Best of Uzbekistan by Train — 7 Days
Overview
Tashkent, Bukhara and Samarkand with two nights in each of the big two and every city-to-city leg on the Afrosiyob. Three-star hotels a few minutes from the sights, breakfast included, a guide on the sightseeing days and free time built in.
The train rides are part of the trip: cotton fields, apricot orchards and the Zarafshan river from a quiet carriage with tea service.
Highlights
Is this trip for you?
- Travellers who hate long car days
- Older travellers and families with children
- Anyone travelling in July–August — the train is air-conditioned
- You want Khiva or the desert
- You want boutique hotels — this is the 3★ version (upgrade on request)
Our honest opinion
- The most relaxed pace of all our Uzbekistan routes
- Three nights in Tashkent means a real look at the capital
- Bukhara gets one night only
- The train departure times fix your mornings
Ask for business class on the Tashkent–Bukhara leg; the difference is small and the seats are wider.
The trip in numbers
Your route
Line style shows how you travel each leg: solid = train, dotted = car, dashed = flight.
Day by day
Airport pickup and transfer to your hotel; the rest of the day is yours.
Khast-Imam, Chorsu bazaar, the metro and the museum of applied arts with your guide; plov lunch at the Plov Centre.
Morning Afrosiyob (about 4 h); afternoon walk through the trading domes and an evening at Lyabi-Hauz.
Guided morning in Bukhara — the Ark, Poi-Kalyan, the Samanid mausoleum — then the 90-minute train to Samarkand.
Registan, Gur-Emir, Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym and the Siab bazaar.
Ulugbek observatory and the Afrosiyob museum in the morning; afternoon train to Tashkent.
Transfer to the airport.
What’s included
What’s not included
Where you’ll stay
Or equivalent, depending on season. Hotels are inside or beside the historic centres wherever the town has one.
Traveller reviews
What guests wrote
“We are a family of five with teenagers and a private tour was the right call. The guides adjusted the pace to the kids, the driver was endlessly patient, and the train to Khiva (an overnight sleeper!) was the thing our 15-year-old told everyone about afterwards. Thank you Akhror and team.”
Good to know
Most nationalities enter Uzbekistan visa-free for 30–90 days. If your passport needs an e-visa, it takes 2–3 working days online — we check your case and guide you at booking.
The local currency is the Uzbek som (UZS). Visa and Mastercard work in city hotels, restaurants and supermarkets; keep some cash for bazaars, taxis and tips. ATMs dispense som and sometimes USD.
April–June and September–November are warm and clear — ideal for walking the old cities. July–August afternoons exceed 35°C; winter departures run at reduced prices.
Uzbekistan uses European plug types C and F, 220V. Travellers from the UK, US and Asia need a standard Euro adapter — one per device is enough, hotels have plenty of sockets.
Everyday dress is relaxed across all four cities. Inside mosques and madrasas, shoulders and knees should be covered; headscarves for women are only needed in a few active mosques — your guide will tell you when.
Your included eSIM is activated on arrival, so you’re online from the airport. Hotel Wi-Fi is reliable in all four cities; your coordinator stays reachable on WhatsApp or Telegram throughout.
Free cancellation up to 30 days before departure. 50% refund up to 15 days before; after that the booking is non-refundable, but you can move to another date once for free.
Medical insurance for the tour days is included. We still recommend personal travel insurance covering cancellation and baggage — we can suggest trusted providers.
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