A new high-speed rail link is launching between Tashkent and Khiva. Here’s what to see and do | Euronews

## Summary
By&nbsp Dianne Apen-Sadler Published on 07/04/2026 - 15:18 GMT+2 Share Comments Share Facebook Twitter Flipboard Send Reddit Linkedin Messenger Telegram VK Bluesky Threads Whatsapp This new train cuts travel time between the Uzbek capital and Silk Road city from 14 hours to around seven and a half. A key part of the Silk Road , tourists heading to the Central Asian country prioritise visiting key ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – and now the latter is getting a high-speed rail connection from the capital Tashkent. Set to launch on 2 May, the new train – which has VIP, business and economy classes – will slash journey times between Tashkent and Khiva from 14 hours to around seven and a half. Go to accessibility shortcuts Share Comments Read more Culture news What the new Centre for Islamic Civilization offers to visitors Culture news Historic power plant prepares to become new home for contemporary art Travel News AI supports Uzbekistan’s 12m tourism target international travel Trains Uzbekistan

## Article Content
By&nbsp
Dianne Apen-Sadler
Published on
07/04/2026 - 15:18 GMT+2
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This new train cuts travel time between the Uzbek capital and Silk Road city from 14 hours to around seven and a half.
A quick scroll through your explore page on Instagram will make you feel as though everyone is travelling to the ‘stans – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – right now.
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The data backs it up, too, with UN Tourism’s
latest travel barometer
naming Uzbekistan as being among the
fastest-growing travel destinations
around the globe, with visitor numbers up 14% year-on-year in 2025.
A key part of the
Silk Road
, tourists heading to the Central Asian country prioritise visiting key ancient cities like Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva – and now the latter is getting a
high-speed rail connection
from the capital Tashkent.
Set to launch on 2 May, the new train – which has VIP, business and economy classes – will slash journey times between Tashkent and Khiva from 14 hours to around seven and a half.
Contemplating a trip to Khiva? Here’s what to see and do.
Juma Mosque is known for its carved wooden poles
Photo by Farkhod Saydullaev on Unsplash
Things to see and do in Khiva
Believed to be around 2,500 years old,
Khiva
once served as the final resting stop for caravans before they crossed the desert into Iran.
Itchan Kala, its walled inner city, became Central Asia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site when it was inscribed in 1990.
Visitors can explore more than 50 ancient monuments within its walls, including Juma Mosque, which is unique to Central Asia in its design with a covered courtyard to handle the weather, the citadel Konya Ark, and the Pahlavon Mahmud mausoleum with its spectacular blue tiles. For a view over the walled city, you can also climb the minaret of the Islamkhodja Madrasah.
Trade was at the heart of the Silk Road, and by the eastern gate of Itchan Kala, you’ll find the modern day bazaar where you can try traditional Uzbek dishes and sweets and buy tourist knicknacks.
Another spot outside the city walls well worth a visit is Nurullaboy Palace, a gorgeous building completed in 1912 that combines the local architectural style with that of Imperial Russia.
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Culture news
What the new Centre for Islamic Civilization offers to visitors
Culture news
Historic power plant prepares to become new home for contemporary art
Travel News
AI supports Uzbekistan’s 12m tourism target
international travel
Trains
Uzbekistan

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## Expert Analysis

### Merits
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### Areas for Consideration
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### Implications
- A quick scroll through your explore page on Instagram will make you feel as though everyone is travelling to the ‘stans – Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan – right now.
- Set to launch on 2 May, the new train – which has VIP, business and economy classes – will slash journey times between Tashkent and Khiva from 14 hours to around seven and a half.

### Expert Commentary
This article covers travel, khiva, city topics. Readability: Flesch-Kincaid grade 0.0. Word count: 437.