Tashkent has an efficient transport system with taxis, buses, trolleybuses, trams and the underground. What's more, public transport is cheap and dependable.

This Uzbekistan Transportation Guide has general information about getting to and around Uzbekistan. You may also find our Uzbekistan Country Guide useful when planning your trip, and what better way to taste the local culture than by taking an interesting locally run Uzbekistan tour. For more local travel information, take a look at our sites below:

- Samarkand
- Tashkent

Uzbekistan Transportation Guide

Getting to Uzbekistan

By Air

The national airline, Uzbekistan Airways (HY), has added several new routes since the country's independence. It offers regular flights to London, Birmingham, Athens, Frankfurt, Paris, Beijing, Bangkok, Dhaka, Delhi, Istanbul, Kuala Lumpur, New York, Seoul and Tel Aviv.

Tashkent International Airport is in southern Tashkent, around 11km (7 miles) from the centre. It's easy to get a bus from the airport to the city centre (journey time - 30 minutes to 1 hour). Trains and trolley buses ply from the centre to the airport (journey time - 10-20 minutes). Taxis are also available (journey time - 15-20 minutes).
Facilities: Duty-free shops, bureau de change, restaurants, and bars.
Departure Tax: None

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Flights to Uzbekistan

By Rail

All rail routes from Central Asia connect with Tashkent. Trains travel west to Ashgabat in Turkmenistan, south to Samarkhand, continuing to Dushanbe (Tajikistan), to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan) and Almaty (Kazakhstan) in the east; and on to Moscow (Russian Federation) in the north. The trip from Tashkent to Moscow takes almost three days along the Saratov-Syr Darya Line.

There is a spur line to the Ferghana Valley (east Uzkebkistan), which connects with Osh in Kyrgyzstan. You can travel to China through Almaty, and also to the Middle East and Iran (via Turkmenistan). Although foreigners are required to pay for their rail tickets in cash, preferably US dollars, rail travel here is a cheap alternative by Western standards.

By Road

Uzbekistan is connected by road to all its neighbours. However, only Uzbek and Afghan nationals are allowed to cross the border between Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. Be careful around the Kyrgyz-Uzbek border, which has witnessed a number of violent incidents; it's also best not to drive over yourself. Get in touch with your local embassy for details.

Bus: You can find a bus that will take you into any of the neighbouring countries, but this option is unreliable as occasionally the border between Uzbekistan and Tajikistan is closed. Long-distance buses are available at the bus station in Tashkent near the metro station. Travellers from abroad need to pay in cash for their tickets.

Car hire: For long distance travel, you can hire chauffeur-driven cars. Be prepared to pay the drivers in US dollars. You'll find these cars at the long-distance train and bus stations.

Getting Around Uzbekistan

You'll find Spartan conditions on domestic flights. So, pack your own lunch. Be warned that these services have a long way to go before they meet international safety standards. If you're looking for a short haul vehicle between cities, try the popular shared vehicle, 'marshrutnoe', usually a Daewoo minivan. For travel to longer distances like Tashkent to Samarkhand and beyond, your best bet is the train. Getting around Uzbekistan by bus may be the cheapest option, but it's not the quickest or the most comfortable. Taxis are the best option for relatively comfortable travel to out of the way places, and they cost only a little more than buses.

By Air

Uzbekistan Airways has regular flights to all the important cities and towns in Uzbekistan. Destinations include Karshi, Andijan, Navoi (a 45-minute bus trip from Bukhara), Namangan, Nukus, Samarkhand, Tashkent and Termez.

Journey time from Tashkent to Termez is 1 hour 20 minutes, to Nukus 2 hours, to Samarkhand 40 minutes, to Navoi 1 hour and to Namangan 1 hour 40 minutes.

By Rail

The two railway stations in the north and south of Tashkent connect travellers to the Ferghana Valley, Termez, Bukhara, Samarkand and Nukus. The Trans-Caspian Railway takes passengers across the country from Chardzhou (Turkmenistan) through Kagan (near Bukhara), and Samarkhand and Dzhizak, where the line branches off to link with Tashkent. Take special care of your valuables. Keep them under your seat, and don't leave your compartment unless there is someone inside to keep an eye on your belongings.

By Road

The Republic of Uzbekistan has a reasonably good road network. Traffic keeps to the right.

Bus: Services link together all the main towns in Uzbekistan and are reliable and cheap.

Taxi: You can hire a taxi or car in any of the major towns. Many of the taxis don't have licences, but it is safer to hire officially marked taxis. You are advised to decide on the fare in advance, and avoid sharing taxis with strangers. When you ask for directions, remember that since independence, some of the streets have new names. Therefore, it is better to find out the old as well as the new names. You can hire a car by the hour, the day, the week or by the trip.

Note: Make sure that the driver of your hired car possesses an International Driving Permit. If you want to travel to Termez and other places in the region of Surkhandarya, you must obtain permission in Tashkent from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The permit usually takes five days to come through.