Tashkent to Navoi: Train, Car and What to Know on the Road
How to get to Navoi and back: high-speed trains, the highway via Samarkand, shared rides for business trips, and what to see if you have a free evening.
Navoi is one of Uzbekistan's youngest cities and one of the most important for its economy. It was built in the second half of the 20th century next to old Kermine, and today it is a centre of mining and chemical industry, a free economic zone and a major cargo airport. So most people travel to Navoi for work: to plants, negotiations and inspections. But for travellers, too, the city can be a handy stop between Samarkand and Bukhara. Here is how to get there from Tashkent and back.
Distance
By road Tashkent to Navoi is about 470–500 km. The route runs through Syrdarya, Jizzakh and Samarkand, then west along the Zeravshan valley via Kattakurgan.
By train
For most trips the train is the best option.
- The high-speed train runs from Tashkent via Samarkand to Navoi and on to Bukhara, taking about 3–3.5 hours. It is the fastest overland option and especially handy for business trips: leave in the morning and be there by lunch.
- Regular trains are slower, but some run overnight, so you can leave in the evening and be in Navoi in the morning.
High-speed tickets for weekday mornings and Friday evenings sell out quickly, and even faster before holidays. Check the timetable in advance and book as soon as your dates are set.
By plane
Navoi has an airport, but passenger flights from Tashkent are few, and once you add the trip to the airport and check-in, the time saved over the high-speed train is minimal. Flying makes sense if train tickets have run out.
By car: the highway via Samarkand
By car the trip takes 6–7 hours.
Stages
- Tashkent to Samarkand on the M39: about 300 km, 4–4.5 hours. The road is wide, with several lanes for most of the way.
- Samarkand to Navoi on the M37: about 170 km, 2–2.5 hours, via Kattakurgan.
What to keep in mind
- Checkpoints at regional borders and major city entrances, so keep documents handy.
- Speed cameras are frequent on the highway, especially near towns.
- Filling stations line the whole route, but methane stations can have queues at peak times.
- Summer heat: between Samarkand and Navoi is an open plain that easily tops 40 °C in July.
- Winter: the road has no passes and is open all year, but slow down in fog and ice.
Shared ride
For business trips and travel with luggage, a shared ride is convenient: you travel with a driver who is going to Navoi anyway and leave at a time that suits you. On Yo'ldosh you see the departure time, price per seat and driver profile, and drivers are verified. Trips are on the Tashkent — Navoi page.
Comparison
| Option | Time | When to choose |
|---|---|---|
| High-speed train | 3–3.5 h | business trip, need speed |
| Night train | longer, but overnight | save a day |
| Shared ride | 6–7 h | luggage, flexible departure, stops |
| Whole taxi | 6–7 h | a group of 3–4 people |
Prices change, so check before you travel. Roughly, a seat in a car and a high-speed train ticket cost about the same.
Tips for business travellers
- Book your return straight away. Friday evening trains to Tashkent fill up fast.
- Allow for distances within the city. Many plants are outside town or in the industrial zone, so leave time for the transfer.
- Documents. Industrial sites usually require a pass at the entrance; check with your hosts.
- If trains are sold out, a shared ride is a reliable backup, especially with an early-morning start.
What to see in and around Navoi
If you have time after work:
- Central Navoi, with green boulevards, parks and squares laid out in the mid-20th century.
- Sarmishsay, a gorge in the hills near the city famous for thousands of ancient rock carvings. Best visited with a local driver or guide.
- Rabat-i Malik and the sardoba, the ruins of an 11th-century caravanserai and an old domed water cistern on the road to Bukhara, about half an hour from Navoi.
- Kermine, the old part of the urban area with historic quarters.
Back to Tashkent
You can return from Navoi to Tashkent the same ways. High-speed trains run from Bukhara through Navoi and Samarkand, so in high season seats may be taken before the train reaches Navoi; book ahead. It is easiest to find a car to the capital the day before, and you can book a seat on the Navoi — Tashkent page.
The bottom line
The fastest way from Tashkent to Navoi is the high-speed train, in about 3–3.5 hours. By car it is 6–7 hours via Samarkand, but you can leave whenever you like and take luggage. Trips in both directions are on the Tashkent — Navoi and Navoi — Tashkent pages, and other destinations are in the routes section.
Cover photo: Bgag, CC0, Wikimedia Commons.
