LocationsA Cleaner Commute for a Growing City
June 24, 2026
Every morning, Tashkent begins to move early.
Parents take children to school. Students rush to universities. Office workers cross the city to reach jobs, clinics, markets, and homes. For years, however, navigating the growing capital often meant long commutes, traffic congestion, crowded buses, and worsening air pollution.
Today, a new generation of electric buses is transforming how the city moves.
Across Tashkent, sleek blue electric buses travel along modernized routes and dedicated bus lanes, carrying passengers more quietly, comfortably, and efficiently through one of Central Asia’s fastest-growing cities.
For many commuters, the difference is immediately noticeable.
"The buses are much more comfortable and quieter now. The city feels more modern," Totya Useinova shares while commuting through central Tashkent.
The project, implemented through a partnership between the Government of Uzbekistan, the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and UNDP, supported a large-scale modernization of urban public transport infrastructure aimed at improving mobility, reducing emissions, and creating a more sustainable urban environment.
At the heart of the transformation is the introduction of 524 electric buses into Tashkent’s public transport fleet—one of the largest transitions toward electric urban mobility in the region. Together, these buses are helping avoid approximately 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions annually, making a significant contribution to cleaner air and the city’s long-term climate goals.
But the project was never only about buses.
The modernization effort also included the development of a Green Transport Corridor featuring upgraded roads and intersections, dedicated bus lanes, improved traffic management systems, and smarter mobility infrastructure designed to reduce congestion and improve travel efficiency across the city.
For commuters, this translates into something very practical: less time spent in traffic and a more predictable daily routine.
"Before, getting across the city could take a very long time because of traffic," another commuter explains. "Now public transport feels faster and more organized."
The benefits are reflected in public perception. According to a survey conducted among 600 residents and corridor users, overall satisfaction with the transport corridor reached 90 percent, demonstrating strong public support for the improvements in service quality, reliability, accessibility, and travel comfort.
The project also contributes to cleaner urban air and a quieter city environment by reducing dependence on conventional diesel-powered transport.
As Tashkent continues to grow, environmental pressures linked to urbanization and traffic have become increasingly visible. The transition to electric mobility represents an important step toward reducing transport-related emissions while improving quality of life for residents.
The impact of the Green Transport Corridor extends beyond mobility and environmental improvements. Enhanced accessibility and improved urban infrastructure have generated tangible economic benefits for communities along the route. Following the establishment of the corridor, property values increased by up to 15 percent, reflecting greater attractiveness of surrounding neighborhoods and growing investor confidence. Local businesses have also experienced significant gains, with business revenues increasing by 29 percent, driven by higher customer footfall, improved accessibility, and a more vibrant urban environment.
Inside the buses, the changes are equally visible.
Modern interiors, digital systems, accessibility features, and smoother rides are helping reshape public perceptions of urban transport. Elderly passengers, families with children, and daily commuters now experience a system designed to be more comfortable, inclusive, and user-friendly. We can now see women behind the wheel too, although for many years these jobs were not available to them.
Drivers also describe the transformation as significant.
"My father used to drive a bus for more than 20 years. It was interesting for me, but I never imagined a woman as a bus driver myself," says Aziza Rakhmonberdieva, one of the women training as bus drivers. "In the past, buses used to be old, the steering used to be heavy,But today everything is modern, light, comfortable and easy to handle."
Beyond infrastructure, the project reflects a broader vision for the future of greener urban living in Uzbekistan and underscores a simple but important reality: sustainable urban development is ultimately about people.
Cleaner buses mean cleaner air.
Faster commutes mean more time with family.
Better mobility means greater access to opportunities across the city.
The results are already visible across Tashkent. A fleet of 524 electric buses is helping avoid approximately 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions each year. A survey of 600 users found a 90 percent satisfaction rate with the Green Transport Corridor. Property values along the corridor have increased by up to 15 percent, while local businesses have reported a 29 percent increase in revenues. Together, these outcomes demonstrate how sustainable urban mobility investments can deliver environmental, social, and economic benefits simultaneously.
For Tashkent’s residents, the shift toward greener public transport is already becoming part of everyday life—helping to shape a city that is not only growing, but growing more sustainably, inclusively, and comfortably for the future.
Today, the Green Transport Corridor stands as a practical example of how investments in sustainable mobility can create cleaner streets, more efficient journeys, stronger local economies, and a better quality of life for current and future generations.
