How to get to Bukhara

The railway is the most popular way to reach Bukhara. Uzbekistan’s high-speed Afrosiyob trains run from Tashkent via Samarkand to Bukhara. The journey from Tashkent takes about 4 hours, and from Samarkand about 1.5–2 hours. Slower Sharq express trains and regular passenger trains also run on the route, taking longer but often with more seats available.

Trains are comfortable and punctual, with air conditioning, assigned seats and a snack service on the Afrosiyob. Tickets go on sale in advance, usually around 45 days before departure, and the fast trains often sell out in spring and autumn, so book as early as you can. Bring your passport: it is needed to buy tickets and to board.

Since the opening of the line across the Kyzylkum desert, trains also link Bukhara with Urgench and Khiva, taking roughly 6–7 hours. There are a limited number of departures, so check the schedule well in advance.

Bukhara’s main station is in the town of Kagan, about 15 km south-east of the old city. A taxi takes around 20–30 minutes. Use a ride-hailing app or agree the fare before getting in. Many guesthouses can arrange a pick-up. Local buses and minibuses also run into Bukhara but are slower and harder to use with luggage. If you have a booked tour or transfer, your driver will meet you on the platform or at the exit.

Bukhara International Airport is about 5 km east of the old city, 10–15 minutes by taxi. There are domestic flights from Tashkent (about 1 hour 15 minutes) and a growing number of international routes, most commonly to Moscow and other Russian cities, Istanbul and some Gulf and Central Asian cities. Routes change by season, so check current schedules.

Flying is useful if you arrive in Uzbekistan through Tashkent late in the day or want to start your trip in Bukhara and finish in Samarkand and Tashkent. For most people, though, the train is cheaper and more pleasant.

From Samarkand: about 270 km, roughly 3.5–4 hours by car on a good highway. A private car with a driver allows stops on the way: the caravanserai of Rabati Malik and its water cistern (sardoba), the town of Navoi, or a detour north to Nurata and the yurt camps of Lake Aydarkul, which turns the transfer into an overnight trip.

From Khiva: about 450 km across the Kyzylkum desert, 6–7 hours by car. The road runs for a long stretch near the Amu Darya river and the border with Turkmenistan, with views of the river and the desert. There are few places to stop, so bring water and snacks. Shared taxis also run, but a private car is more comfortable.

From Tashkent: about 570 km, 7–8 hours by car. The train is much faster.

The Alat–Farap border crossing lies south-west of Bukhara, about 1.5 hours by car, on the road towards Turkmenabat in Turkmenistan. It is used by travellers combining Uzbekistan with Turkmenistan and the Darvaza gas crater. Turkmenistan requires a visa or letter of invitation for most nationalities, and tourists generally travel with a licensed agency. There is a neutral zone between the posts, sometimes crossed on foot or by a shuttle. Check the current opening status and rules before you plan.

The old city is compact and best explored on foot; most guesthouses are within walking distance of Lyabi-Hauz and Poi Kalyan. Taxis are cheap for the station, the airport and sights outside the centre such as Sitorai Mohi-Hosa and the Bahauddin Naqshband complex. Ride-hailing apps work in Bukhara. Some streets in the centre are pedestrian or closed to traffic, so taxis may drop you at the edge of the old city.

Bukhara usually comes between Samarkand and Khiva on the classic route through Uzbekistan. A common plan is Tashkent → Samarkand by fast train, Samarkand → Bukhara by train or by car via Nurata, Bukhara → Khiva by train or car, and a flight back to Tashkent from Urgench. See also how to get to Samarkand, our 7-day and 10-day itineraries, and how many days to spend in Uzbekistan. We can arrange train tickets, transfers and drivers for every leg.