Türkmenabat



Türkmenabat is a city in Lebap Province, Turkmenistan.

Understand
Turkmenabat is the center of Eastern Turkmenistan and second largest city in the country with about 270,000 inhabitants. It was called Charjou (four canals), until 1999 when it was renamed Turkmenabat (created by Turkmen). The city is a convenient place for a stopover on the long travels to the Köýtendag Nature Reserve, Mary/Merv or Dashogus and on the way to Bukhara/Uzbekistan.

By plane
Turkmenistan Airways operate 4 daily flights from Ashgabat (US$12). The airport is 2 km east of the city center.

By train
Turkmenistan Railways run trains to Turkmenabat from Ashgabat (2 trains per day, 16 hours, US$2.50), Mary/Merv (3 trains per day leaving Mary at 22:00, 01:20, 03:30, 7 hours, US$1) and Turkmenbashi (1 train per day, 23 hours, US$2.50). The railway station is in the city center.

By bus or taxi
Take a taxi from Bukhara to the border (US$8) at Farab or a shared taxi to Uzbek Olot (Qarakul) and then a taxi to the border. From the border it is about 45 km to Turkmenabat. A taxi should cost about US$5 and a seat in a shared taxi less than US$1.

Marshrutki arrive at the bus station, 9 km south of town, near Dunya Bazaar, or at the railway station in the town center.