Uzbekistan has completed the construction of a new railway line that will soon be serviced by high-speed trains from South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem, The Korea News Plus reports, citing Uzbek media.
On May 1, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev inspected the newly electrified Urgench–Khiva section, which is part of a large-scale program to modernize the country’s railway infrastructure.
With the electrification of the 465-kilometer Bukhara–Urgench–Khiva route now complete, preparations for launching Hyundai Rotem trains are finalized. The trains are expected to begin operations in 2026.
The rolling stock contract was signed in June 2023. Hyundai Rotem and KORAIL won the tender worth 270 billion won (approximately $200 million).
Under the agreement, six high-speed trains with distributed traction systems—similar to South Korea’s KTX model—will be delivered. Each train is designed to carry 389 passengers and reach speeds of up to 250 km/h.
The new trains will operate on routes with a combined length of 1,216 kilometers, including the Tashkent–Bukhara and Bukhara–Khiva lines.
Travel time between Tashkent and Khiva is expected to be cut in half - from 14 hours to just 7 hours and 40 minutes.
Passenger capacity will triple, increasing from 1 million to more than 3 million travelers per year. Freight traffic is also expected to rise significantly - from 1 million to 6 million tons annually.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
May 8, 2025