Tashkent Metro, Uzbekistan Oct 2019

An interesting place to visit in Tashkent, Uzbekistan is the Metro which was the first underground transportation system built in Central Asia.  It resembles the metro system in Moscow with large and highly decorated stations.  The metro stations were designed for the seismic conditions of the region as most of Tashkent was destroyed in the earthquake of 1966.  As a result, the stations also doubled as nuclear bomb shelters.  As mentioned in my former Eastern European posts, it seemed that most of these communist/former Soviet country leaders were all wary of an imminent nuclear attack.  The first metro line opened in 1977 and today the Tashkent Metro has 29 stations with 3 lines connecting the city center to other populous districts.  Each station has its own theme such as Kosmonavtlar Station being a monument to Uzbekistan’s contribution to the Soviet space program and has ceramic discs depicting the cosmonauts.  Other stations have special holiday lighting, intricate mosaics, chandeliers, carved alabaster, etc.  Before June of 2018, photography was prohibited inside the metro stations.  Now it is no longer considered military installations and you can take as many photos as you like.  Every station is guarded by police and there are conductors at the platforms making sure everything is orderly.  I noticed that the local youth as well as most men riding the Metro will get up and offer their seat to the elderly and women.  Very chivalrous!  Kudos to them, at least chivalry and respect for elders is not dead in this part of the world.

20191025_124424Tashkent Metro has 29 stations with 3 lines.  Most of the touristic sites are near the stations of the blue line and the center bit of the red line.

DSCF1105You must purchase these plastic transparent tokens where each ride no matter the distance costs about US$0.15

DSCF1120Heading down to Pakhtakor Station

DSCF1124Pakhtakor Station, opened in November 1977, has detailed flowering cotton plant mosaics on its walls as Uzbekistan has one of the largest cotton industries in the world.

DSCF1125Pakhtakor Station

DSCF2410Mustaqillik Maydoni Station was opened in November 1977 and is one of Tashkent’s first metro stations.

DSCF2415Mustaqillik Maydoni Station is one of my favorite stations and also one of the most beautiful.

DSCF2421

DSCF2422Mustaqillik Maydoni Station used to be called Lenin Station until the fall of the USSR.  Now it is named after the Independence Square above the station.

DSCF0842Mustaqillik Maydoni Station

DSCF1129Amir Timur Station used to be called October Revolution Station before the fall of the Soviet Union.

DSCF2340Amir Timur Station on the Red Line connects to Yunus Rajably Station on the Green Line

DSCF2341Yunus Rajably Station was opened in October 2001 and named after the famous Uzbek musician, Yunus Rajably

DSCF2343I love the art deco feel of the Yunus Rajably station.

DSCF0823

DSCF0825Yunus Rajably Station

DSCF2346Bodomzor Station was opened in October 2001 and is the newest station of the Tashkent metro system

DSCF0827Bodomzor Station

DSCF0826Ceiling decoration of Bodomzor Station

DSCF2349Bodomzor Station has these futuristic lamps surrounded by small button stools.

DSCF2353

DSCF2354The very Soviet-looking Ming Orik Station at one end of the Green Line

DSCF2356Transferring from the Green Line to the Blue Line

DSCF2404Turnstiles at Kosmonavtlar Station

DSCF2405Descending into Kosmonavtlar Station

DSCF2396Kosmonavtlar Station was opened in December 1984 in honor of the cosmonauts of the Soviet Union.

DSCF2394Along the walls of Kosmonavtlar Station are depictions of the greatest pioneers of the Soviet space program.

DSCF2401Kosmonavtlar Station

DSCF2403Here is the depiction of Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman to go to space.

DSCF2397Kosmonavtlar Station

DSCF2408

DSCF1119Depiction of Alisher Navoi on the wall of the station named after him.

DSCF1118Alisher Navoi Station

DSCF1114Alisher Navoi Station is named after the 15th century poet and has beautiful domes on the ceiling resembling that of a mosque

DSCF1115Each dome has a different intricate pattern trimmed in gold.

DSCF1113Alisher Navoi Station

DSCF2379

DSCF2385Gafur Gulom Station was opened in November 1989

DSCF0833The station is named after Gafur Gulom, a famous Uzbek poet, writer, and translator, and considered to be one of the most influential Uzbek writers of the 20th century.

DSCF2383Gafur Gulom Station

DSCF2390

DSCF1104Most of the stations have humble entrances and some even quite hard to find.

DSCF1106

DSCF2370Tinchlik Station was opened on April 30th, 1991.

DSCF0830Tinchlik Station

DSCF2376Tinchlik Station is decorated with marble columns, crystal chandeliers, and intricate abstract designs on the walls.

DSCF2375Tinchlik Station

DSCF2377Tinchlik Station

DSCF2368

DSCF2362Beruniy Station was opened on April 30th, 1991.

DSCF2359Love the patterned dome and chandeliers of Beruniy Station

DSCF0828Beruniy Station

DSCF2363Beruniy Station

Riding the metro from station to station was surprisingly very tiring so I only managed to cover some of the more beautiful stations.  I love how each station is decorated differently and I wish the metro back home is less mundane.  Out of the stations I visited, my favorites are Kosmonavtlar, Mustaqillik Maydoni, Alisher Navoi, and Beruniy Stations.

From Tashkent, we continued on to the ancient Silk Road city of Khiva.  Stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

Click the “Follow” button to signup for email subscription or keep checking back for more blog posts to come.

Alternatively, get connected through
my Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/beatricetravelsblog or follow me on Instagram @beatricetravels.

 

Cairo Dec 2018

Cairo, the capital of Egypt, is one of those buzzing and chaotic cities that you love and hate at the same time.  The noise, pollution,

Read More »

Abu Dhabi, Dec 2022

I have been to Dubai quite a few times but this is my first time visiting Abu Dhabi.  I came here mainly to visit the

Read More »

Lalibela Part 1 Oct 2018

Lalibela is a town in northern Ethiopia famous for its monolithic rock-cut churches sunk into the ground and built between the 7th and 13th centuries. 

Read More »

2 Responses

    1. It was fun going from station to station since they are all different and beautifully decorated. And yes they are clean and orderly and the locals are cordial and polite and the men and students will always offer their seat. 😍

Leave a Reply

© Copyright 2022 Beatrice Wong | All rights reserved. All photographs and text included herein are the property of Beatrice Wong

You cannot copy content of this page