Hyundai Rotem starts high-speed train operation in Uzbekistan

Hyundai Rotem said Wednesday it has started commercial operations for its new high-speed trains in Uzbekistan.

The newly manufactured high-speed trains were deployed Tuesday on the country’s longest rail routes, spanning 1,020 kilometers between the capital Tashkent and the Silk Road city of Khiva, an increasingly popular tourist destination.

The trainsets were modeled after the electric multiple unit KTX-Eum, or the EMU-260, which has proven its advanced technologies and safety in commercial operations. With a maximum speed of 250 km per hour, the trains offer enhanced operational efficiency compared to existing push-pull high-speed trains in Uzbekistan.

Tailored to extreme heat and desert environments, the trains provide a safe, pleasant ride experience even over long distances. Each trainset can accommodate up to 389 passengers, and seats are divided into economy, business and VIP classes.

The new trains are expected to improve the country’s transportation infrastructure, with travel time from Tashkent to Khiva halved to 7 hours. Korea anticipates benefitting from exporting domestic high-speed trains, a result of long-term cooperation between the public and private sectors.

Over 600 domestic high-speed train component partners have participated in the Uzbekistan high-speed train project, proving their stable partnership system with Hyundai Rotem to the global market.

Hyundai Rotem signed a supply agreement with Uzbekistan's public railway company UTY in 2024, becoming the first to deploy Korean-made high-speed trains overseas.

“We will continue our efforts in the Uzbekistan high-speed train project, and increase export points to build a foundation for joint growth in the K-railway industry,” an official from Hyundai Rotem said.