The earthen walls, battlements and stairway of Ichan-Kala in Khiva.
Ichan-Kala walls, photographed in September 2025. Petar Milošević · CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized for this page.

01

The route: six nights, three cities, one direction

Day 1 is the arrival in Urgench and the transfer to Khiva; day 7 is the departure from Samarkand, or from Tashkent after a morning train. Each city has an arrival afternoon and one full day. There is no Tashkent stay and no return journey: the trip starts at the western end of the railway and ends with a choice of departure airports.

This is the mirror of the four-cities-in-one-week route, which goes west by train and flies back. Choose this route when Tashkent is not on your list, when your airline flies to Urgench, or when you would rather finish with a short train than start the departure day with a flight. Travellers who want the capital as well should use the 10-day route, which travels in the opposite direction and exits from Urgench.

Suggested itinerary and overnight stops; confirm the Urgench arrival, the two trains and the exit flight for your dates before fixing hotel nights.
DayMain planJourneySleep
1Arrive at Urgench; transfer to Khiva; first walk inside Ichan-KalaFlight to Urgench, then about 35 km by road or the airport trainKhiva · night 1
2A full Ichan-Kala day, or the city in the morning and Nurullaboy Palace after lunchNoneKhiva · night 2
3Train 707 to Bukhara; Lyabi Hauz and the trading domes in the late afternoonXiva 09:55 → Buxoro-1 14:32, then Kogon to the old townBukhara · night 3
4Samanid Mausoleum, Bolo Hauz, the Ark and Poi KalonNoneBukhara · night 4
5Morning train to Samarkand; Registan and Gur-e AmirBukhara → Samarkand by railSamarkand · night 5
6Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym, Siyob and one optional siteNoneSamarkand · night 6
7Depart from Samarkand airport, or take a morning Afrosiyob to Tashkent for the flightAirport transfer, or about 2 h 10–25 min by rail to TashkentDeparture day

02

Day 1: reaching Urgench and getting to Khiva

There are two ways in. The first is a direct international flight: Uzbekistan Airways opened Urgench–Istanbul in 2021, Turkish Airlines also serves the route, and Russian carriers fly from Moscow, St Petersburg and other cities on set weekdays. The second is a connection at Tashkent airport onto one of about 26 weekly Tashkent–Urgench flights, with Centrum Air daily and Uzbekistan Airways on weekdays. On one ticket the airline protects the connection; on separate tickets, allow several hours and check whether bags must be collected and re-checked. Uzbekistan Airways: Urgench–Istanbul, Aviasales: Tashkent–Urgench

Urgench airport to Khiva is about 35 km. Centrum Air's Uzbek route guide gives 35–45 minutes by taxi on the paved road. Since September 2026 an electric train leaves the airport at 08:40, calls at Urgench and reaches Khiva at 09:22, with an adult fare of 25,000 som; it runs once a day, so it only suits a morning arrival. For any other time, book a taxi with your Khiva hotel's exact address. Centrum Air: Urgench to Khiva, Gazeta.uz: airport train

Use whatever remains of day 1 for a first unhurried walk. The Khiva guide explains the Ichan-Kala ticket, where to stay inside or just outside the walls, and how to split one or two days between the main street, the interiors and Nurullaboy Palace. Starting in Khiva while you are fresh is one of the advantages of this direction.

03

Day 3: the morning train across the desert

The daytime electric train 707 leaves Khiva at 09:55 and reaches Buxoro-1 at 14:32, every day except Tuesday, in five economy carriages with 415 seats. It leaves you the late afternoon and evening in Bukhara on day 3, which is why the route puts Khiva first. Buy the ticket for Xiva to Buxoro-1; the station is in Kogon, so add the ride into the old town. Spot.uz: trains 706 and 707

The alternative is the Jaloliddin Manguberdi, which leaves Khiva at 07:15 or 07:20 every day except Monday and continues to Tashkent after Bukhara; operator listings give a Bukhara arrival around 10:37, but the railway does not publish stop times, so verify the segment on the booking site. If day 3 falls on a Tuesday, the Manguberdi is the train to check first. Spot.uz: Manguberdi second trainset

A private car with stops at the desert castles is the third option and turns day 3 into an excursion rather than a transfer. The Bukhara to Khiva transport guide and the desert castles guide cover what to specify; on a two-night Khiva stay the car makes sense only if you accept a late Bukhara arrival.

04

Days 4–6: a full day each in Bukhara and Samarkand

Spend day 4 exploring Bukhara. The Bukhara guide sets the order from the Samanid Mausoleum and Bolo Hauz through the Ark to Poi Kalon, with the trading domes and Lyabi Hauz already seen on the arrival evening. Stay in or near the old town for both nights.

On day 5, take a morning Afrosiyob or Sharq from Buxoro-1 to Samarkand so you have the afternoon for Registan; the Samarkand to Bukhara guide applies in reverse and explains the stations. Spend day 6 exploring Samarkand: Shah-i-Zinda, Bibi-Khanym and Siyob bazaar, then Ulugh Beg's observatory or Afrasiab as the optional addition, all set out in the Samarkand guide.

