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Uzbekistan offers travellers an experience that feels both generous and deeply memorable. Its cities are filled with striking oriental architecture, lively cafés and restaurants, warm and welcoming people, and a climate full of sunlight. To explore it in full, you would need at least two weeks — but if you only have four or five days, our Uzbekistan Rail Tour gives you a remarkably rich introduction.
Your journey begins in Tashkent, the capital and the country’s main air gateway. From there, a train carries you to Samarkand, where the great madrasahs rise in brilliant colour and scale, their vast portals drawing you into centuries of history. Another train brings you to Bukhara, a city known for its ancient mosques and architecture that has stood for more than a millennium.
Browse the detailed itinerary and you’ll see why this is considered one of the strongest rail journeys in Uzbekistan — a balanced blend of classic sightseeing and free time to explore the Eastern world at your own pace.
Arrive in Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s capital. Transfer to the hotel, where check-in begins at noon, and have a rest after your flight. Free day. Overnight in Tashkent.
After breakfast, transfer to the train station to take the Tashkent - Samarkand train (320 km). Pick-up from Samarkand train station and transfer to the hotel. Check-in to the hotel at noon and begin your tour of Samarkand, a city at the crossroads of world cultures.
Your private city tour unfolds under the guidance of an experienced local expert who introduces Samarkand’s key historical sites. Together, you explore the city’s most prominent landmarks, each reflecting a different facet of its Silk Road past. We begin at Gur Emir, the mausoleum of Tamerlane and Mirzo Ulugbek. Its ribbed azure dome and richly decorated interior illustrate the architectural traditions that define Samarkand. A short walk away lies Registan Square, the historic heart of the city. Standing before the Ulugbek, Sher-Dor, and Tilla-Kori Madrasahs, you will observe centuries of craftsmanship expressed through mosaics, high portals, and domes.
We continue to the Bibi Khanum Mosque, once one of the largest mosques in the Islamic world, built by Tamerlane in honour of his wife. Its scale and detailed stonework reflect the ambitions of the Timurid period. Nearby, the Siab Bazaar offers a traditional market atmosphere, with colourful spices, sweets, fruits, and Samarkand bread baked in a tandir.
Our route then leads to the Shakhi-Zinda Necropolis. A sequence of more than twenty blue-tiled mausoleums lines a rising passageway, forming a significant ensemble of religious architecture dating from the 9th to the 14th centuries.Tour duration: 6 hours
Breakfast at the hotel before taking the morning train to Bukhara (280 km). Arrive in Bukhara and transfer to your hotel in the Old City, check-in at noon.
Set out with your local guide to explore the historic streets of Bukhara. Your walking tour takes you through the Old City and its main landmarks. We begin at the Lyabi-Hauz Ensemble, built around the city’s largest surviving medieval reservoir. From here, we continue to Magoki-Attori, Bukhara’s oldest mosque, whose origins date to the 12th century. Nearby stand the Trade Domes, the historic bazaars traditionally used for the sale of silk, spices, jewellery, and ceramics. Our path then brings us to the Poi Kalyan Ensemble, where the Kalyan Minaret, the mosque, and the surrounding madrasahs form the architectural centre of Bukhara.
We continue to the Ulugbek and Abdulazizkhan Madrasahs, two monuments facing each other and representing different periods of religious scholarship and artistic design. Ahead rises the Ark Fortress, once the royal residence and administrative centre of the Bukharan rulers. Today, part of its territory houses a small museum displaying the city’s history. A short walk away stands the Bolo-Hauz Complex, with its carved wooden columns reflected in the waters of a historic reservoir.
Overnight in Bukhara.
Tour duration: 6 hours
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, followed by a free day to explore Bukhara at your own pace. You may walk through the Old City, visit artisan workshops, or spend time in a traditional teahouse. Free day on the 4th day of the Uzbekistan Rail Tour. Overnight in Bukhara.
After breakfast at the hotel, check out and transfer to Bukhara Airport for your morning departure. This marks the conclusion of your Uzbekistan Rail Tour.
Download Uzbekistan Rail Tour in PDF brochure.
| Tashkent - 1 night |
| Inspira-S, ATECA, Al Anvar, Elements, Baden-Baden or similar |
| Samarkand - 1 night |
| Shohjahon Palace, Welfort, Aliz Boulevard, Altair or similar |
| Bukhara - 2 nights |
| Marhaba, Makon Art, Emerald, Duston, Labi Rud or similar |
