How to get to Tashkent: airport, trains and borders

Most visitors arrive at Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport (TAS), the main gateway to Uzbekistan, with flights from Europe, Turkey, the Middle East, Russia and Asia. The airport has separate terminals for international and domestic flights, a short distance apart. Many international flights land at night or in the early morning; plan your transfer in advance.

After passport control and customs, you will find currency exchange, ATMs and SIM card counters in the arrivals area. Buy a local SIM card if you want mobile data for maps and ride-hailing apps; you will need your passport. See our Uzbekistan visa and entry guide for entry rules.

Ride-hailing: the most convenient and transparent option. Apps such as Yandex Go operate in Tashkent; the fare is calculated in advance and is low by international standards. You need mobile data or the airport Wi-Fi. Pick-up points are just outside the terminal.

Taxi: drivers wait in the arrivals area and may approach you. Agree a price before you get in, as unofficial drivers often ask much more than the normal fare. Official taxis and counters are a safer choice.

Pre-booked transfer: your hotel or tour operator can arrange a driver who will wait with your name. This is the easiest option after a long night flight. We arrange airport transfers for all our travellers.

Public transport: city buses run from near the airport to the centre, but they are not practical with luggage. The metro does not reach the airport terminals directly.

The journey to the centre takes 15–25 minutes, depending on traffic.

Tashkent has two main railway stations. Tashkent (sometimes called the North station), near Toshkent metro station, handles most long-distance and high-speed trains, including the Afrosiyob to Samarkand (about 2–2.5 hours) and Bukhara (about 4 hours). Tashkent South station serves some other routes. Check which station your train uses.

Trains also connect Tashkent with Khiva and Urgench (overnight), Termez, and the cities of the Fergana Valley, via a tunnel under the Kamchik pass. See how to get to Samarkand, how to get to Bukhara and how to get to Khiva.

From the domestic terminal, flights link Tashkent with Urgench (for Khiva), Bukhara, Samarkand, Nukus, Termez, Karshi, Navoi and the Fergana Valley cities. Flights are useful for long distances: a common plan is to travel west by train and return from Urgench to Tashkent by air at the end of the trip.

Tashkent lies close to the border with Kazakhstan, and the main crossing at Gisht Kuprik (Zhibek Zholy on the Kazakh side) is on the northern edge of the city, used by travellers from Shymkent and Almaty. Other borders are further away: Tajikistan at Oybek, south of Tashkent, on the road to Khujand, and Kyrgyzstan via the Fergana Valley, near Andijan. Rules and opening hours change; check before you travel.

Roads link Tashkent with Samarkand (about 4 hours by car) and the Fergana Valley over the Kamchik pass (about 4–5 hours to Kokand). Shared taxis leave from designated stands for each direction.

Tashkent is large and spread out. The best ways to get around are the metro, cheap and efficient, and ride-hailing taxis, available across the city. Buses are extensive but harder for visitors. Walking is pleasant in the centre, with tree-lined avenues and parks. See where to stay in Tashkent for areas with good connections.

• Have some soum in cash for small expenses; exchange at the airport or a bank.
• Keep your hotel address written in Uzbek or Russian for taxi drivers.
• Allow at least 2–3 hours between an international arrival and a train to Samarkand.
• For a late-night arrival, a pre-booked transfer is the least stressful option.
• Keep the registration slips from your accommodation; see visa and entry rules.