Uzbekistan sets toll rates for Urgench-Khiva road

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — Travel on Uzbekistan’s first toll road between Urgench and Khiva will cost between 20,000 and 40,000 soums, depending on the vehicle category and route. The payment system is currently operating in test mode, with the full launch scheduled for 25 August, the press service of the Committee for Roads under the Ministry of Transport said.

For M1 passenger cars, the full route between Khiva and Urgench will cost 25,000 soums. Drivers will also be able to use a shorter 28-km section between the Turkmenli mahalla and Khiva, with a toll of 20,000 soums.

For N1 light commercial vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes, M2/M3 buses carrying more than eight passengers, and trucks weighing between 3.5 and 12 tonnes, the toll will be higher. The full route will cost 40,000 soums, while the shorter route will cost 25,000 soums.

Payment will be made electronically without requiring vehicles to stop. The system’s website includes an electronic wallet that can be topped up through VIA, a service developed by DEVHUB, or by bank card. Users will be able to pay for each trip manually or activate automatic payment after completing a journey.

To use the system, users must add their vehicle by providing its state registration number, category, manufacturer, make and colour.

A mobile application for the payment system is planned to be made available on Google Play and the App Store after the full launch. The website is currently operating in test mode.

The platform will also provide information on road conditions, including current traffic and congestion, estimated travel times and weather conditions.

The Urgench-Khiva toll road is 35 km long. According to previously announced plans, its launch is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from about 45-50 minutes to 15-20 minutes.

The road has four lanes, an underground tunnel, eight overpasses, 15 bridges and 106 culverts. Its capacity exceeds 30,000 vehicles per day.

The maximum speed on the road is 150 km per hour, while speeds of up to 130 km per hour are allowed on curves. The minimum permitted speed is 40 km per hour. Pedestrians, mopeds, horse-drawn vehicles and vehicles with trailers are prohibited from using the toll road. U-turns and stopping are also prohibited.

Plans to build a toll road in the Khorezm region were announced in January. The project provides a direct transport link between Khiva and Urgench International Airport.

Construction of the road began in February. The project is valued at US$120 million. Initial plans called for a four-lane, 35-km road with a capacity of more than 20,000 vehicles per day. The project also included 17 bridges, eight overpasses, a tunnel and five special crossings.

On 17 August, the presidential press service announced the launch of the Urgench-Khiva (T-001) road with toll collection. The following day, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev travelled along the new road from Khiva to Urgench International Airport.