If you have an early flight or train on day 7, keep your last evening relaxed and stay close to your hotel.

05

Day 7: leaving from Samarkand, or via Tashkent

Samarkand's airport is the reason this route can skip Tashkent. Its operator's summer-2026 press release lists 18 airlines flying to 19 destinations: Istanbul 13 times a week with Turkish Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways, Moscow's Vnukovo, Sheremetyevo, Domodedovo and Zhukovsky airports with dozens of weekly flights between them, and services to Yekaterinburg, Izmir, Astana, Kazan and Tel Aviv. Later announcements added Antalya and Baku. If one of these matches your route home, book it and end the trip here. Samarkand airport: summer 2026 schedule

If you must fly from Tashkent, use the morning train. Afrosiyob services cover Samarkand–Tashkent in about 2 h 10–25 min, and the timetable in force since 14 December 2025 includes departures through the day; choose one that reaches Tashkent at least four hours before your check-in closes, allowing additional time for the ride from the station to the airport. The Tashkent to Samarkand guide covers the stations in both cities. Spot.uz: Afrosiyob timetable

A same-day train-to-plane connection is the main connection to plan carefully in this route. If your Tashkent flight leaves before midday, add a Tashkent night and make it seven nights, or fly from Samarkand instead.

06

Booking order and budget

Book the flights first: the international ones, then the Tashkent–Urgench connection if you need it. Then buy the two train tickets when sales open 60 days before travel, and finally the six hotel nights. The booking guide walks through the railway's site. Uzbekistan Railways on the 60-day window

Budget six nights, two rail tickets and any domestic flight per person, the Urgench airport transfer, station rides in Kogon and Samarkand, admissions and the departure transfer. The trip-cost guide has the worksheet; because there is no Tashkent stop, exchange some money on arrival at Urgench or in Khiva, following the money guide.

Hotel registration works the same as elsewhere in Uzbekistan and is handled by each hotel at check-in. The visa and registration guide covers entry rules.

07

Longer, shorter and with a Tashkent finish

Add nights at the end rather than the beginning: the Urgench arrival is the least flexible part.

Ways to adapt the eastbound route.
Your situationOvernight stopsWhat changes
Tashkent flight before midday on day 7Khiva 2 → Bukhara 2 → Samarkand 2 → Tashkent 1Seven nights; take the train on day 7 and the flight to day 8
Desert castles matterKhiva 3 → Bukhara 2 → Samarkand 2Day 3 becomes the castles day; the train to Bukhara moves to day 4
Only five nights availableKhiva 1 → Bukhara 2 → Samarkand 2Khiva becomes an evening and a morning; take the Manguberdi or a car with an early start
You want Tashkent as wellSee the 10-day routeTravel west through all four cities and fly home from Urgench

08

What to arrange, and what to book yourself

Flights, the two trains and the hotels are straightforward to book independently. The parts worth delegating are the Urgench airport transfer at an awkward hour and, if you choose it, the car with castle stops on day 3.

OxusRoad can arrange the transfers, trains and hotels or coordinate the full trip. Use the trip inquiry page to send your dates, group size, arrival flight into Urgench, and whether you will leave from Samarkand or Tashkent. We confirm availability and price with you before booking.

Common questions

Is a night in Tashkent really optional?

For a first visit centred on the three historic cities, yes. If you also want to see Tashkent's markets, the Hazrat Imam ensemble and the Civilization Center, choose a route with a full day in the capital.

Can I fly straight to Urgench from abroad?

On some routes. Istanbul has direct flights with two airlines, and several Russian cities have services on set weekdays. Check the weekday pattern for your date; if it does not fit, connect through Tashkent airport on a Tashkent–Urgench flight, of which there are several a day.

What if day 3 is a Tuesday?

Train 707 does not run on Tuesdays. Check the Jaloliddin Manguberdi, which leaves Khiva every morning except Monday and stops at Bukhara, or book a car. Alternatively shift the whole itinerary by a day when you plan.

Should I fly from Samarkand or take the train to Tashkent?

Fly from Samarkand if your airline serves it: the airport now has nineteen destinations, and it removes the train-to-plane connection. Use the train only when the Tashkent flight leaves late enough to absorb a delay of a couple of hours.

Is this route cheaper without Tashkent?

It saves one or two hotel nights and one train, but the Tashkent–Urgench connection adds a flight unless you fly to Urgench directly. Compare the two options for your dates with the trip-cost worksheet; the answer depends on the fares more than on the route.

Sources and checks

Sources checked on 16 September 2026, primarily in Uzbek with Russian follow-up. The eastbound overnight plan and the exit rule are OxusRoad editorial recommendations. Manguberdi stop times at Bukhara are operator figures. International flight patterns change by season; confirm flights, trains and opening arrangements for your dates.

CONTINUE PLANNING

Khiva in one or two days: a practical city planBukhara to Khiva: trains, transfers and arrival planningSamarkand to Bukhara: trains, stations and transfer choicesFour cities in one week: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva with one flightUzbekistan in 10 days