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.

Tashkent 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.

 

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

 

Heading down to Pakhtakor Station

 

Pakhtakor 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.

 

Pakhtakor Station

 

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

 

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

 

Mustaqillik Maydoni Station

 

Mustaqillik 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.

 

Mustaqillik Maydoni Station

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Yunus Rajably Station

 

Yunus Rajably Station

 

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

 

Bodomzor Station

 

Ceiling decoration of Bodomzor Station

 

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

 

Tashkent Metro

 

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

 

Transferring from the Green Line to the Blue Line

 

Turnstiles at Kosmonavtlar Station

 

Descending into Kosmonavtlar Station

 

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

 

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

 

Kosmonavtlar Station

 

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

 

Kosmonavtlar Station

 

Tashkent

 

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

 

Alisher Navoi Station

 

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

 

Each dome has a different intricate pattern trimmed in gold.

 

Alisher Navoi Station

 

Alisher Navoi Station

 

Gafur Gulom Station was opened in November 1989

 

The 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.

 

Gafur Gulom Station

 

Tashkent Metro

 

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

 

Tashkent Metro

 

Tinchlik Station was opened on April 30th, 1991.

 

Tinchlik Station

 

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

 

Tinchlik Station

 

Tinchlik Station

 

Tashkent Metro

 

Beruniy Station was opened on April 30th, 1991.

 

Love the patterned dome and chandeliers of Beruniy Station

 

Beruniy Station

 

Beruniy 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.