Currently NO sale of Train Tickets for travel in Uzbekistan?

[Traveller11]

Can anyone advise me if you currently cannot buy Train Tickets for journeys in Uzbekistan?

I am being told by the travel agent who is supposed to be getting our train tickets that there are 'Rail Operator' problems and so no tickets are being sold even though the journeys are all now inside the 30 day time limit before you can buy.

Any feedback would be appreciated.

The travel agent I am using is supposed to be the biggest in Kazakhstan, but might not be the best!

Thanks

[steven]

Should be resolved by now.

[Traveller11]

I also understand that is the case.

Due to a Tourism/Travel Event taking place in Tashkent on I believe the 3rd to 5th October, the tickets for the Fast Train from Bukhara to Tashkent (the Afrosiyob) were all classed as 'Sold Out' waiting for Event Delegates to purchase them before they would then sell what was left to anyone else who wanted to travel by that train.

You could however take the Sharq train which left later and arrived at 22:10 after a 6 hour journey which was no good to us, so we opted to take a plane with Uzbek Airways.

[Luxury Asia]

Hello dear Traveler11,

We just have checked availability of tickets for "Afrosiyob" speed train and there some available, though the amount shown here can be higher than in reality:

Oct 3 05:00 - 08:48 (8 seats)
Oct 4 05:00 - 08:48 (69 seats)
Oct 5 05:00 - 08:48 (19 seats)

We arrange train tickets for our Customers before they arrive in Uzbekistan. It's a pity we missed your message about this.

If the timing is fine, it is still doable if you consider to cancel airtickets, depending on the size of penalty, of course.

Wishing you a great journey!

Luxury Asia
East Travel Company

[Traveller11]

Hello Luxury Asia.

Thank you for the offer.

Air tickets cannot be cancelled as Uzbek Travel Company who accepted order and then failed to purchase our train tickets in timescale agreed have partly funded the alternative travel by plane.

So we will be holding our breath for safe flight, and not 'rocking from side to side' on fast train!

[Luxury Asia]

It's a reasonable decision.

Have a safe and comfortable flight then!

[Traveller11]

It was the only decision as I had nearly paid a $50 'Service Charge' for the train tickets for both Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

My order was then cancelled for the Kazakhstan train tickets and I bought them direct online from Kazakhstan Railways for a very small 'Service Charge'

The Uzbek train tickets were a different matter as they currently cannot be purchased outside of the country, which the Uzbek 'Travel Agent' totally screwed up as for the first two journeys we did not get the trains or times that were agreed in my original order while the third journey was completely forgotten about by the Travel Agent who then used one excuse blaming an employee who went on holiday and no one could access the persons email, I was then subsequently told that it was due to this Travel Event in Tashkent when all tickets were 'labelled' as SOLD OUT for expected 'delegates attending the event, however it only affected the 'Fast Train'!

However from the information seen in Uzbek Railway Stations and confirmed by people here in the country it will not be long before and like Kazakhstan you will be able to buy your tickets online.

Having said that, I would have no intention of even considering cancelling the air tickets even if I had paid the full fare myself.

Being jerked about once is bad enough but then having an alternative in 'tablets of stone' as in the E Tickets for the flight is illogical to cancel and 'hopefully' switch back to the 'Rocking Fast Train'.

Thank you, we are hoping for a safe and comfortable flight as it is a short 'hop' of just over 1 hours duration as opposed to the 4 hour 'Fast Train' or 6 hour Sharq.

[Luxury Asia]

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. It’s a shame. They made you feel that all agencies are like that here, unfortunately.
We work much better (modestly). Our Customers can confirm. We arrange train tickets for desired dates and time mostly (maybe 95%). In rear cases we have offer alternatives due to absence of tickets for speed trains.

With internal flights, you have to arrive to the airport at least 1,5 hour prior to the flight and if check in luggage, then upon arrival it may take up to 1 hour. Takes time also.

Wishing you all the best!