Exploring Tashkent Metro: A Journey Through Uzbekistan’s Underground Beauty
On a busy weekday morning, trains arrive and depart as passengers navigate through Alisher Navoi station, which serves as an interchange between the central Uzbekistan and Chilanzar lines. Commuters are greeted by a sight that has become increasingly common: a group of tourists, cameras in hand, posing for photos beneath the station’s ornate blue-domed arches within the Tashkent metro system.
For decades, taking photographs in the Uzbek capital’s metro was strictly forbidden as it was considered a matter of state national security. Photography of vital infrastructure, including bridges and army bases, was banned. However, as Uzbekistan continues to undergo political and economic reforms, significant changes have taken place. In late 2018, these restrictions were lifted, allowing photographers to explore and capture what is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful Soviet metro systems ever constructed.
Author and photographer Stephen Lioy was among the first to document this incredible underground system in the Tashkent metro.
Under the magnificent blue domes of Alisher Navoi station, reminiscent of Uzbekistan’s historic Silk Road mosques and madrasas, commuters transfer between Tashkent metro’s two busiest lines. Completed in 1977, Tashkent’s underground metro became the seventh system built in the former USSR. Each station is a unique artwork, featuring stylistic interpretations of Soviet and Uzbek history and culture, making this metro system one of the most visually impressive in the world.
Similar to the metro systems in major cities like Moscow, St Petersburg, Kyiv, and Minsk, Tashkent’s metro was designed to be an enhanced version of public transport, integrating art and culture into the daily lives of its citizens. Upon completion, during the height of the Cold War, the stations also served as fallout shelters in case of nuclear attacks.
Notably, in June 2018, Tashkent metro transitioned away from being classified as a military installation, enabling photography without the fear of detention. Since then, a steady influx of photographers—both tourists and locals—has been exploring the metro, capturing the journey within this significant Uzbek landmark.
Many stations, especially those from the initial 1977 construction, showcase elements of Uzbek history and Soviet culture. Some stations capture stylistic influences with orientalist designs and geometric patterns. Kosmonavtlar station pays homage to the pioneers of the Soviet space program, notably Yuri Gagarin, the first cosmonaut. Meanwhile, Pushkin station honors the famed author and poet who, despite never visiting Central Asia, remains influential in post-Soviet literature. Local literary figures are also recognized; Khamid Olimjon station celebrates a remarkable 20th-century Uzbek writer, while Alisher Navoi station—perhaps the most stunning—highlights the enduring legacy of the renowned Silk Road writer and artist in Uzbek culture.
The themes of the stations are often reflective of contemporary issues as well. The cotton depicted in traditional-looking green and blue mosaics inside Pakhtakor station (which translates to ‘cotton picker’) signifies the historical significance of cotton in the Uzbek economy, a status that remains relevant today. Despite the controversial aspects of the cotton industry regarding human rights violations, recent reforms in Uzbekistan’s political climate indicate a shifting attitude toward globalization and commitment to international standards in labor and human rights.
Indeed, another station illustrates Uzbekistan’s strides towards modernization and openness: Buyuk Ipak Yuli, or ‘Great Silk Road’. The clean, modern design and spacious layout of the station—renamed from Maxim Gorky station during the post-Soviet period—reflect the nation’s evolving perspective towards the global community, particularly in terms of tourism. These contemporary spaces, built alongside historic motifs, are welcoming to both local and foreign visitors, offering ample opportunities for photographs along this modern interpretation of the ancient Silk Road.
