Baku

Baku (Azeri: Bakı) is the capital of Azerbaijan and is the largest city in the Caucasus. Baku's Old Town has UNESCO World Heritage status. Many cultures and architectural styles mix in Baku, in particular Turkish-Islamic elements meet strong Western European and Russian-Eastern European influences. With 92 ft below sea level, Baku is the lowest-lying capital city in the world.

Understand
Baku is on the coast of the Caspian Sea on the southern coast of the Absheron Peninsula. There are three major divisions in Baku: İçəri Şəhər (the Old Town), the Soviet-built city, and the newest part of the city. The population in 2020 was 2.3 million.

The city of Baku is on the semi-arid and dusty Absheron peninsula. The center of Baku is a patch of green in a largely brown area because of the many liters of water that is piped daily to the city. The city has a metro, a well-developed bus and minibus network, and a large area for walking, including the Inner Walled City, The Boluvar, and Fountain Square.

Reading the book Ali and Nino is a good way to get into the mood.

Climate
A curious fact about Baku is that its average year-round temperature (14.2°C/57.6°F) matches the average temperature of the entire landmass of the earth to within a tenth of degree. Summers are hot and humid, winters cool, wet and breezy. However, seasonal temperature variations are less than in many continental regions at this latitude (about 40 degrees north) owing to the presence of the Caspian Sea.

By plane
Getting there and away:
 * By bus – T1 Airport Express runs between the airport and the railway station (the bus waits across the street from the station) with an intermediate stop at Koroglu metro station. The ride costs 1.30 manat, payable by BakiKart (the same one used in the metro). The bus runs every 30 minutes. Additionally, N16 runs between the airport and Samed Vurgun Park, in the heart of Baku. The trip costs 1 manat and takes approximately 40–60 min. Service runs every 30 minutes beginning from early in the morning until late night. The bus leaves outside the airport building, across the parking area. The service terminates at on 28 May Street.
 * By minibus – No. 135 runs between the airport traffic circle (15-min walk from the airport) and the 28 May Metro Station. The journey takes an hour and costs 0.40 manat.
 * By taxi – Getting a smooth ride from the airport to town can be a hassle. The lowest price you can get for a taxi to the center should be around 15 manat (old Lada, unmarked taxi). Only one taxi company is permitted to do business at the airport. This monopoly drives up the price to nearly 50 manat and many times it leaves you with no other options, especially when arriving at late hours. Police occasionally force out all cab drivers trying to do business on the fringes of the airport, leaving you stuck with a high fare. Taxis don't have meters so you must negotiate in advance. If you are not finding a reasonable price, go out of the airport, past the taxi stand, and ask the cabbies at the far end of the parking lot. Be cautious since the majority of Baku cabs are unmarked. Don't let the cab driver renegotiate the price with you. It is a common trick to ask for much more on arrival to your destination. You are not obligated to pay what they demand. For 5 manat you can take a cab from the airport to Metro Azizbeyov. From there it's 4–6 stations to the city center, but only 06:00–00:00.

By train


Domestic trains are very cheap, and most journeys cost less than 10 manat, making them cheaper than staying in a hostel.

International trains are available from Georgia, Russia and Ukraine on a regular basis:
 * Tbilisi – As of 2023, this seems to be on hold since COVID.
 * Moscow – The journey takes 51 hr and departs once a week, and there are also connections from Rostov and Kharkiv. Trains running through Russia are operated by Russian Railways, schedule and tickets are available at rzd.ru.
 * Kyiv – Despite the conflict in Eastern Ukraine, the rail link between Baku and Kyiv seems active. Once a week a train does the 60-hr journey.
 * Ankara – The long-delayed rail link between Georgia and Turkey opened in 2017 for freight only. As of June 2023, the passenger services via Tbilisi are yet to start, with no announced date.

