2-Day Bullet Train Tour from Tashkent: Samarkand & Bukhara

Board the bullet train to walk through five centuries of Central Asian architecture in two days

A 2-day tour from Tashkent that uses the high-speed train to reach Samarkand and Bukhara, two of the Silk Road's most intact medieval cities. You visit Registan Square with its three medreses, the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and the Kalon Minaret complex, with a local guide in your chosen language, one night in a 3-star or boutique hotel, breakfast, entrance fees, and air-conditioned transport included. A camera or video fee of 1–2 USD per site is paid at each entrance. A single room costs an extra 25 USD per night if you need one.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Train to Samarkand and sightseeing

• Take train to Samarkand
• Meet guide and start excursion
• Visit Gur Emir Mausoleum
• Explore Registan Square
• See Bibi-Khanym Mosque
• Visit Siab Bazaar
• Tour Shakhi-Zinda Ensemble
• Visit Ulugbek's Observatory
• Take evening train to Bukhara
• Drive to hotel and check in

Day 2: Sightseeing in Bukhara and return

• Visit The Ark Fortress
• See Bolo Hauz
• Explore Kalyan Minaret complex
• Visit oldest surviving mosque
• Walk through medieval bazaar
• Tour Lyab-i Hauz Ensemble
• Transfer to railway station
• Take train to Tashkent
• End of services

The experience

You start in Tashkent and board a morning train to Samarkand with all tickets delivered beforehand. A guide and driver meet you on arrival and take you straight into the city's heart: the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum, where Timur's tomb sits beneath the world's largest piece of jade; Registan Square, ringed by three medreses built over centuries; the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, erected after Timur's campaign in Delhi; and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, a complex of 44 tombs in more than 20 mausoleums. You also walk through Siab Bazaar, still crowded with produce and handicrafts, and see the foundations of Ulugbek's Observatory, where only a section of the massive sextant remains in a trench that once ran 11 kilometers deep.

That evening you take the bullet train to Bukhara, where you spend the night in a 3-star or boutique hotel. The second day covers the Ark, Bukhara's oldest structure and royal fortress for over a millennium; the Bolo Hauz, an octagonal mosque built in 1712; the Kalon Minaret complex, standing 45.6 meters tall and dating to 1127, so remarkable that Genghis Khan refused to order its destruction; and the Lyab-i Hauz ensemble, a 16th-century square with a medressah, caravanserai and water reservoir. You also explore the medieval bazaar with its artisan workshops before transferring to the railway station for the return train to Tashkent.

Breakfast is included each morning. Other meals are on your own. The guide speaks English, French, German, Russian or one of two additional languages. An air-conditioned vehicle handles all ground transport between sites. Customer service is available 24 hours if you need to reach someone during the tour.

What’s included

• Local guides in both Samarkand and Bukhara.
• all entrance fees to the sites listed.
• one night in a 3-star or boutique hotel on a twin or double bed.
• breakfast each morning.
• air-conditioned vehicle for all ground transport.
• and 24-hour customer service.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 07:00

Book up to2d before

AgesAdult (18 to 90 years) · Child (3 to 17 years) · Infant (under 3)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, French, German, Japanese, Persian and Russian

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Silk Tour Ltd

Is this one for you?Book this if you have two days and want guided visits to both Samarkand and Bukhara with transport and one overnight hotel included: otherwise you'll spend those days arranging separate trains and booking accommodations yourself.

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Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, French, German, Russian, Japanese and Persian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (3 to 17 years); Infant (under 3).

What is Registan Square and why does it matter?

Registan Square is Samarkand's main plaza, surrounded by three medreses (Ulugbek, Sherdor and Tillokori) built over different centuries. It became the city center when the ancient settlement of Afrosiab was abandoned, and has been rebuilt several times since.

What happens if I want a room to myself instead of sharing?

A single room costs an extra 25 USD per night per person, paid on the spot at the hotel on day one.

Are photographs allowed at the sites we visit?

Photography and video are allowed, but a fee of 1–2 USD per site is collected at the entrance to certain attractions. The guide will let you know which ones when you arrive.

Do I need to arrange my own train tickets?

No. All train tickets are delivered to you or sent beforehand, so you have them in hand before the tour starts.