Toshkent · More in Tashkent
Thirteen underground palaces: marble, ceramics, chandeliers and even outer space.
The Tashkent Metro is more than transport: it is an underground gallery of architecture and decorative art. Marble and granite, colourful ceramics, mosaics, stained glass and striking chandeliers. Every station has its own character: some look like an Eastern palace, others tell stories about space, literature or the history of the capital.
We picked 13 of the most beautiful stations. Tap a station on the map to see its photo, and check the scheme before you go: the network keeps growing. Taking photos in the metro has been allowed since 2018; just follow the staff’s instructions.
01 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
Calm, solemn architecture: a domed ceiling with a marble pattern and hanging chandeliers over the platform. Named after Abu Rayhan al-Biruni, the great scholar-encyclopedist of the medieval East. Look at how symmetry, stone and soft light work together.
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02 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
A richly decorated station: coloured glass panels, marble columns and lamps set a rhythm that runs the whole length of the platform. The name means “peace”. A treat for anyone who likes to study interior details.
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03 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
Massive columns contrast with colourful ceramic panels; turquoise stone and ornament make the hall expressive without overloading it. Named after Gafur Gulam, the 20th-century Uzbek poet and writer.
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04 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
One of the most recognisable stations in Tashkent. Arches, blue domes and fine ornament echo the historic madrasas and mosques of Uzbekistan, while ceramic panels tell the story of the poet Alisher Navoi. Transfer to Paxtakor.
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05 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
A station about space. Deep blues fade into darker tones, and a long light line on the ceiling looks like the Milky Way. Ceramic medallions show the heroes of space flight, including Yuri Gagarin and Valentina Tereshkova. One of the most unusual interiors in the metro.
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06 · Oʻzbekiston line · blue
Dedicated to the history and image of the capital, with blue-and-white ceramic panels about city life and Uzbek heritage. A good example of how the metro uses art to tell the story of the city, not just to move passengers. Next to the main railway station.
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07 · Chilonzor line · red
Part of the very first section of the Tashkent metro, opened in 1977. Colourful ceramic panels and huge chandeliers; less obvious symbolism than elsewhere, but you can feel the monumental style of the early metro: rich materials, big scale and careful symmetry.
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08 · Chilonzor line · red
A restrained, strict station: a clear rhythm of columns and laconic geometry create a sense of space and order. The name means “Friendship of Peoples”. In 2008–2018 it was called Bunyodkor, after the football club, and then got its historic name back.
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09 · Chilonzor line · red
The main motif is the cotton plant: blue-green mosaics with plant forms recall the crop that shaped Uzbekistan’s economy and daily life for decades. The name means “cotton grower”. Linked by a passage to Alisher Navoiy, so it is easy to add to an art-metro walk.
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10 · Chilonzor line · red
Independence Square, one of the grandest stations of the old metro. Light stone, columns and a carefully built perspective give the hall a ceremonial look. Look down at the floor pattern and at how the stone plays with light. The square itself is right above.
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11 · Yunusobod line · green
Named after the famous Uzbek musician and collector of musical heritage. Big marble columns and a wide staircase, the architectural centrepiece of the hall. Transfer to Amir Temur Xiyoboni.
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12 · Yunusobod line · green
A symmetrical platform hall with colourful inlays on the columns; the mix of cool and warm tones makes it stand out, though it is calmer than the most lavish stations. Named after Abdulla Qodiriy, one of the founders of modern Uzbek literature.
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13 · Yunusobod line · green
A light ceiling with blue geometric patterns, small ceramic details and modern lamps. The repeating shapes feel almost futuristic, and warm light softens the strict geometry. Opened in 2001; the network has grown a lot since.
Open on the map ↗All photos on this page went through a retro filter. The real shine of the marble, the glow of the chandeliers and the colours of the mosaics can only be seen underground. Your challenge: find all 13 stations and decide which one is the most beautiful.
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