Uzbekistan is gearing up to launch the tender process for its highly anticipated high-speed rail line connecting Tashkent and Samarkand in 2026, marking a major milestone toward modernizing the country’s transportation infrastructure.
Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov reported that the technical and economic feasibility study for the high-speed railway project is nearing completion, with work expected to be finalized by the end of 2025. Starting January 2026, efforts will shift to preparing documentation necessary for the tender process, signaling the transition from planning to implementation.
The initiative originally surfaced in November 2023 when Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, first deputy chairman of the national railway company “Uzbekiston Temir Yullari,” highlighted the strain on existing infrastructure unable to cope with rising passenger and freight volumes. This underscored the urgent need for a separate high-speed rail corridor.
In September 2024, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev publicly announced plans to develop high-speed rail corridors during the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank Governors’ Council meeting in Samarkand, including a route from Samarkand to Navoi and Bukhara. The Turkish construction conglomerate Rönesans Holding is a prospective partner for project realization.
International collaboration is also shaping the project’s foundation. In February 2025, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Transport reached an agreement with a South Korean consortium to develop the feasibility study, financially supported by a grant from Korea’s Export-Import Bank. Interest from China’s Export-Import Bank and the European Investment Bank further expands the pool of potential financiers.
Parallel measures to bolster existing rail capabilities
Alongside the new high-speed line initiative, Uzbekistan is taking steps to enhance the capacity of the existing Tashkent–Samarkand railway. According to Minister Makhkamov, technical experts are already developing solutions to increase the throughput of the current line by at least 20%. This upgrade is driven by the imperative to ease congestion and meet demand ahead of the new route’s completion.
However, the minister clarified that this capacity increase will not reduce ticket prices as the main goal is to reduce operational strain rather than adjust fare policies.
Broader regional connectivity and infrastructure expansion
Beyond the Tashkent–Samarkand corridor, Uzbekistan is actively participating in international rail projects, including lines connecting Uzbekistan with Kyrgyzstan and China as well as the transnational Afghanistan–Pakistan–Uzbekistan railway.
Additionally, ambitious infrastructure developments continue with planned construction of a new high-speed route from Navoi to Bukhara, set for completion by the end of 2025, and electrification upgrades on the Nukus–Miskin railroad segment.
Complementing rail improvements, Uzbekistan is also pushing forward with projects to build toll highways such as the Tashkent—Samarkand and Tashkent—Andijan roads scheduled for 2026, financed with international institutional support to enhance transport safety and efficiency.
Why this matters for international business in furniture, construction, and design sectors
The increased connectivity and transit efficiency between key economic hubs like Tashkent, Samarkand, Navoi, and Bukhara will facilitate faster, more reliable logistics chains, crucial for moving construction materials, wood products, and finished furniture goods. It also opens avenues for foreign investors and suppliers to participate in large-scale infrastructure contracts, bringing advanced technologies and innovative design solutions into Uzbekistan’s growing market.
Moreover, infrastructure modernization fosters a more favorable business climate and business tourism, encouraging cross-border cooperation and long-term partnerships, thereby enabling international businesses to expand their reach across Central Asia’s emerging manufacturing and consumer sectors.
