All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Tashkent

    • May 11, 2026
    • BBC Two

    Michael Portillo embarks on a thrilling new railway adventure following the Silk Road through the most populous country of Central Asia, Uzbekistan.

  • S01E02 Tashkent to Samarkand

    • May 12, 2026
    • BBC Two

    Michael Portillo continues his railway tour on Tashkent’s suburban electric railway, and in Samarkand, witnesses the magnificent architecture of the Registan.

  • S01E03 Samarkand

    • May 13, 2026
    • BBC Two

    Michael Portillo’s railway adventure in Uzbekistan continues in Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in Central Asia.

  • S01E04 Samarkand to Bukhara

    • May 14, 2026
    • BBC Two

    Michael uncovers the Central Asian origins of the apple in the lush oasis surrounding Samarkand, and in Bukhara, stands in the shadow of the city's fortified Ark.

  • S01E05 Bukhara to the Kyzylkum Desert

    • May 15, 2026
    • BBC Two

    Michael 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.