Samarkand Station, all aboard, Bukhara bound.

The railways arrived in Uzbekistan at the end of the 19th century, ensuring that the great trading route of the Silk Road continued into modern times.

The Russian Empire as well as seizing economic opportunities saw the building of railroads throughout Central Asia as paramount to increasing their military strength and control within the region.

A network of tracks were laid a length in total of over 4,000 miles. Samarkand the ancient trading post became part of the Trans Caspian railroad. That stretched from Tashkent to the Caspian Sea.

The original station was guilt here in 1889, it is long gone, it has been reconstructed many time over the decades today the station is modern, clean and bright

Over a century after the first chuff chuff made its way along the tracks the Uzbekistan Railway opened a high-speed rail line, the first of its kind in Central Asia, connecting its two largest cities, Samarkand and Tashkent, it was constructed in just five months.

Operating at speeds up to 155 mph cutting a journey that was once five hours into a pleasant two-hours.

Next stop Bukhara, 150 miles away, a journey through the wastelands cost £8, cheap as chips, see you in 2hr.40 min.