New locomotives will be ordered from China as high-speed trains are being delivered from Korea.
CRRC Dalian previously supplied electric locomotives to Uzbek Railways.
Details of the major rail rolling stock procurement program were presented to the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during a press conference earlier this month on the development of the national railway network.
According to what was reported by local media kun.uzUzbek Railways (UTY) Chairman Zafar Narzulayev says 91% of UTY’s locomotive fleet is now obsolete. Under its current 10-year fleet modernization programme, Uzbek Railways (UTY) intends to purchase 38 mainline locomotives and 50 diesel and hybrid locomotives from China.
In May, the President instructed UTY to sign a contract with CRRC for the supply of 50 diesel locomotives.
Deliveries of the six high-speed trains, worth €220 million, which UTY has ordered from Korea’s Hyundai Rotem, are scheduled to begin next month. The first train is expected to enter service next year on the Tashkent-Urgench-Khiva line, which will shorten the journey time from 14 hours to 7 hours and 30 minutes.
Each seven-car train can accommodate 351 passengers and has a maximum speed of 250 kilometers per hour. Delivery of all six trains is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2026, and another eight trains are scheduled to arrive by 2030, according to Narzulayev. The second batch will be deployed on the Tashkent-Termiz and Tashkent-Andijan lines.
The order for six high-speed trains is being financed by a EUR 185.2 million loan from Eximbank of Korea, with the Government of Uzbekistan providing EUR 21.3 million and EUR 13.5 million UTY. The loan has a grace period of 10 years and a repayment period of 40 years.
UTY also plans to purchase 23 EMUs for passenger transportation services in Tashkent, as well as new passenger trains from Korea to operate on lines with steep gradients such as via the Kamchik Pass and the Derbent Mountain Pass connecting the Surkhandarya and Kashkadarya regions.
Increase production
Local production plans include building 250 passenger buses as well as 10,000 coaches. More than 6,000 wagons will be refurbished and major repairs will be carried out on 12 electric locomotives.
With the support of the Renewal and Development Fund and additional financing, bus production will be increased from 40 to 50 cars per year, according to Narzulayev. The passenger fleet is being expanded to help UTZ achieve its goal of doubling traffic from 10 million to 20 million passengers annually by 2030.
For detailed data on fleet orders worldwide, subscribe to IRJ Pro.
