Highways to Appear in Uzbekistan: Travel from Tashkent to Samarkand Will Take Only 2 Hours

One of the most ambitious infrastructure projects of recent years has started in Uzbekistan — the construction of toll expressways. The new highways are designed for traffic at speeds up to 120–150 km/h and should connect the country's largest cities. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has already reviewed the presentation of key projects, including the Tashkent–Samarkand, Tashkent–Andijan, Tashkent–Charvak, and Urgench–Khiva highways. One of the sections is planned to be completed as early as 2026.

The total length of the network will be about 4,000 km. The new roads will become part of the international transport corridor between Europe and Asia and will help develop exports, tourism, and transit traffic. Currently, the load on the main directions is already very high: up to 60,000 cars pass daily between Tashkent and Samarkand, and more than 40,000 on the roads to the Fergana Valley.

The largest project will be the Tashkent–Samarkand highway: after its commissioning, travel time will be reduced to approximately 2–2.5 hours. The road will be fully digital, with an intelligent control system and 12 entry and exit terminals. International investors and consulting companies, including Arup, are participating in the project, and companies from China, France, and Turkey have expressed interest in the construction. The pilot section Urgench–Khiva is planned to be opened this year.