Tashkent metro
Tashkent Metro
Tashkent metro was launched in 1977, being the the first metro built in Central Asia. Uniquely beautiful with numerous distinctive features, Tashkent metro is considered one of the most fascinating metros in the world. Unlike most of the former Soviet metro stations, the Tashkent subway system is shallow built. Tashkent metro includes four lines that cover a length of about 60 kilometers with 43 stations, 31 of the stations are underground and 12 above the ground (2022 situation).
For a long time it was forbidden to take any photos in the metro due to it being significant for the national security which added some mystification to the metro of Tashkent. Nowadays it is completely fine to have your videos and photos here and the guards in the stations are very friendly. Except for the rush hours in the mornings and afternoon, Tashkent metro is not very crowded and traveling is fairly comfortable even though the metro trains are not very modern.
Tashkent Metro stations
Tashkent Metro is uniquely composed and finished with marble, granite, glass, ceramics and alabaster in imaginative Soviet ways and is therefore one of the sights of Tashkent. Most of the themes of the stations are focused on a certain theme which is often expressed in the station’s name. For instance, Kosmonavtlar Station located on the O’zbekiston Line references Soviet cosmonauts and honors the Soviet Space Program.
Make sure to pay attention to the artwork in the stations that are a mix of Soviet and Uzbek heritage. In the next chapters we present few of the stations but feel free to explore more! The easiest way to start the exploring is through the blue line and then continuing with the red line.
Tinchlik station
Tinchlik (or Tychlyk) station is decorated with stained glass and the marble columns are lit by beautiful lamps.
Gafur Gulom station
Gafur gulom station has distinctive turquoise green glazed columns and artistic ceramis on the walls behind the tracks.
Alisher Navoi station
Alisher Navoi station ceramics portray the scenes from the poems of the famous author. It’s one of the busy stations with line interchange possibility and its blue domes remind the silk road era madrasas.
Cosmonaut station
Cosmonaut station is probably the best know station of Tashkent metro due to its peculiar space themed interior. Walls have nice portraits of the Soviet cosmonaut heroes.
Pahtakor station
Pahtakor translates as the cotton picker from the Uzbek language and most of the mosaics and other decorations of this station tell unsurprisingly about the cotton.
Mustaqillik Maydoni station
Mustaqillik Maydoni station is named according to the central square of Tashkent. This station has a massive amount of white marble decorations and very beautiful chandelier type lightning.
Bodomzor station
Bodomzor station is one of the most new stations of Tashkent metro and also the style is very futuristic but it still somehow manages to keep the spirit of mix of Uzbek and Soviet architecture.
Tashkent station
Some say that Tashkent station is not that beautiful but it has several nice blue-white mosaics telling about the life of Uzbek citizens and the history of Tashkent and therefore it is beautiful in its own way.
Ming Urik station
Ming Urik station is named after the same named ancient settlement that can be found near the center of Tashkent. It is one of the transfer stations of Tashkent Metro.
Novsa station
Novsa (or Novza) station is a lot lower than the other stations with amazing hexagonal lights that resemble a honeycomb. There are no mosaics or artwork but the beauty of this station is in the geometry.
Tashkent Metro ticket fare and payment methods
The ticket fare for the Tashkent metro is 1 400 sum (2022) and the metro runs from 5.00 in the morning until midnight every day. The peak hours are from 7.30 to 9.00 and from 17.00 to 19.00.
In 2020, the plastic tokens, that were used to access the metro, were changed to a contactless way through unified transport cards “ATTO”, bank cards with NFC chip (Visa, MasterCard, UnionPay, HUMO, Mir) and through the QR codes in mobile applications and one-time tickets.
Tashkent Metro map and metro lines
The first metro line (red) built in Tashkent was the Chilonzor line which connects the city center with the western parts of the city.
The second line that was constructed is called Uzbekistan line (blue) and it connects the northwestern and and eastern areas with the Tashkent city center. The red and blue lines have the most intriguing Soviet style stations that are the interesting ones for the tourists.
The latest, fourth line of the Tashkent metro “Thirty Years of Independence of Uzbekistan” the former Circle Line opened in December 2020 (completely above the ground) but is not yet fully finished. It was renamed by a presidential decree in honor of the 30th anniversary of the independence of Uzbekistan. Newer parts of the metro are often built above the ground and connected with other public transportation systems.
Other Tashkent sights
Page updated 20.6.2022
