Kazakhstan national railway company (KTZ) and its counterpart in the neighboring country of Uzbekistan (UTY) have agreed to launch an international service between the cities of Almaty and Tashkent for which they will make use of the new wide-bodyshell Talgo trains, which are suitable for a maximum speed of 200 km/h and, in addition to shortening travel times thanks to its passive tilting technology, offer even more interior space and more amenities than previously supplied trains.

These trains make use of a wider bodyshell to get the most from the standard dimensions of the railway network in the region. The new trains not only use the Russian track-gauge width (1,520 mm) which is present in both countries, but they also make a more efficient use of the loading gauge: the maximum width and height that a car may have in the rail network, and that is greater than the Spanish or European loading gauges.

The new trains have been certified according to the Eurasian Customs Union’s technical regulations to run at a maximum speed of 200 km per hour and to endure Kazakhstan’s extreme temperatures, which may oscillate between + 45ºC and -50ºC. Before start circulating last December in the Kazakh domestic network, trains had to pass a thorough certification testing process throughout Europe: load tests in Leipzig (Germany), fatigue tests in Madrid (Spain) and wind and resistance tests under extreme climate conditions and humidity levels in Vienna (Austria). The dynamic tests were carried out at 200 km per hour in Kazakhstan.

The new 16-hours service -using Talgo wide-bodyshell trains for the first time- will connect the most populated city of Kazakhstan and the capital of Uzbekistan, bringing together around four million inhabitants. Both operators have agreed that the route will offer two services per direction every week, with departures on Saturdays and Mondays from Almaty, and on Sundays and Tuesdays on the opposite direction. The Talgo trains will stop at Otar, Chu, Taraz, Shymkent, Saryagash and Tashkent stations.

An evolved design

The new Talgo wide-bodyshell trains offer maximum accessibility and comfort for the passenger, being the only rail vehicle of its kind that does not require steps to get on or get off of the coaches, due to its floor being at the same level as the station’s platform and with no interior barriers. Its design is an evolution of the 2.950mm-wide cars that Talgo has been manufacturing in the country since the beginning of this decade.

As in previous services provided by KTZ, there are three categories available: Grand Class, Business class and Tourist class. The Grand Class bed cars incorporate bedroom suites for two people and include toilet and shower. The access to the car and the cabins are adapted for people with reduced mobility.

On the other hand, Business bed cars incorporate compartments for 2 people with bunk beds and washbasin. The Tourist bed cars incorporate compartments for 4 people with bunk beds.

Talgo Technology on both sides of the border

In a country that exceeds five times the size of Spain, and thanks to the fleet of Talgo trains, KTZ currently offers a service network in Kazakhstan with an extension similar to that from the Pyrenees to the Baltic Sea, and from the North Sea to the Balkans.

In Uzbekistan, UTY has a small fleet of high-speed trains based on the T250 model, formed by two nine-car units. A third train of 11 cars has lately been added to the composition. In the coming weeks it is expected that the Uzbek Company will be able to receive its fourth high-speed train, the only one of its kind in Central Asia.