During our trip to Uzbekistan this fall, I'm considering taking the train from Bukhara to Tashkent, leaving in the morning and arriving about 7 hours later. Can anyone explain the differences in class of service? I'll choose either Deluxe (first class) or Business Class. I was told that in Deluxe there are two people per compartment. Is that true? If so, it doesn't seem like a good way to mingle. What about Business Class? Do the bathrooms have running water? Are they squat style or western toilets? It seems hot beverages are served. Is that correct? What about food? I probably won't fly because on the day we need to leave, the flight is pretty late and Tashkent is just a stop over, as we are leaving for the Ferghana Valley the following morning. However, if the train will be unpleasant, and seven hours (if there are no delays ) is a long time, maybe I'll opt to fly. Can someone help me decide?
not 2 people per compartment, it's 2 people each side with recline seats.
forget about toilet, you don't want to sit on
yes, beverage is served, but no real food, only snacks
Train is pleasant in both class.
My wife and I just got back from our two-week visit to Uzbekistan.
SV (Luxe) [not available on all trains] has two berths per compartment - side by side. "First class" has 4 berths per compartment (two down and two up). Other than that there is no difference, except for the price and that Luxe has 19" or so flat screen TV which is most likely not to be working - we used both classes on different journeys. Same old lousy rugs in the corridors and the compartments and same quality of toilets (one on each end of the coach). They do have toilet paper, bar soap and paper towels but I strongly recommend taking your own roll of toilet paper, hand soap (bar or liquid) and a small towel to wipe your hands dry as they tend to run out after a while. Toilets are of Western style and, in fact, in Luxe (at least on the train we travelled from Bukhara to Tashkent), with a touch of a button, the plastoc seat cover would change (by rotating around the seat). Never seen that before, not even in Japan which has the most advanced toilets in my experience (with heated seats, bidet type water sprays/jets and more!) .
Like any other public toilets, you may be the unlucky one to use the toilet after someone has taken a big dump and not flushed the toilet - in that case go to the toilet on the other end of the coach,. Best to get your business done well before the end of the train journey as things get bad closer to the end of the journey - which is the case anywhere in the developing world! Unless you are used to living rough, I would strongly recommend carrying a pack of dust or surgical masks to be used in public toilets as a protection against stench - in fact the masks would be very useful if, like me, you want to explore the back streets and away from the main tourist areas!
The food & beverages are served on the trains by the food hawkers carrying a hand basket - so there is not a big selection (I don't think they are employed by the railway company) and in our experience they only came around once during the journey (our longest train journey was from Urgench to Samarkand - 15 hours or so & overnight). Also, there is a big tea pot like canister with hot water on one end of the coach, near the conductor's compartment, which one can use to make tea or coffee - We did not use it, so I don't know if the tea or coffee is provided at cost or free!
If you want socializing and mingling with the locals, I would strongly recommend travelling second class (or lower if there is lower class).
By the way the safety in trains is not an issue as every coach has two conductors - at least in Luxe and First class.
Hope this helps.
Edited by: Flosfur
P.S. In both Luxe and First class fresh linen is provided - top & botton sheets and a pillow case!
Happy Travels!
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