Kazakhstan’s national railway operator has added Tajikistan to the itinerary of its Jibek Joly tourist train, extending a service that until now had connected only Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) announced the expansion of the Jibek Joly (Silk Road) tourist train route to include Tajikistan, adding a new stop to one of Central Asia’s flagship railway tourism initiatives. The updated route will now reach the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, extending the tour beyond Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan for the first time.
The inaugural journey on the extended route is scheduled to depart from Almaty on March 20, 2026, and return on March 25, coinciding with the Persian-Turkic festival of Navruz. The journey links spiritual centres, ancient cities, and modern capitals of Central Asia along the route of the Great Silk Road: Almaty – Turkestan – Samarkand – Dushanbe – Tashkent – Almaty.
The Jibek Joly train comprises five wagons, four sleeping cars, and a restaurant car providing three meals daily. Tickets are available through travel agencies. The package includes guided sightseeing, entrance to cultural and historical sites, and organised transfers.
The expansion comes as the wider Central Asian tourism market records strong growth. Kazakhstan welcomed 12 million foreign visitors in 2025, and the country rose from 66th place in the World Economic Forum’s Travel and Tourism Development Index in 2021 to 52nd in 2024. Uzbekistan, a key stop on the Jibek Joly route, recorded 11.7 million foreign visitors in 2025, a 46.8% increase on 2024. Central Asia’s travel and tourism market is projected to generate revenue of $1.81bn in 2025, with an annual growth rate of 6.87% expected to bring the market to $2.36bn by 2029.
The train’s expansion also taps into a broader global shift toward rail-based tourism. Cross-border spending on rail tours rose 59% between 2019 and 2024, compared to 18% growth in cross-border tourism spending overall, according to Visa. Rail travellers also spend an average of 72% more than non-rail travellers during their trips.
The Jibek Joly is not the only operator targeting the Central Asian rail corridor. British operator Golden Eagle Luxury Trains has launched The Grand Silk Road, a 22-day luxury rail journey spanning approximately 3,862 kilometres from Beijing to Tashkent, with stops including Almaty, Bishkek, Lake Issyk-Kul, Dushanbe, and the major Uzbek heritage cities. Its inaugural departure is scheduled for September 21 to October 12, 2026.
Tourism currently contributes 3.3% to Kazakhstan’s GDP, and the sector continues to grow.