Tashkent – Samarkand train

Tashkent → Samarkand · 344 km

Tashkent to Samarkand is the busiest tourist line in the country and the one where the Afrosiyob high-speed train earns its reputation: a little over two hours from the capital to the Registan, with five or six departures in the morning and one in the evening. Slower Sharq and Nasaf day trains take about three hours and cost less, and several overnight sleepers bound for Bukhara, Khiva, Karshi and Termez pass through Samarkand in the small hours.

In Tashkent the Afrosiyob, Sharq and Nasaf trains use Tashkent North station (Shimoliy vokzal, also called Tashkent Central), next to Tashkent metro station. Most overnight sleeper trains leave from Tashkent South (Janubiy vokzal), on the southern edge of the city, so check the station printed on your ticket. Samarkand station is about 15 minutes by taxi from the Registan.

Tickets are sold on the official Uzbekistan Railways site, eticket.railway.uz, and in its UzRailways Tickets app, as well as at station ticket offices. Every ticket is issued to a named passenger, so you need the passport number when you buy and the passport itself when you board. Sales usually open about 45 days ahead, and the popular departures sell out well before that window closes in spring and autumn.

If you would rather not deal with the booking site, TourEast can buy the tickets for you on request and send them before you travel, or fold the train into a private itinerary with station transfers.

Timetable

Train	Departs	Arrives	Travel time	Days	Classes	From, USD
Afrosiyob№ 778ФWeekend train on the base timetable; also runs on some weekdays. Times vary by season — check when booking	06:10	08:23	2 h 13 min	Fri, Sat, Sun	Economy · Business · VIP	$26
Afrosiyob№ 764ФContinues to Karshi	06:33	08:46	2 h 13 min	Mon–Sat	Economy · Business	$26
Jaloliddin Manguberdi№ 752ЖFast train to Bukhara, Urgench and Khiva; often sold out. Fare from Tashkent to Samarkand not shown on the dates checked. Times vary by season — check when booking	07:00	09:13	2 h 13 min	Mon–Sat	Economy · Business	$26
Afrosiyob№ 766ФContinues to Bukhara	07:30	09:43	2 h 13 min	Daily	Economy · Business · VIP	$26
Afrosiyob№ 768ФTerminates in Samarkand	07:55	10:25	2 h 30 min	Daily	Economy · Business · VIP	$26
Afrosiyob№ 770ФContinues to Bukhara	08:30	10:49	2 h 19 min	Daily	Economy · Business · VIP	$26
Sharq№ 710ФContinues to Bukhara	08:37	11:46	3 h 09 min	Daily	Seated: economy · business	$17
Nasaf№ 716ФContinues to Karshi	08:58	12:11	3 h 13 min	Daily	Seated	$17
Express№ 054ФLeaves from Tashkent South; continues to Bukhara, Nukus and Kungrad	16:00	20:14	4 h 14 min	Daily	Platzkart (open sleeper) · Coupe (4-berth) · SV (2-berth)	$12
Afrosiyob№ 772ФContinues to Bukhara	19:48	22:13	2 h 25 min	Daily	Economy · Business · VIP	$26
Sharq№ 712ФContinues to Bukhara	20:32	23:41	3 h 09 min	Daily	Seated: economy · business	$17
Passenger№ 080ФOvernight train to Termez from Tashkent South; arrives after midnight	21:13	01:09	3 h 56 min	Daily	Platzkart (open sleeper) · Coupe (4-berth) · SV (2-berth)	$12

Approximate fare for the cheapest class; the exact price depends on the date and class.

Schedule checked on November 5, 2026.Schedules change with the season and are confirmed only when tickets go on sale. Always check the final times on your ticket.

Good to know

— Book the morning Afrosiyob as early as sales allow: from March to May and in September and October the 07:30 and 08:30 trains are often full weeks ahead.
— Economy on Afrosiyob is a comfortable 2+2 seat; business adds more legroom and usually a snack, and VIP is a small compartment with a handful of seats, worth it if you value privacy.
— Arrive at least 30 minutes early: there is a security check and a passport check at the station entrance and again at the platform.
— If every Afrosiyob is sold out, the Sharq train takes only about an hour longer and is usually a better choice than the bus.
— A same-day trip is possible on the 07:30 out and the 17:40 or 18:15 back, though Samarkand deserves at least one night.

Train tickets