Tashkent

Tashkent (Uzbek: Toshkent or Тошкент; Russian: Ташкент) is the capital, and largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Great Silk Road from China to Europe. Once the fourth-largest city in the Soviet Union, Tashkent was rebuilt in a Soviet style after the devastating 1966 earthquake, and little remains from its ancient Central Asian past. Since the start of the millennium the Uzbek government has embarked on a major reconstruction program in the centre of the city. Roads, government buildings and parks have all been reconstructed (many historical buildings and sites were bulldozed in the process). To the visitor, the new city looks very impressive with its wide avenues, parks and modern buildings, although many of the local residents have yet to see any improvement in their residential areas.

Understand
The city has a mixture of modern new office buildings, hotels, parks, and crumbling Soviet-style apartment blocks. The streets are generally clean and there are not too many potholes in the city centre. Further out, the infrastructure is not so good.

Tashkent has a population of 2.6 million people (2020).

Climate
Tashkent has a typical continental climate with hot summers and cold winters. The best seasons for travel to Tashkent are Apr-May and Sep-Oct.

Talk
Although Uzbek is now the official language, Russian is the native language for most Tashkent dwellers, although most also speak Uzbek. Most businesses use Russian in their signs, menus, and other printed material. Only government institutions use Uzbek as the first language, and even then, many government forms and reports are in Russian, rather than Uzbek. Uzbek now uses the Latin alphabet rather than the Cyrillic that was used during the Soviet Union. This is a source of some confusion for many Uzbeks, especially those of the older generation. Shortly after the fall of the Soviet Union and Uzbek independence in 1991, the written Uzbek language was converted back into Latin characters. Many older Uzbeks have difficulty reading the Latin characters. Uzbek is a Turkic-based language, and while Uzbeks and Turks cannot completely communicate directly, the better educated on both sides can usually find some common understanding.

Many of the signs in Tashkent are in Cyrillic. A significant number of Russian words are similar to their English counterparts. Learning the Cyrillic alphabet, not as difficult as one might think, will help a traveller to read signs and in restaurants. It is very useful for the casual visitor to Tashkent to learn a few basic Russian or Uzbek words and phrases. If you need to speak English, young people are your best bet, and even then there is no guarantee that they will speak more than basic English.

The name Tashkent is usually attributed to the Turkish word "tash" ("stone") and the Persian word "kent" ("city"), meaning "city of stones". Another opinion refers to the Sogdian word "tschatsch", meaning "place on a hill".

By plane
Flights: Aeroflot Moscow, Rostov-on-Don, Saint Petersburg, Turkish Airlines Daily flights from Istanbul, Air Baltic, Czech Airlines, Iran Air, Korean Air Seoul, Uzbekistan Airways

Airport formalities
A new/upgraded airport terminal was opened in 2018 and with that, many of the past problems disappeared. Arrival and departure procedures now are more close to what you would find in any other capital city.

From airport
A short and inexpensive (US$2–3) taxi journey is the easiest way to get to the city centre. You will be approached by numerous people offering "taxi" services both inside and outside the airport. For the most part, these are not "official" taxis. "Taxi" drivers will attempt to charge whatever they believe the market will bear. For those without Russian or Uzbek language skills, it is best to arrange to have someone meet you at the airport. Fair fares are usually only obtainable by those who understand the system and speak at least some Russian or Uzbek. It is better to walk 50 m from the exit towards the taxi stand where taxis are waiting on the road and negotiate. Generally prevailing fare is minimum US$2-3 for 5 km (20 cents per each additional km). Always negotiate. Taxi drivers will rarely accept small bills (dollars, euros, or pounds), and cannot be counted upon to give change (in any currency).

To catch a bus from the international terminal, walk straight out, past the parking lot and veer left. The bus stops are just before the main road. Buses run from 6am until midnight. Buses 62 and 95 head for the city. Bus 40 goes to the train station. Bus 67 goes to Oybek metro and then on to the central square. Fares are 1400 Som; sometimes you pay the driver when exiting, sometimes a collector comes around for your money.

