The railway sector is an important economic sector in Tajikistan. The country has no access to the sea, which causes an increased load on rail transport. Railways are used here to transport most of the goods. There are 3 railway lines in the country: central, northern and southern. The northern line is used for transit cargo transportation, the central one for the import of imported goods.
Condition of railways
The railway network of Tajikistan is under the control of the state operator Tajik Railways. An obstacle to the development of the network is the topographic factor. The railways of Tajikistan are worn out, there are too few locomotives. In addition, the country's railway system is dependent on the railways of Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. Therefore, cars and buses in Tajikistan are more popular than trains. The road sector is more accessible and perfect.
The enterprise "Tajik Railways" does not invest enough funds in the railway system. The company sets itself important tasks: expanding the network, providing comfortable conditions for passengers, and a convenient ticket sales system. Currently, the country maintains international transportation with the CIS states.
The railways of Tajikistan are 1260 km long. The main routes cover almost 680 km. There are 33 railway stations in the country. On long routes, priority is given to air traffic. Difficult terrain is a significant obstacle to the development of internal railway communication.
The country has a complicated relationship with Uzbekistan, which is located nearby. This further aggravates the current situation on the railway. There is no direct connection between the capital of Tajikistan (Dushanbe) and Khujand (the largest city in the country). Territorial railway communication is not supported with the Sughd region either.
Routes and tickets
Today there are two main routes in the country: from Dushanbe to Khujand, through Uzbekistan in transit; from Kurgan-Tyube to Khujand, via Uzbekistan. These lines are Tajik only formally. In reality, the transit takes place under the control of the Uzbek authorities. The trains following these routes cross Uzbekistan and a small part of Turkmenistan. Therefore, passengers are forced to issue a transit visa for Turkmenistan. Visa-free transit is allowed for citizens of Tajikistan. The rest of the passengers need a visa.
Traveling on Tajik trains is cheap. The average cost of a ticket for a seat in a compartment is $ 25, in a reserved seat - $ 15. You can view the schedule and prices on the websites zhdonline.rf, ticketclick.ru, etc.
