Tashkent metro system is an underground labyrinth that’s as much about Soviet-era art as practical transport. Opened in 1977, when Uzbekistan was still part of the USSR, it’s a place where brutalist architecture mixes with elaborate decorative flair. Whether you’re a photographer, a history buff or just trying to get from A to B, prepare for a journey through a Cold War-era art exhibit.
History of the Tashkent metro in a nutshell
The Tashkent Metro opened its doors in 1977, becoming the first metro system in Central Asia. Its construction was initiated in the early 1970s as part of the Soviet Union’s infrastructure plans, with the aim of providing a modern and efficient public transportation system. The metro’s first line, the Chilonzor Line, spanned 12,2 kilometres with nine stations, showcasing a blend of Soviet architectural precision and traditional Uzbek artistry.
Photographing in Tashkent Metro
For many years, the Tashkent Metro was shrouded in an aura of mystery, with a strict ban on photography due to its status as a strategic Soviet military installation. This restriction was lifted in June 2018. Today, riding the metro costs 1400 som (0,1€). The stations are at their busiest in the morning between 7.30 and 9 and in the afternoons from 5 to 7.
Is the Tashkent metro safe to photograph?
Tashkent Metro is safe to travel and photograph. There were guards at each station and as I’m accustomed to the European undergrounds, I also noticed that the Tashkent Metro is extremely clean. I felt never uncomfortable in the metro – people are polite, even during rush hour. At times, guards did keep an eye on me while I was photographing but didn’t approach. They smiled and declined when I asked to photograph them – remember to ask permission, you might be luckier than I was!
The best stations to photograph
I was lucky to get a map from a photographer friend indicating the best stations to photograph. But, as always, I got a bit carried away, and stepped out on each station. There are plenty of maps available online, and I advise you to familiarise yourself with the stations that interest you. If you don’t have much time to spend underground, you can visit all the stations below in one day. The metros run often, approximately every 5 minutes.
1. Paxtakor station
Paxtakor is on the original 1977 Chilonzor Line (red line). The mosaics symbolise Uzbekistan’s cotton-picking industry – which, of course, has not been very ethical and also contributed to Aral Sea’s natural disaster. My favourite photo from Paxtakor was published in the Finnish magazine Seura (check it out here!), but here is my second favourite one, always nice to see people reading books.
Aral Sea is partly located in northern Uzbekistan, in the Republic of Karakalpakstan. If you are interested in this remote part of the country, read my guide to the best of Karakalpakstan in this link!
2. Alisher Navoi
Alisher Navoi station is on the Blue Line and shares access to the aforementioned Paxtakor Station. Navoi (1441–1501) was born in Herat and lived during the Timurid empire. Navoi also lived in Samarkand, a cultured hub of the time. The Alisher Navoi station was opened in 1984 and I particularly like the domes here.
3. Kosmonavtlar
Also along the Blue Line, Kosmonavtlar showcases the USSR’s space programme. Many of the Soviet Union’s celebrated cosmonauts are pictured here, such as Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova, the first man and woman in space. This was the only station where I saw other people photographing on my visit in 2023 as a group of German tourists were taken around the station. But they disappeared back to the tunnels quickly. The last time I toured the metro tunnels in the autumn of 2024, I didn’t see any other photographing tourists around.
4. Mustaqillik Maydoni
The three previous stations are the most photographed in the Tashkent Metro, and if you are only vaguely interested in the subject, they’ll suffice, and it won’t take you even half an hour to see them. But continue, and see the beautiful light fixtures at the Mustaqillik Maydoni station, formerly Vladimir Lenin Square.
5. Bodomzor
One of my personal favourites is the Bodomzor station. It has small, rounded chairs surrounding the somewhat mushroomy-looking lamps and. The curved, white ceiling is decorated with a light blue, geometrical pattern. I first thought that this station had a space theme, but later learned that the name means Almond Orchard. When visiting Bodomzor, remember to go and see the entrance for this stop, too!
6. Beruniy
Beruniy Station, located at the northwestern end of the Oʻzbekiston Line, opened on April 30 in 1991. Beruniy station is sleeker and more restrained than many of the more elaborately decorated stops but its aesthetics pleased my eye – what about yours?
7. Toshkent
The Toshkent station exhibits a jublilent national spirit. In fact, when the station was opened in 1984, it was dedicated to the city’s 2200th anniversary. Above the entrance way, you can’t miss the huge crest of Tashkent, “a city of peace and friendship.” The ceramic pictures made of blue and white tiles depict major scenes in Tashkent’s history.
8. Gafur Gulom
I really liked the station named after the Uzbek writer and poet, Gafur Gulom (1903–1966). This station showcases a stunning contrast with the rest of the Tashkent metro stops, as the ceramic tiles make fractured portraits, resembling more of a surrealist painting, while other stops tend to go for more ornamental patterns.
9. Khamid Olimjan
Opened in 1980, Khamid Olimjan station is named after the poet and translator Hamin Olimjon (1909–1944). Olimjan is one of the 20th century’s finest Uzbek poets, and considered to be one of the founders of Uzbek Soviet literature. His first work appeared in the newspaper Zarafshan as early as 1926. Since then, Olimjan became a multi-tasking cultural figure in the country. He died in a car accident in Tashkent in 1944. The turquoise, light brown and blue ornaments are illuminated by ornate lamps, creating a moody atmosphere.
10. Abdulla Qodiriy & O’zbekiston
Abdulla Qodiriy and O’zbekiston stations are chosen here as representatives of the magnificent lights which, in fact, can be also spotted in many other stations. So whenever you are exploring the Tashkent metro system, always look up and venture up the stairs to see the station entrances as well.
