Guide · checked 20 October 2026
Tashkent to Samarkand: private car or train?
Short answer: alone or as a couple with light bags, take the Afrosiyob if there are seats. From three people, with children or a lot of luggage — or when the train is sold out — a private car costs about the same per person and takes you from door to door.
What it costs, by group size
| People | Afrosiyob economy | Afrosiyob business | Private car | Car per person |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ≈ $26 | ≈ $38 | $110 sedan | $110 |
| 2 | ≈ $52 | ≈ $76 | $110 sedan | $55 |
| 3 | ≈ $78 | ≈ $114 | $110 sedan | ≈ $37 |
| 4 | ≈ $104 | ≈ $152 | $160 minivan | $40 |
| 5 | ≈ $130 | ≈ $190 | $160 minivan | $32 |
| 6 | ≈ $156 | ≈ $228 | $160 minivan | ≈ $27 |
Train: Uzbekistan Railways fares from 1 February 2026 (economy 311,000 sum, business 455,000 sum, as reported by Kun.uz), converted at about 12,000 sum per dollar. Add two taxi rides to and from the stations. Car: our fixed price per car, one way, fuel included; pickup at Tashkent airport costs the same.
Door to door, not station to station
| Afrosiyob | Private car | |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel → departure | taxi to Tashkent station, security check and boarding: allow about an hour | the driver picks you up at the hotel or the airport |
| On the way | about 2–2.5 h | 4–4.5 h; 5 h with lunch and the Gates of Tamerlane |
| Arrival → hotel | taxi from Samarkand station | dropped at your door, the driver helps with bags |
| Total | about 3.5–4 h | about 4–5 h |
When the train wins
- You travel alone or as a couple with cabin-size bags.
- Your dates have seats on the departure you want — check eticket.railway.uz; for the public, sales open roughly 30–45 days ahead.
- You want the fastest possible transfer and do not plan to stop on the way.
When the car wins
- Three or more people, children or big suitcases: the price per person is the same or lower, and nobody drags bags through two stations.
- You land at Tashkent airport and want to go straight on — no taxi across the city and no waiting for a train.
- You want stops: the Gates of Tamerlane gorge and lunch in Jizzakh.
- The Afrosiyob is sold out on your date — common on spring and autumn weekends.
Read next
- Afrosiyob sold out? What to do
- Samarkand – Bukhara – Khiva by private car, 3 days
- Silk Road by car in 7 days
Transfers
Questions
Is a private car from Tashkent to Samarkand cheaper than the train?
For one or two people, no — the Afrosiyob costs about $26 per economy seat. From three people a $110 sedan works out at about $37 each, and a $160 minivan for five is $32 each, door to door.
How long is the drive compared to the train?
The train takes about 2–2.5 hours station to station; the car 4–4.5 hours door to door. Counting taxis and the station check, the difference shrinks to about an hour.
Can the car pick us up at Tashkent airport?
Yes, at the same price as from the city. The driver waits 60 minutes free after the actual landing.