Hyundai Rotem Launches High-Speed Train Operations on Uzbekistan's Longest Rail Route

The defense and train subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Group, began commercial operations of its high-speed train in Uzbekistan on Wednesday. The train now runs on a 1,020-kilometer route linking Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan, and Khiva, an ancient Silk Road city in western Uzbekistan. Yonhap reported that this line stands as the longest railway in the Central Asian country.

3 million, that Hyundai Rotem signed with Uzbekistan Railways in 2024. Under the agreement, the South Korean firm supplied the high-speed trains for deployment on this key corridor. The commercial rollout activates the full service, allowing passengers to traverse the vast distance that once demanded far longer journeys.

This operation represents the first commercial use of high-speed trains developed using Korean technology outside South Korea. The KTX train, South Korea's flagship high-speed rail, debuted domestically in 2004 with assistance from French engineers.

Now, that expertise extends to Uzbekistan, where the new service cuts travel time between Tashkent and Khiva to around seven hours -- roughly half the duration of previous options.

Hyundai Rotem stated that the rail line will enhance Uzbekistan's transportation infrastructure by accelerating connectivity across its expansive terrain. The route's length underscores its role in binding the capital to the historic west, facilitating trade and tourism along paths once trod by Silk Road caravans.

With operations starting today, the trains integrate Korean engineering into Central Asia's growing rail network.