The Škoda Group has signed a strategic cooperation agreement to deliver 10 modern electric trains to Uzbekistan, in a project with an estimated value of over EUR 120 million. The agreement includes not only the supply of the trains, but also the creation of a joint venture for localization and service, as well as the establishment of the Škoda Academy.
The document was signed at the Presidential Palace in Tashkent, in the presence of the President of Uzbekistan, Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, and Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš. The signing was preceded by the official announcement of the contract award by the President of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
For the Škoda Group, the agreement marks an important step in its expansion into the Central Asian market, a region currently undergoing a process of modernizing its transport infrastructure.
Trains for 1,520 mm gauge
The delivery will include 10 new-generation electric trains, designed for the 1,520 mm gauge widely used in the former Soviet Union. The vehicles will be based on an electric train platform already in operation in Latvia and Estonia.
According to the Škoda Group, the trains will offer a high level of comfort, reliability, and energy efficiency. The project aims to support the modernization of rail transport in Uzbekistan, as the country invests in infrastructure and the improvement of mobility services.
“This project is the result of long-term cooperation between the teams of the Uzbek and Czech governments, Uzbekistan Railways, and the Škoda Group. Uzbekistan is a dynamically developing country with ambitious plans to modernize its transport infrastructure, and we are ready, as part of a long-term partnership, to share the technological know-how behind our products and deliver solutions that meet today’s demands for sustainable and efficient mobility,” said Petr Novotný, CEO of the Škoda Group.
Local Service and Know-How Transfer
An important component of the project is the localization of service activities directly in Uzbekistan. The Škoda Group says the agreement provides for the gradual transfer of know-how and maintenance procedures to local partners, so that they can independently carry out maintenance work in the future.
“The project also includes the localization of Škoda Group’s service activities for these trains directly in Uzbekistan, along with the gradual transfer of know-how and maintenance procedures, allowing local partners to perform service independently in the future,” added Petr Novotný.
The company claims that the project will contribute not only to the development of rail transport but also to strengthening the industrial base and creating jobs in Uzbekistan.
European support and connection to the Trans-Caspian Corridor
The project benefits from support from the Czech government, the European Commission—where it has the status of a flagship project under the Global Gateway initiative—as well as from the European Parliament, the European Investment Bank, and the Czech export credit agency EGAP.
For the Romanian reader, the strategic dimension of the project also stems from Uzbekistan’s position in Central Asia. The region, with a population of over 70 million inhabitants, is considered a market with significant growth potential in the field of transport infrastructure.
The agreement also fits into the context of the development of the Trans-Caspian Corridor, a route connecting Europe and Asia that has become one of the major strategic initiatives in international transport, particularly for alternative routes between the two continents.
Škoda is strengthening its rail exports
The Škoda Group is simultaneously strengthening its position in international markets. In Bulgaria, the company is set to deliver new four-car electric trains that comply with European technical and safety standards. These will be equipped with ETCS, air conditioning, Wi-Fi, a CCTV system, and full accessibility features.
The company also notes growing interest in its battery technologies. Following the introduction of the first battery-powered trains in the Czech Republic in late 2024 and early 2025, and the signing of a contract for up to 36 battery-powered trains for Slovakia, the Škoda Group has secured a new major contract in the Baltic region to deliver up to 16 battery-powered trains to Latvia.
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