Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva by train: the Silk Road

Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva: Uzbekistan's great Silk Road cities run from east to west, and the train links them without a car. Searches show it: "Uzbekistan train", "Afrosiyob" and "Tashkent Samarkand train" come up again and again, with the same worry, getting a ticket. Here is how to plan, city by city, and which Islamic heritage stops to include.

At a glance

• The fast train: the Afrosiyob links Tashkent and Samarkand in about 2 hours and continues to Bukhara.
• Khiva: further west, beyond the Kyzylkum desert; a direct fast train from Tashkent runs a few days a week.
• Tickets: on the official Uzbek Railways website, as early as possible.
• Our tip: about ten days, starting in Tashkent or in Khiva.

The Afrosiyob, Uzbekistan's fast train

In service since 2011, the Afrosiyob is the country's fastest train. It links Tashkent and Samarkand in about 2 hours, then carries on to Bukhara. It is the most comfortable way to cover the Tashkent – Samarkand and Samarkand – Bukhara legs.

Other, slower trains also serve these cities. They help when the Afrosiyob is full, but allow more time and check the comfort level, especially from June to August.

Booking tickets: the tricky part

Tickets are sold on the official Uzbek Railways website. Afrosiyob seats sell out very quickly, sometimes far in advance, especially in spring and autumn. Book as soon as your dates are fixed, and at least a few weeks before departure. Keep a back-up plan: another train the same day, or leaving the day before.

Getting to Khiva

Khiva is the most remote of the four cities. Since 2018, a line of about thirty kilometres has linked it to Urgench, the larger neighbouring city. According to published timetables, a fast train now connects Tashkent and Khiva in about 7 hours 30 minutes, a few days a week only: check the running days before building your route. Otherwise, regular trains run between Bukhara and Khiva across the Kyzylkum desert, a journey of several hours.

Tip: many travellers do the loop in one direction, for example Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and then Khiva, and return to Tashkent in one long leg.

Sample ten-day itinerary

• Days 1 and 2 – Tashkent: old town, Hazrati Imam complex, Centre for Islamic Civilization, metro.
• Days 3 to 5 – Samarkand: Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Shah-i-Zinda, then half a day at the Imam al-Bukhari complex in Khartang.
• Days 6 and 7 – Bukhara: Poi-Kalyan ensemble, Ark citadel, trading domes, madrasas.
• Days 8 and 9 – Khiva: Itchan Kala, walls and minarets, the town at sunset.
• Day 10: back to Tashkent.

Islamic heritage stops

Uzbekistan preserves some of the great monuments of Islamic history in Central Asia, and four of its historic centres are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Itchan Kala in Khiva (1990), Bukhara (1993), Shakhrisabz (2000) and Samarkand (2001).

• The Imam al-Bukhari complex: in the village of Khartang, about 25 km from Samarkand, around the mausoleum of the author of Sahih al-Bukhari.
• The Registan, Samarkand: three facing madrasas around a vast square, one of the country's best-known sights.
• Bukhara, birthplace of Imam al-Bukhari: madrasas, mosques and the Poi-Kalyan minaret in a historic centre you can explore on foot.
• Tashkent: the Hazrati Imam complex and the Centre for Islamic Civilization, which now houses the Uthman Quran, one of the oldest known Quran manuscripts.

In active mosques and mausoleums, dress modestly and respect prayer times.

Where to stay in each city

In Bukhara and Khiva, staying in or right next to the old town lets you do everything on foot and enjoy the monuments in the evening. In Samarkand, choose a hotel near the Registan if you travel without a car. In Tashkent, one night near the centre is often enough at the start or end of the trip.

When to go

Spring, from April to late May, and autumn, from September to October, are the best times. In summer, temperatures above 40 °C are possible on the plains; winter is cold, with nights often below freezing. For visas and other formalities, read our guide Travelling to Uzbekistan from Algeria and always check the current rules with official sources.

Booking your hotel

Hotels in Uzbekistan are not yet available in our site search. For a hotel in Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara or Khiva, write to NIA, our assistant, with your dates and stops: our team checks what it can offer you and gets back to you. From Algeria, you pay in Algerian dinars, with no bank card needed. Living abroad? You can also pay online by bank card, and your voucher is sent to you after payment.