Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The new metro stations from the Pushkin (Salar) station to TTZ will include both aboveground and underground sections.

In an interview with Gazeta.uz, Uzbekistan’s Minister of Transport Ilkhom Makhkamov revealed details of the new metro line project that will connect the Salar railway station (Pushkin metro station) with the TTZ district.

According to him, part of the route will run aboveground along the railway, after which it will go underground near the Scientific Research Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was presented with public transport development projects, including plans to expand Tashkent’s metro network. As previously reported, the new line is expected to include ten stations.

Ilkhom Makhkamov stated that the aboveground section will extend 5.5 kilometers from Salar station to the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology, running along the railway through the Shakhriabad and Ekobazar stations. At four points where the metro line intersects with roads, tunnels will be constructed.

The minister also mentioned that a covered pedestrian passage with a moving walkway (travolator) will be built between Pushkin metro station and Salar railway station.

The route will then follow the railway line and gradually transition underground near the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynecology. According to Makhkamov, this will be Tashkent’s first aboveground metro line. The president has instructed authorities to begin a detailed project study involving international consultants. The design phase is expected to take between one and one and a half months.

There is also a potential plan to extend the aboveground section by an additional four kilometers to Tashkent metro station (North Railway Station). In this scenario, the route would run along the Small Ring Road through Ashgabat Park.

Makhkamov emphasized that the project aligns with Tashkent’s master plan, passing through areas designated for large-scale urban renovation with new residential complexes.

According to estimates, the new metro line will have a daily passenger flow of 85,000 people. The one-way travel time will be 17 minutes, with train intervals of around six minutes.

Currently, around 194,000 people enter Tashkent daily from the Kibray district and TTZ area. Of these, 44,000 commute via buses, minibuses, and Damas vehicles, while 47,000 travel in private cars. The new metro line is expected to ease traffic congestion and reduce passenger load at Buyuk Ipak Yuli metro station.

Murad Abidov, head of the Project Office for Comprehensive Transport Planning at the Ministry of Transport, clarified that various route options were considered for the Salar–TTZ metro line during the concept development phase.

According to the concept presented to the head of state, the line will include ground-level, elevated, and underground sections. Initially, the route will follow the railway tracks, then gradually transition into an underground tunnel, ending at the TTZ bus terminal, where a large transport hub will be created.

Abidov explained that due to railway trajectory constraints, building a train station at the final stop is not feasible. Therefore, the transport hub (TPU) will be located in an area with suitable technical conditions.

Further technical assessments are required, as the railway crosses several complex sections. Currently, no more than five trains run on this route per day, whereas metro trains will have an interval of just three minutes.

At present, significant passenger congestion occurs at Buyuk Ipak Yuli station during peak hours, as commuters from Chirchiq, Gazalkent, and other areas wait for transport. The new transport hub will provide a convenient transfer point for suburban commuters and become an integral part of Tashkent’s transit network.