Škoda Group Fails to Deliver 30 Electric Trains to Uzbekistan Due to Financing Issues

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — The Czech holding Škoda Group has failed to fulfill its contract to supply 30 electric trains to Uzbekistan, originally signed in October 2023.

According to the company’s CEO, Petr Novotný, the deal fell through due to insufficient preparation of export financing. Production of the trains, which was scheduled to begin in 2024, never commenced.

Novotný added that Škoda Group is now offering Uzbekistan a revised deal, which includes the delivery of 30 trains with an option for an additional 70 train sets.

Financing for the plan will be provided by the Czech state export insurance company EGAP and the European Commission through the Global Gateway program.

“After two years of negotiations, we managed to combine EU and Czech support and present the Uzbek government with a comprehensive proposal. Thanks to this, the plan has become entirely feasible,” Novotný said.

He also noted that Uzbekistan is a priority market for Škoda Group outside of Europe. If successful, the company plans to establish a regional hub for all of Central Asia.

The original contract with Uzbekistan Railways, signed in 2023, was worth €320 million (US$384 million) and stipulated the delivery of 30 electric trains.

In October 2025, Škoda Group presented a strategic plan to enter the Uzbek market through the creation of a joint venture, which would focus on three key areas: local assembly of rolling stock, maintenance and lifecycle technical support, and the establishment of Škoda Academy for training and upskilling local specialists.