Uzbekistan Airways to Add Four New Flights Connecting St. Petersburg to Major Uzbek Cities
St. Petersburg, The Gulf Observer: This fall, Uzbekistan Airways will introduce four additional flights connecting St. Petersburg to major cities in Uzbekistan. The winter schedule will feature flights from Tashkent, Urgench, Samarkand, and Karshi to St. Petersburg, enhancing connectivity between the two regions.
The expanded winter schedule will also include direct flights from Tashkent to popular international destinations such as Goa (India), Phuket (Thailand), and Nha Trang (Vietnam), offering convenient connections for passengers from St. Petersburg.
“In the winter schedule, we plan to increase the frequency of flights. Currently, we operate 23 flights a week, and with the start of the winter schedule, this will increase to 27 flights. We will enhance the frequency of flights to Tashkent, Urgench, Samarkand, and Karshi. While we are not planning new destinations from St. Petersburg at this time, the new routes to Goa, Phuket, and Nha Trang from Tashkent are particularly appealing for passengers from St. Petersburg due to the convenient connections,” said Khushnud Artikov, director of the Uzbekistan Airways representative office in St. Petersburg.
Artikov also highlighted the growing interest among Russians in tourism to Uzbekistan, noting that Tashkent Airport is becoming a favored transport hub for travel to Europe and Asia. The airline is optimizing its schedule to provide convenient connections for Russian residents.
Consul General of Uzbekistan in St. Petersburg, Abdurakhmon Makhmudov, mentioned that Uzbekistan anticipates the number of tourists from Russia to rise to 1 million this year, up from approximately 714,000 Russian tourists last year. By 2027, authorities expect the tourist flow to increase to 2 million annually, as reported by TASS.
Makhmudov also noted the growing demand for holidays in Russian cities among Uzbekistani residents. Efforts by businesses and authorities in both countries aim to boost inbound tourism to Russia from Uzbekistan, not only in traditional tourism but also in niche areas such as medical and business tourism. St. Petersburg remains a top destination, with 800,000 trips made from Uzbekistan to Russia last year.
Asiyat Khalvashi, director of aviation commerce at Pulkovo operator Northern Capital Gateway, added that passenger traffic of Uzbekistan Airways at St. Petersburg airport has increased by 27% in the first five months of this year compared to the same period in 2023.
