Question about train Dushanbe-Moscow and Moscow-Khodjent

[Milad]

Until now, neither Moscow-Dushanbe nor Moscow-Kulyab avoided Turkmenistan. The train to Dushanbe doesn't stop at Amuzang because it uses a different border crossing at Denau (let alone that there is no reason to get off in Amuzang as it's in the middle of nowhere and you'd have trouble getting onwards transport, and my last information is that at least the kassa in Kulyab will refuse to sell a ticket there even though it might be technically possible). According to RŽD the train goes directly from Qarshi to Оазис Граница, which is the border point between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan (Beineu crossing) (it's no actual stop, also not the border station, just the name of the point where it crosses the actual border), if the train would still pass through Turkmenistan, RŽD would indicate two more borders. Also, if the trains pass through Samarkand now, going via Turkmenistan would be a huge detour, so I assume that that's now history (and Turkmenistan lost it's last international train).


The line that has recently been reopened is Kulyab-Amuzang, not Dushanbe-Denau, the latter has been used by the Dushanbe-Moscow train for years and will continue to be used by this train, meaning that there are now three railway border crossings UZ/TJ.

[Milad]

I just tried to confirm the information above at the kassa of Tashkent Pass, however I was told both by the international ticket office and the kassa nachalnik (boss) that this was false information and the stop would be "only technical, not for passengers". They might have been just too lazy to check with someone who knows for sure and just repeated their old information (even though I mentioned that Russian Railways says the train does now stop there). Maybe they also just weren't informed as the train does not pass through Tashkent and asking in Samarkand might get a different result, I don't know.

[Jealgu]

It looks like I need to read Caravanistan better before I post something a bit ovetenthiousadtic. I was pretty keen on using the Kulyab Moscow train. I was thinking ogmf giving Anuzang a go, unforyunateky that does not seem to work out.

About the Samsrkand stop. Are you talking about the train from Dushanbe or Khujand? I can only find information about the latter stopping in Samarkand.

[steven]

Sorry, a bit swamped with work, haven't been able to update yet, so info on the Tajik train page is still out of date. Apologies - it will have to be for next week at the earliest.

[Milad]

You can now book tickets Moskva -> Samarkand on pass.rzd.ru (still only when picking up in Russia!) for the train to Khujand so I'm now 99% sure that you can take the train from Samarkand to Khujand as well. Not sure if it still goes through Turkmenistan between Samarkand and Beineu, I don't think so as it stops in Qarshi what would going via Turkmenistan make a detour, but I don't know for sure.

About the Samsrkand stop. Are you talking about the train from Dushanbe or Khujand? I can only find information about the latter stopping in Samarkand.

I was talking about both, but you're absolutely right that only Moskva -> Khujand is stopping there.


Edit: You can also book the Dushanbe-bound and the Kulyab-bound train for journeys Russia -> Qarshi/Termez on rzd.ru. You can not (yet?) book tickets UZ->TJ on rzd.ru though. However [and now it becomes inevitably geeky] it *is* possible to book tickets from Uzbekistan (e.g. Termez) to Tajikistan (e.g. Dushanbe) with poezd.rw.by, the webpage of the Railways of Belarus. This is totally useless for 99% of travelers as you'd have to pick it up in Belarus(!) but other than pass.rzd.ru, poezd.rw.by does directly acess Express-3, the international railway booking system of all FSU countries (except Turkmenistan). If it's in Express-3, it is technically possible to get tickets for this train at all railway offices that work with Express-3, meaning also in Uzbekistan or Tajikistan. You'll just have to hope that the person at the kassa does sell it to you, as Uzbek staff might not know about the new connection yet (see my post above), in this case it's probably handy to have a print-out of the RŽD page.

[Jealgu]

Two days ago I tried buying a ticket khujand samarkand, unfortunately I got a 'njet'. She patiently explained (I was with a local helping to translate) that ttains stop on Sanarkand bit cannot be let off. I tried to show a russian booking site with tickets for this connection, but this had no effect (ita also got kost in translation).

She could offer me tickets to Beyneu, which might be an indication of not going through Turkmenistan but unfortunaltely I did not think og asking at the moment, for 700 somoni. Good chance you can still get off at Samarkand if you do this, but if you can take a 50 somoni bus to Tashkent it is a bit too much to statisfy my love for trains.

[Milad]

Sorry to hear that. My last resort would have been trying to bribe the provodnik, although I'm now unsure as well if that would have worked. I'll have a look at annother possibility to get tickets for this section (via RŽD, no, not their website) and probably know more in a few days. The issue is getting tickets, not getting on/off the train IMO.

[Milad]

Here's a way how to book the train Khujand<>Samarkand, although complicated and expensive. The same applies for Termez<>Dushanbe and Termez<>Kuljab.

The train is definetly technically bookable in most or all CIS countries, including Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. However, it appears that Tajik and Uzbek Railways have advised their staff not to sell these tickets.
If you are in Russia (or Belarus), international Railway ticket offices will be able to sell the train to you. You might want to bring a print-out from the RŽD webpage to convince them that the train exists. The same might be possible in Kazhakstan, Ukraine and the Baltic countries.

The alternative is to book the train through an agency. Uzbek agencies will probably have the same problem as independent travellers - Uzbek Railways refuse to sell a ticket - but a Russian(!) agency that does directly access the system of RŽD should be able to book the train. There are several ones on the Internet and I have no personal experience with them so I can't recommend one, there are plenty on the Internet. Count on €25 for the ticket plus €15 for shipping if you live in Europe or North America.

If you have a ticket, the provodnik will probably be surprised, but getting aboard shouldn't be a problem

You'll notice that it's a both expensive and complicated workaround mainly for "train geeks", the "normal traveler" will be better off with the bus/marshrutka for now unfortunately.

[Milad]

Good News: you can now book Termez-Dushanbe online with Uzbek Railways.

Bad news: Uzbek Railways timetable clearly shows two " тарифный границы" (tariff borders) which indicates that the train is still going through Turkmenistan between Qarshi and Termez (meaning you can at least go Termez-Dushanbe without a Turkmen visa). This is a shame as there now is a shorter route entirely in Uzbekistan, but that's politics...

[steven]

Keep us up to date on this one, I have a feeling they will cut out Turkmenistan entirely before long.