The Tashkent Metro

The earthquake of April 1966 flattened Old Tashkent, and a new, model Soviet city was born. In 1977 the Tashkent metro opened with much marbelled Soviet grandeur inspired by the Moscow model. It is said to be earthquake-proof, and continues to grow as the seismically-challenged city expands ever outwards (but not upwards). There are three lines: Uzbekiston (green), Chilonzor (blue), and Yunusobod (red), and at the time of my visit there were 31 underground stations. I visited all of them.

Yunusobod (red) line

Turkiston. This is one of the newest stations.

Yunusobod. This is the only curved station.

Bodomzor

Minor

Abdullah Qodiriy

Yunus Rajabiy

Chilonzor (blue) line

Olmazor

Chilonzor. This was one of the first stations to open. 

Mirzo Ulug Bek, named after the great astronomer

Novza

Milliy Bog (meaning 'National Garden')

This is one of the newer trains, but I preferred the old blue rattling carriages captured just above on the left platform at Milliy Bog

Xalqlar Do'stligi

Pakhtakor (meaning 'cotton picker', a nod to the mono-agriculture of Uzbekistan which led to the Aral Sea ecological disaster)

Mustakillik Maydoni (Independence Square)

Amir Timur Hiyobuni

Hamid Olimjon

Pushkin

Buyuk Ipak Yuli

Uzbekiston (green) line

Beruniy

Tinchlik

Tinchlik detail

Chorsu

Gafur Gulyam

Alisher Navoi

Alisher Navoi domed ceiling

Ozbekiston. The great lamps symbolise buds of cotton.

Kosmonavtlar. This space race- and cosmonaut-themed station was my favourite.

Kosmonatvlar's tiling fading up through the Earth's atmosphere to the black of space.

Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space

Click here for a glimpse of Oybek, Ming Orik, and Shahriston, which I omitted to photograph. These links will take you to a most excellent article about the Tashkent metro with detailed background and information behind each one.

A marble-lined corridor connecting Ming Orik and Oybek

Toshkent

Mashinasozlar

Do'stlik, which connects to the new Yer O'sti overground line, which will eventually be a Circle Line all around the city.

Tashkent metro map including planned stations

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