Uzbekiston Temir Yollari said that the company started to sell tickets to high-speed train Afrosiyob on route Tashkent-Samarkand-Tashkent.

Train will start to run between two cities from 8 October 2011 each Wednesday and Saturday. The train will leave Tashkent at 6:55 and arrive in Samarkand at 9:25. The train leaves Samarkand at 16:55 and arrives in Tashkent at 19:33.

The cost of ticket at VIP class is 88,000 soums, first class – 63,700 soums and the first class – 45,700 soums.

Afrosiyob train, produced in Spain by Patentes Talgo S. A., runs at the speed of 250 kmh and passes the distance between Tashkent and Samarkand in two hours (344 km). Currently, Registan train passes this distance in 3.5 hours.

Total capacity of the train makes up 257 people. The electricity train consists of two locomotives, 8 passenger cars and one dining-car. The train has VIP, first class and economy class places. The trains can be used by people with limited abilities.

As reported earlier, on 5 January 2010, the Uzbek President Islam Karimov signed a resolution “On measures on implementation of the project “Purchase of two high-speed passenger electricity power Talgo-230 (Spain)”.

The first train arrived in Tashkent on 22 July 2011. The second train will be delivered in October 2011.

The contract sum is 38 million euros. The document said Uzbekistan Temir Yollari will finance 50% cost of contract on purchase of Talgo trains. Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan will issue loan to cover other 50%. The fund will issue loan through National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan (NBU). The loan is issued for 10 years, including two-year grace period. The interest rate set at 2% APR, including 0.25% refinancing margin.