Tashkent to build 12km metro line from Mingurik to Ippodrom to ease pressure on Chilonzor line
Tashkent plans to build a new 12-kilometre metro line linking Mingurik station on the Yunusobod line with the Chilonzor clothing market in the Ippodrom area, a project expected to ease pressure on the Chilonzor line and increase daily metro ridership to 1.8 million.
Tashkent is set to construct a 12-kilometer metro line stretching from Mingurik to Ippodrom, a move aimed at alleviating the strain on the Chilonzor line.
Yuldosh Yusupov, the deputy chairman of the Tashkent Metro board, indicated that the project will unfold in two phases. The initial phase involves building a 6.5-kilometer segment from Mingurik station to the Southern Railway Station. The subsequent phase will extend the line by an additional 5.5 kilometers, connecting the Southern Railway Station to the Chilonzor clothing market, thereby completing the 12-kilometer route.
Yusupov explained that the new line's purpose is to lessen congestion along the Chilonzor route, decrease train intervals, and mitigate overcrowding, ultimately enhancing passenger comfort.
Upon completion of the project, daily metro ridership is projected to climb from the current 1.1 million to 1.8 million passengers. Yusupov noted, "Daily ridership stood at 250,000–300,000 passengers in 2021. Thanks to the improved conditions, the extension of existing lines and the increase in the number of stations, the number of daily metro users has now exceeded 1.1 million."
Akbarali Khaydarov, head of Tashkent Metro’s traffic service, stated that the number of trainsets in the system is anticipated to grow from 40 to 87 by the close of 2026, representing an addition of 47 new trainsets. This expansion is expected to help shorten waiting times during peak hours. Currently, train intervals are 1.5–2 minutes on the Chilonzor line, four minutes on the Yunusobod line, three minutes on the Uzbekistan line, and 7–8 minutes on the elevated ring line.
The Mingurik–Chilonzor clothing market, also known as Ippodrom, metro line project was presented to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on May 13. A presidential resolution, signed on May 15, mandates that the preliminary design and detailed cost estimates for the project must be finalized by the end of 2026 and submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers for approval by February 2027.