Hyundai train starts on the Tashkent-Chiwa route

A newly delivered South Korean high-speed train began commercial operation in Uzbekistan on May 5. The country thus opened a new rail link between the capital Tashkent and the historic Silk Road city of Khiva. This is the first time that a high-speed train built in South Korea has been used commercially outside of Korea. The inauguration ceremony for the "Jaloliddin Manguberdi" train took place at Tashkent Central Station. It was manufactured by the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem. The new connection runs on the 1,220-kilometer Tashkent-Chiwa-Tashkent route. This reduces the travel time from around 14 hours to around 7.5 hours. Modernization of the rail fleet The opening was attended by high-ranking representatives of Uzbekistan's railroads, diplomats from South Korea, engineers from Hyundai Rotem, industry representatives and the media. Hikmatulla Rakhmetov, first deputy chairman of Uzbekistan Railways, explained that the reforms in Uzbekistan had enabled significant progress to be made in modernizing the railroad infrastructure, improving passenger transport and expanding international transport links. The South Korean ambassador in Tashkent, Won Doyeon, highlighted the close bilateral cooperation and emphasized the role of Hyundai Rotem in the renewal of the Uzbek railroad fleet. The seven-car train reaches speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour and can accommodate up to 389 passengers. It has rotating seats, monitoring systems and real-time route information. Designed for extreme climates The train has been specially adapted to the climatic conditions in Uzbekistan. It can be used in temperatures ranging from minus 40 to plus 50 degrees Celsius and is designed to withstand dust and sandstorms, particularly in the Kysylkum desert corridor. Q. Sabirov, Chairman of the Republican Council of the Union of Railway and Transport Workers of Uzbekistan, welcomed the commissioning and pointed out the importance of the new connection for domestic tourism. The line will be operated three times a week in each direction. Departures from Tashkent are on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 7:00 am local time, arriving in Khiva at 2:31 pm. Return trips from Khiva depart on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays at 7:20 a.m. and arrive in Tashkent at 2:51 p.m. The new train is the first of six Hyundai Rotem units to be deployed as part of Uzbekistan's fleet expansion. The post Hyundai train launches on Tashkent-Chiwa route appeared first on ostwirtschaft.de.