Samarkand to Bukhara: train or car

Samarkand and Bukhara were the two great cities of Sogdiana, and for centuries caravans travelled between them along the valley of the Zeravshan river. Today this leg is part of almost every classic route through Uzbekistan. The train is quick and easy; the road is slower but can be turned into a day of sightseeing.

The Afrosiyob high-speed train runs between Samarkand and Bukhara, usually as part of services from Tashkent. The journey takes about 1.5 hours. Sharq express and regular trains take around 2–2.5 hours. Both are comfortable and air-conditioned.

Trains are the most popular way to make this journey, and the Afrosiyob often sells out in spring and autumn. Tickets usually go on sale about 45 days in advance. You need your passport to buy and board. Our train ticket service can help with bookings, and our guide to trains in Uzbekistan explains classes and booking.

Samarkand station is in the north-west of the city, 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Registan. Arrive 30 minutes before departure for the security check.

Bukhara station is in the town of Kagan, about 15 km from the old city of Bukhara. A taxi takes 20–30 minutes; ride-hailing apps work, and many guesthouses can arrange a pick-up. See how to get to Bukhara.

The road from Samarkand to Bukhara, about 270 km, follows the Zeravshan valley west through Kattakurgan and Navoi. The drive takes about 4 hours without stops. A private car with driver lets you leave when you want and stop at places the train passes by:

• Rabati Malik: the portal of an 11th-century royal caravanserai and its domed water cistern, beside the highway west of Navoi. See Rabati Malik.
• Sarmishsay petroglyphs: a detour north of Navoi to a gorge with thousands of ancient rock carvings, for an early start. See Sarmishsay.
• Gijduvan: a town famous for its ceramic workshops, about 45 km before Bukhara, where a family of potters has worked for generations. See Gijduvan.
• Chor-Bakr and other sites on the outskirts of Bukhara.

Shared taxis also run between the cities, but they do not stop for sightseeing. Our transfer service offers cars, SUVs and minivans for the route.

For a more adventurous journey, travel from Samarkand to Bukhara in two days via the north: drive to the Nuratau mountains and the village of Sentob, or to a yurt camp near Lake Aydarkul, then continue via Nurata to Bukhara the next day. This adds a night in the desert or in a village to a classic city tour.

• Booking too late: in April–May and September–October, the morning Afrosiyob trains are often full weeks ahead. Book as soon as tickets go on sale.
• Forgetting that Bukhara station is in Kagan: allow 20–30 minutes for the taxi to the old city, and more if you are catching a train back.
• Trying to see everything on the road in one day: Rabati Malik, Sarmishsay and Gijduvan together make a long day. Choose one or two stops, or start very early.
• Not carrying the passport: it is checked at the station entrance and on the train.

• Quickest and simplest: the Afrosiyob train.
• Train sold out or you want flexibility: a car with driver.
• Interested in crafts and Silk Road history: a car, with stops at Rabati Malik and Gijduvan.
• Want a night in the desert: two days via Nurata and Aydarkul.

After Bukhara, most travellers continue west across the desert to Khiva: see Bukhara to Khiva.