Uzbekistan and Italy's Arsenale advance plans for Central Asia's first luxury train

The document was inked by Raffaele Breschi, CEO of Italy's Arsenale International, Gayane Umerova, Chairperson of the Art and Culture Development Foundation, and Khikmatulla Rakhmetov, First Deputy Chairman of the Management Board of Uzbekistan Railways. The agreement establishes formal governance and coordination mechanisms to move the premium rail initiative into its operational phase.

Designed to enhance the country’s high-end tourism appeal, the new luxury train will connect Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva. The service aims to offer international travelers a premium experiential format to explore Uzbekistan’s cultural heritage along the historic routes of the Great Silk Road.

The concept was initially proposed by Italian partners in July 2023 to establish luxury rail links between the country's historic urban centers. Following an initial memorandum of understanding, a formal project agreement for the production and deployment of the trains was finalized during the third Tashkent International Investment Forum in May 2024.

Manufacturing and customization of the rolling stock have already marked key milestones. In 2025, technicians fully completed the structural construction of the exterior bodyshell for the initial luxury carriage. The completed unit was subsequently scheduled for transport to Italy, where specialized teams will carry out the comprehensive high-end interior outfitting and equipment installation.

The Samarkand Express promotional overview offers a visual glimpse into the landscapes, cultural routes, and premium carriage concepts designed for this upcoming Silk Road rail journey.