Uzbekistan by Train

When Imperial Russia laid down the iron rails of the Trans-caspian Railway in the late 19th century, it kickstarted an economic revolution in Central Asia. More than 130 years on, a similar transformation is underway in Uzbekistan as the country upgrades its rail infrastructure, electrifying the network and importing a new generation of high-speed trains. With the introduction of e-visas this summer, there has never been a better time for a Silk Road adventure by rail.

Tashkent

Fly into Tashkent’s brand new international arrivals terminal with Air Astana to discover the largest and most diverse city in Central Asia. Uzbekistan’s capital has a history dating back nearly 2,500 years, but almost everything you see today is modern: Tashkent was rebuilt as a model Soviet city after a catastrophic earthquake in 1966.

Riding the Tashkent Metro is an absolute must, and its long-term ban on photography was lifted in June. You will definitely want to take your camera inside as every station is magnificently decorated, with designs varying from the space-themed Kosmonavtlar to the mosque-like domes and arches of Alisher Navoi. The Egyptian Art Deco columns of Gafur Gulom are a particular highlight.

Just minutes away from the Tashkent metro station is the outdoor Railway Museum. The oldest steam locomotive on display dates back to 1914, and amongst the Soviet-made engines there are also two German trains captured during WWII. It is possible to climb up onto many of the footplates, though the carriages are typically sealed.

It is a quick hop from here to

Amir Temur Square and the iconic Hotel Uzbekistan, rightly one of the most celebrated examples of Soviet architecture. Admire the geometric patterns on the building’s exterior; it is amazing how creative you can be with concrete.

Samarkand

The Afrosiyob high-speed train departs from Tashkent for Samarkand three times a day and the journey takes a little over two hours. The brand new trains are immaculately clean, air conditioned and far more comfortable than travelling by road.

Samarkand was a major stop along the Silk Road, as you will learn from the stunningly well-preserved murals and other artefacts at the Afrosiab Museum. We know that the city was conquered by Alexander the Great in 329 BC and that it flourished under the Hellenistic influence.

The striking buildings you see today, however, almost all date from the Timurid period (1370-1507) when Emperor Amir Timur made Samarkand the capital of an empire stretching from Ankara to Delhi. The city centres on the Unesco-listed Registan Square, surrounded by three bejewelled madrassas, and it is only a short walk from here to the vast Bibi-khanym Mosque and Amir Timur’s own gilded tomb, the Gur-i Amir.

My favourite spot in the city, though, is the peaceful Shah-i-zinda (‘The Living King’). Legend has it that a cousin of Prophet Muhammad is buried here. Despite being beheaded for his faith, he lives forever in the Garden of Paradise. The earliest mausoleum in the necropolis dates from the 9th century and every building is adorned with exquisitely tiled mosaics, mostly in turquoise and lapis lazuli blue.

Bukhara

Bukhara’s train station is not in Bukhara at all, but rather at Kagan, around 10 minutes’ drive east of the Old Town. When the Russians built the Transcaspian Railway, the Emir of Bukhara was perturbed at the prospect of having this new-fangled technology so close, so he banned it within the city limits.

The Bukharan Emirs were colourful, often terrifying characters, but great patrons of art and architecture. The

Ark of Bukhara – the mudbrick fortress which dominates the Old Town – was smashed by the forces of Genghis Khan and then again by the Red Army, but it remains an impressive structure today.

Bukhara has always been considered a holy city, a place of Islamic learning. This accounts for the hundreds of mosques, madrassas and mausoleums you will see here, many of which were quite avantgarde for their time. The 9th century Ismail Samani mausoleum is unique in that it incorporates both Zoroastrian and Islamic motifs; and at the Sitorai Mokhikhosa (‘The Palace of Moon-like Stars’), traditional Uzbek architectural styles collide with those of Imperial Russia.

The historic monuments in Bukhara are uncountable, well deserving of their protected UNESCO status. Walk the paved pedestrianised streets to get your bearings, weave in and out of courtyards and the ancient trading domes, and sit and reflect whenever the mood takes you on the beauty of the minarets and tiled porticoes.

Khiva

Journey, then, across the deserts of western Uzbekistan to Khiva, an oasis in Khorezm. You will be following in the footsteps of centuries of Silk Road caravans. By the end of 2018, the longawaited new train line will be complete, making this remarkable open-air museum city accessible to railway passengers for the very first time.

Pass through one of the imposing gateways in the crenellated walls of the Itchan Kala (the Inner City), and you immediately step back in time. Planning restrictions make it almost impossible to change the 300 or so historic monuments and houses, and this preserves Khiva’s original street plans and atmosphere.

Stay a night or two at the Hotel Orient Star. It is part of the Mukhamed Aminkhan Madrassah, but the simple students’ cells have been upgraded to cater to the expectations of modern guests. You will no longer be woken by the sound of the call to prayer, but the ghosts of imams and theologians past surely still cross the corridors and courtyards, keeping watch.

The ornateness of the facades is such that it can be hard to tell apart the religious buildings from their secular counterparts. The intricately patterned

blue courtyard of the harem at Tash Khauli is remarkable, as are the finely painted wooden ceilings. Hire a local guide to regale you with tales of love and life and loss, bringing the palace’s history to life, one unforgettable character at a time.

Uzbekistan’s history is a history of travel and travellers: merchants and missionaries, nomads and pilgrims, soldiers and spies. Just as the Silk

Road became the Iron Road, revolutionising the speed of travel and democratising access to transport, so too are the high-speed trains bringing rapid change, especially in the tourism sector. Buy your ticket, climb aboard, and discover the Silk Road’s millennia of secrets.