Jibek Joly tourist train expands route to include Samarkand

The "Jibek Joly" tourist train will now extend its route to Samarkand, following an agreement between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

The train will return to Almaty five days after departure, making a stop in Shymkent on the way back, Kazinform agency reports.

The train embarked on its second journey from Almaty on January 3. Over 100 tourists will have the opportunity to visit Turkestan, Tashkent, and Samarkand, with a stop in Shymkent on the return trip.

The tour will last five days — until January 7. The itinerary includes meals, tickets to visit attractions, guide services, and transportation.

The rail tour is organized by "Passenger Transportation," a company under "Kazakhstan Temir Zholy," in collaboration with Kazakh Tourism. The first train tour along this route, from Almaty to Tashkent, lasted four days and took place in November.

In November, Shavkat Mirziyoyev informed the Oliy Majlis that Uzbekistan plans to negotiate with Kazakhstan for mutual travel using national ID cards instead of international passports. A similar arrangement has been in effect with Kyrgyzstan since September 2023.