Uzbekistan is not exactly known as a stronghold for modern, rail-based public transport. Four metro lines currently operate in the capital city Toshkent, but its extensive tramway network was completely abandoned in a very short period of time by May 2016 – quite remarkable in the light of the wordwide recovery and reintroduction of modern light rail systems.
It is almost a miracle that in the fabled city of Samarkand on the famous Silk Road, a completely new tram system was built and started operation only a few months later, on 15 April 2017. It took only a few months of planning and construction – and the new system essentially re-uses second-hand material from the capital’s decommissioned tram. In addition to tracks and power supply infrastructure, this included 20 four-axle Vario LF trams in partially low-floor design that were still almost new at the time. Several of these trams inaugurated the first 6.4 km long line between the main station and Sartepa Massivi (Russian: Massiv Sartepa) in 2017, and just a few months later, on 18 March 2018, the second line with a length of 5 km from the main station to the central market Siab Bazaar followed. Initially, a 7-8 minute frequency was offered on both lines, each with 7-8 vehicles in service.
A network scheme is available here: https://www.urbanrail.net/as/uz/samarkand/samarkand.htm.
The tracks at Russian standard gauge 1,524 mm were laid very quickly and often quite provisionally, especially along the second line. Route 2 stopped service after barely a year and a half, when the construction of a larger subway together with a thorough redesign of the road necessitated a longer interruption. As a result, no trams ran here at all between September 2019 and November 2021.
In the meantime, the initial euphoria about the new system seems to have faded to some extent, as the further expansion plans have clearly lost momentum. Another clear sign is the operation on the reopened Line 2, on which only two tram cars are providing a 25-30 minute frquency since November 2021 – far too few to offer an attractive alternative to the countless minibuses and midibuses. This is all the more incomprehensible as the Bazar itself can offer considerable passenger potential and the route has now been totally upgraded. For European observers, however, the (unmarked) stops in the middle of the street need getting used to – the mostly inconsiderate behaviour of car drivers does not make it at all easy for passengers to enter and leave the trams.
The catenary and tracks are still in quite rudimentary condition in many places, at crossings and junctions you have to drive very slowly, and at certain points the conductor pulls down the pantograph a few seconds to prevent damage to the overhead line. Maintenance work on the vehicles is usually carried out in the station loop, and it is here that the trams spend the night, even after the end of daily service, usually from 11 pm to 6 am. The depot currently is “under reconstruction”. Several tram cars are stored here, so that the number of trams in operating conditions is only approximately 12 vehicles – clearly too few to be able to serve both lines at the necessary intervals.
Recently there has been little talk about expansion projects, despite the high acceptance of the tram service especially on line 1. But who knows, maybe the Uzbeks will soon surprise visitors with completely new plans. In the meantime, quite different comments came from the capital city Toshkent than just a few years ago: In spring 2022, the mayor announced the start of construction works to build a modern new tramway system! The radical dismantling of the old tramway, which had its track on its own, separted alignment, is already being regretted – it would have been an excellent base for the construction of such a modern light rail system.
