Dushanbe-Tashkent rail traffic resumes after 30 years

From June 20, the railway service on the “Dushanbe-Tashkent” route is being restored, Spot reports citing UzA.

Trains between the capitals of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan will run once a week. They consist of 10 sleeping cars, four compartment cars, a restaurant car and four reserve cars with seats.

Passengers will be able to get from Dushanbe to Tashkent in 21 hours, the report says.

Gazeta.uz, with reference to the Uzbekistan Railways press service, reports that the train route will pass through Karshi, Samarkand, Jizzakh and Gulistan. The total length will be 916 km.

Rail travel between the two countries was suspended in the early 1990s. According to media reports, in 2012, Uzbekistan dismantled the tracks near the border, but restored them six years later and opened the way for trains from Tajikistan to Russia.

The resumption of rail traffic was announced by Shavkat Mirziyoyev on June 2, during the visit of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon. According to Uzbekistan Railways JSC, the initiative was put forward by the Tajik side.

The heads of the two countries together launched the construction of the Yavan hydroelectric power station, the first large-scale joint project in the energy sector. Before the visit, a business forum was held, at which plans were announced to create a border trade and industrial zone.

Earlier, it was reported that from June 14, Uzbekistan Railways would resume tours to Russia.