Hyundai train begins service on the Tashkent–Khiva route

A newly delivered South Korean high-speed train began commercial service in Uzbekistan on May 5. With this, the country launched a new rail link between the capital, Tashkent, and the historic Silk Road city of Khiva.

This marks the first time a high-speed train built in South Korea has been put into commercial service outside of Korea.

The inauguration ceremony for the “Jaloliddin Manguberdi” train took place at Tashkent Central Station. It was manufactured by the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem.

The new service operates on the 1,220-kilometer Tashkent–Khiva–Tashkent route. This reduces travel time from about 14 hours to approximately 7.5 hours.

Modernization of the rail fleet

The opening was attended by high-ranking representatives of the Uzbek railways, diplomats from South Korea, engineers from Hyundai Rotem, industry representatives, and the media.

Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, First Deputy Chairman of the Uzbek Railways, stated that reforms in Uzbekistan have enabled significant progress in modernizing the railway infrastructure, improving passenger transport, and expanding international transport connections.

The South Korean Ambassador to Tashkent, Won Doyeon, highlighted the close bilateral cooperation and emphasized Hyundai Rotem’s role in the renewal of the Uzbek railway fleet.

The seven-car train reaches speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour and can accommodate up to 389 passengers. It features swivel seats, surveillance systems, and real-time route information.

Designed for extreme climates

The train has been specially adapted to Uzbekistan’s climatic conditions. It can operate at temperatures ranging from minus 40 to plus 50 degrees Celsius and is designed to withstand dust and sandstorms, particularly in the Kysylkum Desert corridor.

Q. Sabirov, Chairman of the Republican Council of the Union of Railway and Transport Workers of Uzbekistan, welcomed the launch and highlighted the importance of the new connection for domestic tourism.

The route is served three times a week in each direction. Departures from Tashkent are on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 7:00 a.m. local time, with arrival in Khiva at 2:31 p.m. Return trips from Khiva depart on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays at 7:20 a.m. and arrive in Tashkent at 2:51 p.m.

The new train is the first of six Hyundai Rotem units to be deployed as part of Uzbekistan’s fleet expansion.