Abu Dhabi to Tashkent Daily: Etihad Brings the Gulf to the Silk Road

Is there a direct flight from Abu Dhabi to Uzbekistan? Yes. Since August 2026, Etihad Airways flies daily nonstop between Abu Dhabi and Tashkent in about four and a half hours, and a codeshare with Uzbekistan Airways connects the same ticket onward to eight Uzbek cities, including Samarkand, Bukhara and Urgench for Khiva. Emirates, flydubai, Air Arabia and Uzbekistan Airways also link the UAE with Tashkent.

Picture it: you board after dinner in Abu Dhabi, and before dawn you are breathing cool Central Asian air. A few hours later the call to prayer rolls across the old quarter of Tashkent, sunlight catches a turquoise dome, and the Silk Road you read about as a child is suddenly outside your window. For travellers from the Gulf, Uzbekistan has never felt closer.

Abu Dhabi to Tashkent: Etihad's daily flight and onward connections

Etihad launched its first-ever route to Uzbekistan in August 2026, and the airline said the inaugural flight was sold out. According to The National, the service runs daily on an Airbus A320. From 1 September 2026 the schedule is: EY830 leaves Abu Dhabi at 9.20pm and lands in Tashkent at 1.50am; the return EY831 departs Tashkent at 3.35am and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 6.25am. Always confirm the current timetable with the airline before booking.

The real advantage is the codeshare with Uzbekistan Airways. As UzDaily reports, the partnership gives passengers more travel options under a single ticket, and Etihad travellers connecting in Tashkent can continue to Andijan, Bukhara, Fergana, Namangan, Nukus, Samarkand, Termez and Urgench. For families from Riyadh, Doha, Kuwait or Muscat flying via Abu Dhabi, that means one booking from the Gulf to the heart of the Silk Road.

If you prefer Dubai or Sharjah, you have choices too: Emirates and flydubai fly Dubai–Tashkent, Air Arabia serves Tashkent from Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, and Uzbekistan Airways operates daily services to Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Islamic heritage of Uzbekistan: from Tashkent's Hazrati Imam to Samarkand and Bukhara

Many Gulf travellers come for faith as much as for history, and Tashkent is a moving first stop. The Hazrati Imam (Khast Imam) ensemble grew around the tomb of Abu Bakr Muhammad Kaffal Shashi, one of the first imams of Tashkent, a scholar who studied in Syria, Iraq and Iran and performed Hajj. Inside the Muyi Muborak madrasa, according to OrexCA, visitors can see a monumental Quran written in Kufic script on deer skin and traditionally associated with the era of Caliph Uthman ibn Affan. The neighbouring Imam al-Bukhari Islamic Institute, opened in 1971, still trains imams and teachers of Arabic today.

From Tashkent, the high-speed Afrosiyob train or a short domestic flight takes you to Samarkand, city of Registan Square and the Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, and on to Bukhara, whose old town has welcomed scholars and pilgrims for centuries. Our tour through Uzbekistan's Islamic heritage and the Uzbekistan pilgrimage (ziyarat) tour are built around these sacred sites, with prayer times, halal dining and unhurried visits planned in.

Uzbekistan travel from the Gulf: why autumn and winter are the right time

When Gulf summers ease, Uzbekistan offers something different: golden autumn days, crisp evenings in the old caravan cities and a real change of season. Mornings at the Registan, afternoons among the bazaars of Bukhara, a warm bowl of plov in a family courtyard — it is a journey that feels both deeply familiar and completely new.

For families and private groups who want comfort at every step, our VIP Uzbekistan 7-day tour (Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva) combines private guides, comfortable transfers and handpicked hotels. Entry rules depend on your passport: Uzbekistan offers visa-free entry to citizens of around 90 countries, so please check the current requirements for your nationality on our Uzbekistan visa page before you fly.

Plan your Silk Road journey with a local team

GoUzbekistan is a licensed tour operator with offices in Tashkent and Bukhara, operating since 2007. We meet you at the airport, match your flight to the right train or domestic connection, and design every day around your family's pace. Tell us your dates and we will do the rest: create your own custom tour or explore our tours. Questions? WhatsApp +998 93 963-00-00 or email info@gouzbekistan.com.

Plan your Uzbekistan trip — in your language

العربية

السياحة في أوزبكستان أصبحت أقرب من أي وقت مضى: رحلة يومية مباشرة من أبوظبي إلى طشقند في نحو أربع ساعات ونصف، ثم مواصلة الرحلة بتذكرة واحدة إلى سمرقند وبخارى على طريق الحرير. اكتشف مصحف عثمان في مجمع حضرة إمام والتراث الإسلامي العريق. صمّم رحلتك الخاصة

Deutsch

Ihre Usbekistan Reise beginnt mit kurzen Wegen: Über Taschkent erreichen Sie Samarkand und Buchara bequem per Inlandsflug oder Schnellzug. Erleben Sie eine Seidenstraße Rundreise mit privaten Guides und viel Zeit für Samarkand. Jetzt Reise planen

Español

Viajes a Uzbekistán más fáciles que nunca: desde Taskent, vuelos internos y trenes de alta velocidad te llevan a Samarcanda, Bujará y Jiva. Recorre la Ruta de la Seda con guías locales y un itinerario a tu medida. Diseña tu viaje

Français

Un voyage Ouzbékistan au cœur de l'héritage islamique : mosquées de Tachkent, médersas de Boukhara et coupoles turquoise de Samarcande. Suivez la Route de la Soie avec une équipe locale qui organise chaque détail. Créez votre voyage

中文

乌兹别克斯坦旅游从塔什干开始：乘坐国内航班或高速列车，即可前往撒马尔罕、布哈拉和希瓦。沿着丝绸之路，探访伊斯兰古迹与蓝色穹顶，由本地团队为您定制行程。定制您的行程

Русский

Туры в Узбекистан начинаются в Ташкенте: оттуда внутренние рейсы и скоростные поезда «Афросиаб» доставят вас в Самарканд, Бухару и Хиву. Откройте Шёлковый путь с местной командой и индивидуальной программой. Создайте свой тур