Uzbekistan Railways Launches Second Hyundai Rotem Train

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — JSC Uzbekistan Railways has announced the launch of a second Hyundai Rotem high-speed train on the Tashkent–Khiva–Tashkent route, citing growing demand for passenger transport.

The new four-car electric train "Jaloliddin Manguberdi," manufactured by South Korean company Hyundai Rotem, will make its maiden trip on 22 July 2026.

According to the schedule, the train will depart from Tashkent Central (North) Station on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 07:00. From Khiva, the train will depart on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays at 07:15. Travel time will be 7 hours and 36 minutes.

The first Hyundai Rotem train began operating on this route on 5 May 2026. It departs Tashkent on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, and Khiva on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

With the launch of the second trainset, the frequency of high-speed services between Tashkent and Khiva will increase to six runs per week. Trains will not depart from Tashkent only on Sundays, and from Khiva on Mondays.

The high-speed train is designed to transport 389 passengers and can reach speeds of up to 250 km/h. As a result, travel time between Tashkent and Khiva has been nearly halved compared to previous-generation trains to approximately 7.5 hours. Along the route, the train makes stops in Samarkand, Bukhara, and Urgench.

Negotiations on purchasing Hyundai Rotem trains had been underway since 2018, with a supply agreement reached in 2023. The contract value is approximately 185 million euros, with a loan repayment period of 35 years.

The project is implemented with financial support from South Korea's Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and the Export-Import Bank of Korea. Relevant agreements were signed in June 2025 during a state visit by the President of the Republic of Korea to Uzbekistan.

In August 2024, the project's feasibility study was approved. Debt service was assigned to Temiryul-Express, which is responsible for operating the high-speed trains.

According to Uzbekistan Railways management, six Hyundai Rotem trains are expected to be delivered during 2026 for the Tashkent–Urgench–Khiva route. In addition, the company plans to acquire eight more high-speed trainsets to organize services to Termez and Andijan.

The first Hyundai Rotem train was delivered to Uzbekistan in December last year. Currently, three trainsets are in the country, the most recent arriving on 22 June 2026 via the South Korea–China–Kazakhstan–Uzbekistan multimodal transport corridor.