Tourism infrastructure has been actively developing in Uzbekistan. Agents are working on new routes and unique package tours to satisfy the most demanding customers.

Perhaps one of the most popular tourist destinations is a tour around the ‘Pearls of Uzbekistan’, which are the cities of Samarqand, Bukhoro, Khiva, Termiz and Qarshi. This is why in September 2011 Uzbekistan Railways launched the Central Asia’s first high-speed train Afrosiyob between it was on the route Tashkent and Samarqand, which takes tourists from the capital to the ancient palaces of Amir Temur in 2 hours 8 minutes. The modern ‘stallion’ from Spanish locomotive builder Talgo is able to carry at once up to 215 passengers in eight cars equipped with comfortable chairs, audio and video systems.

Today, these trains are very popular with foreign travelers, who one day can enjoy the unique historical sights of Samarqand, and in the evening enjoy the fusion of modern buildings and buildings in Tashkent. Such a huge demand for high-speed rail transportation had a stimulating effect on the national railway carrier, which plans to extend high-speed line to Bukhoro. The company plans in the next few years to power-up lines Maroqand-Qarshi and Qarshi-Termiz.

Another incentive to increase tourist flow was launched this April. This is a special tourist train Afsona (Legend). The authors of the project have chosen so mysterious and epic name not by chance, because this comfortable express train is designed to ply between the main historical destinations of the country. The new train consists of 8 luxury cars.

But the accessibility of world-famous monuments of ancient Uzbek cities cannot alone attract the tourist flow without appropriate hotel infrastructure. Thus Uzbekistan continues to implement a number of programs to build the infrastructure of international level. New hotels, campsites, roadside service facilities are annually put into operation. Small business that is very responsive to tourists’ demands plays a huge role in this process.

(Source: “Uzbekistan Today” newspaper)