By bus


From specific destionations:
 * Agstafa – 7-8 hr, 8 manat
 * Sheki – hourly from 06:30-18:00, 6 hr, 6-9 manat
 * Lankaran – 4 connections per day, 5-6 hr, 5 manat
 * Khachmaz – 3 hr, 3 manat
 * Saatli – 5 hr
 * Imishli – 4 hr
 * Ismailli – hourly in the morning and afternoon, 6.20 manat


 * Tbilisi – Take a marshrutka for 4 lari from Station Square to "Tsiteli Khidi" (the border, Red Bridge). Then catch a marshrutka or bus from the other side to Baku for 12 manat. The entire journey takes about 9 hr.

By boat




On foot
There are pedestrian alleys and streets around the Fountain Square, the seafront, and the old town. You can walk to other places, too, but you might have to cross busy streets since there aren't always pedestrian tunnels available. The zebra crossings work with an "I'm feeling lucky" principle and aren't usually exactly safe, especially at night. At night, use your phone screen (not your flashlight) to indicate to the approaching cars that you are crossing the street, and follow other people.

By bicycle
Baku is a great town to get around in by bicycle. Except for the up-town, the city, including old town (İçəri Şəhər) and down-town is fairly flat, and though there are some streets that are dangerous to ride, there is almost always a safe, fast route to your destination.

While there are no separate bike lanes on the streets, and cars and cyclists often share narrow streets of Baku, the city is very bike-friendly. While cycling on the street, be very careful watch out for other cyclists, always keep closer to foot-walk side of the street, and show other traffic where you are going (e.g., by holding out your hand) in order to avoid accidents and smoothen the traffic flow.

By bus/minibus
Buses and minibuses cost 0.30 manat per person and can take you to almost any place within Baku. Destinations are usually posted on the front and the right side of the bus.

Newer buses (the red ones) only accept electronic cash in the form of metro cards, available at any metro station. Some larger bus stations have machines to top-up cards, but not to buy new ones.

There are some buses which cost 0.35 manat, e.g. the one to Bibi Heybət Mosque in the south. This makes charging disposable electronic cards a challenge: if you buy the single use tickets, they might not be sufficient if you just load them with 0.40 manat, thinking of going forth and back once.

By metro
The metro goes many places throughout Baku and it costs only 0.30 manat. It is the least expensive way to get around Baku besides walking. Ask a cashier or attendant. You must obtain a Bakı Metropiliten Kart (2 manat refundable deposit) and load it like a normal metro pass. You can also buy a limited card (0.2 manat) with 1, 2, 3, or 4 trips (the last one costing 1 manat). More than one person may use the same card. Alternatively, you can use a Azerbaycan Sosial Kartı like the ones on some Azerbaijani ATM cards. The metro workers will be more than happy to help if spoken to in either Azeri or Russian, and some may understand English.

You can buy a metro card at the metro station and some bus stops from a ticket machine. You can change the language of the machine to English.

It runs from 06:00 until 24:00 and gets very crowded in rush hours.

Be careful when transferring trains at the transfer stations (28 May and Jafar Jabbarli Cəfər Cabbarlı) as the signage is difficult to spot.

There have been reports of people being arrested while taking photographs of the metro station. There are clear signage on the stations which prohibits taking photos, on the outside it is ok.

The Avtovaghzal metro station is worth seeing from the outside as it is a giant glass pyramid.

By train
The Baku electric train runs through several parts of Baku and the surrounding area including Sumqait. 1 manat.

By funicular
The Baku funicular is a great way of getting to the Viewpoint and Flame Towers. It is not too expensive.

By taxi
London taxi cabs have been introduced in Baku, and travel fees are 0.70 manat per km. Other vehicles however also are available. A taxi costs 4-10 manat for trips within the center of Baku. It's important to agree on the price of the fare before beginning the trip or you may be overcharged.

Most taxi drivers simply double the price for tourists. So, halving it while negotiating and doing the walk-away trick, should reveal the genuine price. Doubling a price is seemingly much easier than tripling it. Otherwise, just use Bolt (a taxi app for your mobile) as indicator or/and negotiator.

Going out of Baku with a taxi, rely on Google Maps and direct the driver. Many driver seem to know just one way in and out to sights outside of Baku, but not efficient ways between them.



