Tajik Railways
 | |
| Company type | Unitary enterprise |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rail transport |
| Predecessor | Soviet Railways |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Headquarters | , |
Area served | Tajikistan |
| Services | Passenger trains, Cargo |
| Website | railway |
Tajik Railways (Tajik: Роӽи оӽани Тоҷикистон; Russian: Таджикская железная дорога) is Tajikistan's state-owned railway company, both owning and managing infrastructure and operating freight and passenger train services in Tajikistan. As of 2016, the system is limited, as the railroad system totals only 997 kilometres (620 mi)[1] of non-electrified, single-track railway, all of it 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) Russian gauge.
Infrastructure
[edit] | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Dushanbe |
| Reporting mark | РОТ, ТЖД |
| Locale |  Tajikistan |
| Dates of operation | 1999–present |
| Predecessor | Soviet Railways |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in) |
| Length | 977 km (607 mi) |
| Other | |
| Website | railway |
The system connects the main urban centres of western Tajikistan with points in neighboring Uzbekistan. In 1999 a new line connected the southern cities of Bokhtar and Kulob. In 2016, another line connected both cities to the capital Dushanbe, thus linking southern and central railway networks together.[2]
The northern branch around Khujand remains physically disconnected from this main Tajik railway network, accessible only through a lengthy transit via Uzbekistan. As of 2017, the passenger service remains limited to infrequent international trains from Dushanbe and Khujand to Moscow, one weekly train from Dushanbe to Khujand (via Uzbekistan) as well as a local service between Dushanbe and Pakhtaabad (daily) and Kulyob/Shahrtuz (twice weekly).
Passenger transit through Tajikistan has been hindered by periodic failures of Tajik Railways to pay transit tariffs and by safety issues.[3]
Network
[edit]The system is currently limited to the following railways lines:
- Kulyab – Bokhtar – Yavan – Vakhdat – Dushanbe I – Pakhtaabad line with Kurgantyube – Shaartuz branch and exit from Pakhtaabad station to the Termez branch of Uzbek Railways;
- The Spitamen – Istiqlol line (Sogd section) with the Kanibadam – Isfara – Shurab branch and exits from Istiqlol station to the Ferghana branch, from Spitamen station to the Kokand branch of Uzbek Railways.
Railway links with adjacent countries
[edit]- Afghanistan – no link, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- China – no link, break of gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in)/1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in).
- Kyrgyzstan – no link, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
- Uzbekistan – yes, linked with Uzbek Railways, same gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in).
See also
[edit]- Railway stations in Tajikistan
- North-South Transport Corridor
- Ashgabat Agreement, a Multimodal transport agreement signed by India, Oman, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, for creating an international transport and transit corridor facilitating transportation of goods between Central Asia and the Persian Gulf.[4]
References
[edit]- ^ "О ГУП "Рохи охани Точикистон"" (in Russian). railway.tj. 20 October 2025.
- ^ "Inauguration of Dushanbe-Qurghonteppa-Kulob railroad". 24 August 2016.
- ^ Tajikistan country profile. Library of Congress Federal Research Division (January 2007). This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ The Hans India – India accedes to Ashgabat agreement
