Tashkent Metro: I did it!

I was intimidated by navigating a Soviet-era Metro system in a foreign language, but I did it! Alone!

The first time I visited Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in November 2018, a friend had recommended seeing the Soviet-built Metro stations. I thought that an odd suggestion, and did not make time to do so. However, I trust her judgment and know what she likes, and have since regretted it.

This recent trip was filled with tour guides, cross-country train rides, plane trips, and came on the heels of 2 weeks of hosting 50 FBI agents and 6 of their spouses in Astana. It was an extension of the 2019 Symposium. Mike and I were EXhausted. So when the last full day of our trip came and Mike had a long day of meetings, I relished the idea of curling up on my fluffy duvet in my fancy hotel room to read….it was down to 50 degrees, and expected to rain all day. A perfect day of rest!

The Metro kept nagging me. ‘Come see how pretty!’ ‘you’re not going to leave our Art unseen, are you?’ I decided I was not going to let it beat me. I mean, really!-I have managed the NYC subway and the London Underground- I must try! (My brain still responds with: yah, but you can read English there…)

I read reviews and tips on lonely planet and trip advisor, studied the map and looked at points of interest nearby to plan a route. Several reviews indicated the Metro is easy to use and trains come frequently (as in every 5 minutes), so it wouldn’t be hard to get to a stop, take photos and get on the next train. I downloaded a map, made a plan with the hotel receptionists and set out in search of Mustakilik Maydoni.

When the first train arrived at Mustakilik, it was packed. I thought: Huh! So thats why the sidewalks are so empty- everyone is down below. At the same time, I was thinking….uuuuuuggghhhh….how many of these will I actually want to squeeze into?

It turned out there was never another packed train. The others were mostly empty and punctual. I did not wait more than 3 minutes for a train. I was impressed that my journey was surprisingly easy! Uzbek is written in the latin alphabet, so I could read the signs, of which there were many-over each side of the tracks, behind the tracks. Clocks were prominent, counting from the last train.

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The group of photos above are from Ming O’Rik station. Ming O’Rik translates to ‘a thousand apricot trees’. I thought that a sweet tribute to this desert land.

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The first group of photos, above, are from stations I have forgotten the names of. The last group is Amir Temur station- a name I know from 2 trips and several historical lessons while in Uzbekistan. He is an ancestor of Shah Jahon, who built the Taj Mahal. Amir Temur is a local hero for his great accomplishments as King in the 14th century. That day I knew it meant I was at my destination- my hotel was only 3 blocks away!

I DID IT! No calls for help, no panicking, no getting lost. It truly was as easy as I expected. After living in a post-Soviet world where things are so often more complicated than necessary, this felt like a real accomplishment! Next time I’ll see a few different stops. [The water table in northern Kazakhstan is too high for a subway system, so there is no Metro, and never will be, in Nur-Sultan/Astana (Name change is a topic for another day)]

I DID IT! And all for $.14…yes, total.