By rental car


Many good deals are available with the usual reservation websites. Just beware of hidden extra fees (of the website itself) for insurance you do not really need.

Note that Baku und Azerbaijan in general have many automated speed cameras, and it is not uncommon to get a ticket&mdash;which will be sent via SMS directly to the car owner. So, don't be surprised when you have to pay a little extra when returning the car. Locals say 60 manat for a weekend trip is not uncommon.

Old Town (Icheri Sheher)
There are a number of interesting sites within Baku's walled fortress, the Old City (a UNESCO World Heritage site), which can all be seen on foot in one day:





Other sites




Baku Region
Outside the city, on the Absheron Peninsula, there are several interesting sites, like Yanar Dag (the burning mountain) and the Atashgah Fire Temple (with roots to ancient Indian migration), for a day or evening trip that are easy to reach via taxi or public transportation. Moreover, the scenery along your route is a fascinatingly ugly desert wasteland with white salt flats and natural oil seeping into pools on the surface.

In addition, the Baku Region is famous for its active mud volcanoes that might also be reached within a day. The according to several online maps. It's a mud volcano but without any active mud vents, but instead the waste of the neighbouring communities. However, it provides for a quite apocalyptic photo scenery.

See Baku Region for all the details.

Do
In the evening, go to the national opera on Nizami street. Otherwise, go to the rooftop bar at Sultan Inn in the Old City for a drink and excellent views of the Maiden Tower, Caspian sea and the TV tower.







Beaches
There are a couple of beaches including Shikhov Beach, but they are polluted by sewage and industrial waste. On the northern side of the peninsula are the much nicer Bilgəh and Amburan beaches, on the north coast of the Absheron Peninsula are great spots to cool off from heat. Further afield are the beaches and resorts of Northeastern Azerbaijan.



Money
Bankomats (ATMs) are available all around the city, mainly in downtown and metro stations exits. If you have a cell phone with either a Bakcell or Azercell SIM card, you can recharge your account balance using various ATMs. The International Bank of Azerbaijan has a list of their ATMs in Baku. Some of them have euros and US dollars available. It is advisable to withdraw in US dollars and change it to AZN in an exchange house, which usually gives a far better rate.

What

 * Antiques from Old City (İçəri Şəhər)
 * Rugs
 * Apples from Quba
 * Tea and Talish stockings from Lankaran
 * Halva from Sheki
 * Traditional dolls created by ladies' groups in Barda

Eat
There are many restaurants in Baku and kebab shops can be found easily for a quick meal.

Western
Sultan Inn rooftop or Meridien hotel rooftop restaurants for European/fusion with excellent views or head back to the Fountain Square for a greater variety of inexpensive cuisine.

Tea houses (Çayxanalar)
There are many outdoor tea houses (çayxanalar) serving tea and sweets that offer a sense of the local culture. If you are adventurous, try challenging a local Bakuvian to a game of backgammon (nard) or dominoes.

Cafés
There is a good selection of cafés throughout Baku. Expect to pay Western prices for your coffee.



Bars and pubs
Although tea houses (çay xanalar) (found throughout Azerbaijan) serve local beer (piva) - draft at 50 qapick/glass or bottles at 70 qapick/bottle or vodka (araq) at 2 manat/bottle, for anything exotic (e.g. tequila, gin, or rum), you will have to go to a normal bar or hotel and pay Western prices there.





Internet
Many cafés in Baku now have free WiFi. In general, Internet cafes in Azerbaijan are called "internet klubs" and they are found throughout Baku. Public WiFi service is available in central areas and attractions, providing easy connection.

Post office


Azerbaijan Post locations are dispersed throughout Baku. Mailing an international letter generally costs 0.8 manat.

AZAL (Azerbaijan Airlines)
As Azal seems to be in a permanent state of flux as to where their offices are located, pop into a travel agent and ask about tickets very carefully before buying anything. In some cases, like Naxcevan or last-minute flights, you will absolutely have to go the ever-moving central office during a few random opening times in order to get your tickets processed. One travel agent who can guide you buy phone is reachable at +994 55 4201220 or +99412 5551320 or 5981619.

