Tashkent–Samarkand high-speed rail line

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Tashkent – Samarkand High speed Railway

Tashkent Main Railway Station in Tashkent
Overview
Type High-speed railway
System Uzbekistan Railways
Status passenger service
Termini Tashkent Railway Station, Tashkent
Samarkand Railway Station, Samarkand
Operation
Opened 8 October 2011
Owner Uzbekistan Railways
Operator(s) Uzbekistan Railways
Character Passenger
Rolling stock Talgo 250
Technical
Line length 344 km (214 mi)
Track gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 5⁄6 in) Russian gauge
Operating speed various

The Tashkent to Samarkand high-speed rail line is a 344-kilometre (214 mi), high-speed rail connection between the two largest Uzbek cities of Tashkent and Samarkand and through four provinces: Tashkent, Sirdaryo, Jizzakh and Samarqand in Uzbekistan. The train operates seven times a week under the brand Afrosiyob.

Contents

History [edit]

Construction began on the line on 11 March 2011, with completion planned for later that year at a cost of roughly $70 million.[1][2] The line includes both new and rebuilt trackage, as well as adding modern signaling systems to the route.[3] In addition to building trackage capable of supporting high-speed service, track of lower standards was built to the cities of Bukhara and Khiva as part of the project.[2] The 344 kilometres (214 mi) high-speed line is capable of speeds up to 250 km/h (160 mph), with a total travel time between Tashkent and Samarkand of about two hours.[3] The line is planned to open for commercial operation in September 2011.[4] However as of September 18 only 35 km of high speed track were installed and railway company reportedly lacked the money to upgrade the entire route.[5]

Operation [edit]

Afrosiyob high-speed train

Two trainsets for operation on the line were ordered in November 2009 from Talgo at a cost of €38 million ($53 million[2]).[6] The cost of the purchase was split between operator O'zbekiston Temir Yo'llari and a loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan.[3] The first trainset, a Talgo 250, was delivered to Tashkent on 22 July 2011, with a second planned to follow in September.[6][7] Each trainset consists of two power cars, eight passenger cars with a capacity of 257 people and a dining car.[6] Train carried out its first trip from Tashkent to Samarkand on 26 August 2011 with passengers to visit Music Festival "Sharq taronalari" in Samarqand. [8] [9] The train covered the distance of 340km in two hours.

The commercial service started on 8 October 2011 twice a week under the brand Afrosiyob.[10] [11] However due to lack of fast track total travel time is more than two and half hour.[12]

On 24 January 2012 OJSC "Uzjeldorpass" (Uzbek Passenger Railways) announced that Afrosiyob will run five times a week.[13] From 13 February 2012 Afrosiyob runs on route Tashkent-Samarkand-Tashkent each day, the press service of Uzjeldorpass said.[14]

From May 2012 Afrosiyob runs between two cities twice a day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, announced State joint stock railway company Uzbekistan Temir Yollari.[15]

References [edit]

  1. ^ "Uzbekistan begins construction on high-speed railway". Central Asia Newswire. 11 March 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c "Uzbekistan’s high-speed rail plans face logistics challenges". Central Asia Newswire. 22 October 2010. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  3. ^ a b c "First high-speed Talgo electricity train arrives in Tashkent". Uzbekistan Daily. 24 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  4. ^ "Uzbekistan receives first high-speed train from Spain". Railway Insider. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  5. ^ Uzbekistan’s high-speed trains said to lack suitable tracks
  6. ^ a b c "Talgo 250 arrives in Toshkent". Railway Gazette International. 26 July 2011. Archived from the original on 1 August 2011. Retrieved 1 August 2011. 
  7. ^ First high-speed Talgo electricity train arrives in Tashkent, 24 July 2011
  8. ^ Uzdaily: First high-speed electricity train carries out first trip from Samarkand and Tashkent, 27 August 2011
  9. ^ Uzbekistan Launches High Speed Tashkent-Smarkand Rail Line, September 08 2011
  10. ^ ГАЖК «Ўзбекистон темир йўллари», ОАО «Узжелдоропасс» оъявляет, что началась продажа проездных документов на высокоскоростной поезд «Afrosiyob»
  11. ^ High-speed Afrosiyob train starts to run between Tashkent and Samarkand, 6 October 2011
  12. ^ Uzbekistan Today: 2.5 Hours to Samarqand
  13. ^ High-speed train Afrosiyob to run five times a week. UzDaily.com. 24 January 2012
  14. ^ High-speed train Afrosiyob to run seven times a week. UzDaily.com. 13 February 2012
  15. ^ Afrosiyob train to run twice a day. UzDaily.com, 4 May 2012

External links [edit]

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