money to upgrade the entire route.[6]
Two trainsets for operation on the line were ordered in November 2009 from Talgo at a cost of €38 million ($53 million[3]).[7] The cost of the purchase was split between operator Uzbekistan Temir Yollari and a loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan.[4] The first trainset, a Talgo 250, was delivered to Tashkent on 22 July 2011, with a second planned to follow in September.[7][8] Each trainset consists of two power cars, eight passenger cars with a capacity of 257 people and a dining car.[7] Train carried out its first trip from Tashkent to Samarkand on Aug. 26 with passengers to visit Music Festival "Sharq taronalari" in Samarqand. [9] [10] The train covered the distance of 205 miles in two hours.
The commercial service started on 8 October 2011 twice a week under the brand Afrosiyob.[11] [12]However due to lack of fast track total travel time is more than two and half hour.[1]