Stay safe
Baku is considered a safe city, nevertheless common sense is useful as in all other big cities. Homeless people do not harass or attack people and are safe to be around. The biggest problem in Baku is driving. Many drivers do not obey rules and speed.

The security is rather high, with regular security checks at some attractions and metro stations. The metro has police guarding both ends of the escalators.

Since the Karabakh conflict re-ignited in September 2020, security has been further tightened.

Emergency contact numbers

 * Ambulance: 103
 * Fire: 101
 * Gas Emergency 104
 * Speaking Clock 106
 * Police: 102

You must speak in Azeri, Turkish or Russian to communicate your needs. It would be a good idea to memorize key phrases before coming to Azerbaijan - see the Talk section for phrasebooks. The police are friendly and try to be helpful. Be nice and understanding and don't get frustrated if you don't understand each other immediately. Write down your phone's IMEI code in case it gets lost so it is easier for the police to find.

Safety tips
The roads can be treacherous at night due to unseen potholes and dimly lit cars. Most areas in and near the downtown are safe. There are some underpasses under particularly busy roads (some with escalators), and some zebra crossings and traffic lights. Watch out for traffic police if otherwise crossing a busy road, they may try to fine you 20 manat for a traffic offence (even though the locals do it constantly).

Embassies
Many details can also be found here: https://www.embassypages.com/azerbaijan


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Within Azerbaijan

 * Nabran – Relax by the Caspian on the beach or in a resort. Azerbaijan's biggest tourist destination for international travellers and a coastal city close to Xachmaz.
 * Quba – Its urban suburb is home to the largest Azerbaijani Jewish community in the mountains and is considered one of the largest Jewish communities in the former Soviet Union.
 * Khinalug (Xinaliq) – A scenic, remote and ancient mountain village, and the mountain of the same name nearby. Once a centre of Zoroastrianism; today the few inhabitants are an ethnic isolate believed to be descendants of the Caucasus Albanians (unrelated to modern-day Albanians of Albania).
 * Sheki – A 7-hour bus ride to the northwest. A beautiful city in the Caucasus mountains with much to see and do. It has one of the largest densities of cultural resources and monuments that span 2,700 years of Azerbaijani history.
 * Lahich – A cozy and remote highland village, on the way to Sheki. Famous for its copper work.
 * Shamakhi – The former capital of the medieval state of Shirvan. Famous for its traditional dancers, Şamaxı dancers, and its impressive mosque. An ancient history and once one of the key cities along the Silk Road.
 * Naftalan – A well-known petroleum spa resort, the centre of medical tourism in Azerbaijan. Go and enjoy the oil baths.
 * Ganja – One of the oldest cities in the Caucasus.
 * Nakhchivan (region) – The Baku Airport is one of the few in the world offering flights to Nakhchivan and travelers heading that way should book a flight from here.

Outside Azerbaijan

 * Georgia – There are direct buses and trains into Tbilisi from Baku.
 * Iran – Buses take international travellers onwards from Baku there.
 * Turkmenistan – A ferry departs daily from Baku across the Caspian Sea to Turkmenbashi. This ferry has become something of a sleeper hit with backpackers on the Silk Road, but is very uncomfortable and should only be taken by adventure-seekers.
 * Kazakhstan – A similar ferry (often the Merkury-1 or the Professor Gul) leaves from "Baku International Port" in Alat, 60 km south of Baku (the ferry previously left from Baku harbour proper until late 2018). The cabins are basic but clean and (fairly good) food is served on board, three square meals a day. It takes approximately 30 hours, and arrives at the port of Kuryk in Kazakhstan (be warned! The port is in the middle of nowhere and the cabbies there are hustlers. Best to try to hitchhike a truck out of the port, many of the drivers are friendly Ukrainians, to avoid US$30 or more for a taxi). US$70 4-person cabin, US$80 2-person. Cars, motorbikes and bicycles also taken.