Great Central Asian Railway JourneysSeries 1Season 1 · 2026 · 5 episodesEpisodes1TashkentMichael Portillo embarks on a thrilling new railway adventure following the Silk Road through the most populous country of Central Asia, Uzbekistan.2Tashkent to SamarkandMichael Portillo continues his railway tour on Tashkent’s suburban electric railway, and in Samarkand, witnesses the magnificent architecture of the Registan.3SamarkandMichael Portillo’s railway adventure in Uzbekistan continues in Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia.4Samarkand to BukharaMichael uncovers the Central Asian origins of the apple in the lush oasis surrounding Samarkand, and stands in the shadow of the fortified Ark of Bukhara.5Bukhara to the Kyzylkum DesertMichael Portillo’s railway adventure through Uzbekistan reaches its finale in the historic city of Bukhara. He visits a centuries-old Jewish community and experiences the life of nomadic tribes.