By train
The central hub for trains in Uzbekistan with most domestic trains ending or start in Tashkent. The most attractive connections are to Samarkand with the super fast Afrosiob train and the Sharq which continues to Bukhara. For Khiva and Termez there are night trains with comfortable sleeping berths. Make sure that you buy ticket a few days in advance or arrive at least 1 hour before train departure, as the queue for ticket office is often long and chaotic with people jumping the queue. For domestic departure times see the Uzbekistan#Get around section.

Tashkent is also a key stopping point for rail services from Central Asia. It is possible to travel from Dushanbe in Tajikistan, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan, Almaty in Kazakhstan, and Moscow. It is possible to travel from China through Almaty and from Iran. Ticket prices are cheap by Western standards, but will need to be paid for in cash, preferably in US dollars. There are many warnings about thefts of personal belongings on the trains.
 * Train 6 leaves Moscow on M W F at 23:16, arriving at Tashkent on Sa Tu Th at 21:00
 * Train 486 leaves Chelyabinsk on Su at 23:50, arriving at Tashkent on W at 00:45.

There are two train stations in Tashkent. 'Vokzal' is the name in Russian for station.

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By bus
Until late 2018, international buses to and from Uzbekistan were unpredictable and unreliable. However, the easing of travel restrictions in 2019 appears to have brought with it more tourist-friendly updates to the bus network and it is now possible to take buses directly from Uzbek cities to cities in neighbouring countries, (rather than having to switch buses at border control) on certain routes, such as Tashkent-Shymkent. Others are still only served by shared taxis and marshrutkas; these tend to be slower as the vehicles aren't licenced and consequently border checks take longer. A marshrutka is a small bus or van which follows a fixed route and stops on demand to take on or drop off passengers. As of 2009, marshrutkas from: Andijan (6 hr, US$5), Bokhara (8 hr, US$6), to Ferghana (6 hr US$4), to Kokand (3 hr, US$3), Samarkand (4 hr, US$4), and Termez (10 hr US$8). Timetable

By car
There are road routes from surrounding countries but the borders may not be open and there have been security problems. The border from Afghanistan is sometimes closed or not open to Uzbek nationals. You have to walk at least 4 km to cross the border on foot from the Uzbek checkpoint to the Afghan checkpoint.

The Cherniaevka crossing from Kazakhstan near Saryagash. Allow 1-2 hours to get through, especially from the Uzbek side. OK, but long, long queues. Take the left line at Uzbek customs. They want you to declare any mobile phones as communications devices.

From Kyrgyzstan, the Dostlik post 30km from Andijan is open from 09:00-18:00. From Tajikistan Oiybek Post, 80 km from Tashkent, is open for foreigners from 09:00-18:00. Tursanzade Post, 60 km from Dushanbe Tajikistan, is open for foreigners and locals 180 km from Termez. Chorzhu Post on the border of Turkmenistan, 30 km from Bukhara, is also open to foreigners and locals.

Distances from Tashkent by road: Almaty in Kazakhstan 810 km, Ashgabat in Turkmenistan 1,290 km, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan 570 km, Kashgar in China 880 km, Andijan 392 km, Bokhara 600 km, Ferghana 325 km, Karshi 430 km, Khiva 1,045 km, Kokand 236 km, Nukus 1,115 km, Samarkand 295 km, Termez 705 km, Urgench 1,020 km.

By metro
The city has a good public transport system which is cheap. The metro/underground system is typical of the old Soviet-style with large and impressive stations and is quite modern. Stations are richly themed. For example, Kosmonavtlar is a lavish monument to Uzbekistan's contribution to the Soviet space programme.

Since June 2018 the metro is not considered as military installations and therefore it is now permitted to take photographs in the metro stations.

In all cases do have documents while you are taking the metro (or anywhere in the city), for you can be checked any time by the police.

Tashkent Metro has four lines:
 * Chilonzor (Red line) from Janubiy to Turkistan.
 * Uzbekistan (Blue line) from Beruniy to Chkalov.
 * Yunus-Obod (Green line) from Sabir Rakhimov to Buyuk Ipak Yuli.
 * Circle Line from Tekhnopark to Quruvchilar.

Trains depart ever 3-10 minutes. A paper ticket with a QR-code is 2000 som from the cashier at the stations. You can also pay your fare by tapping your Visa or Mastercard on the turnstile. Atto-cards are available for purchase from the cashier for frequent travelers, valid on the Metro and buses. The fare if you use your credit card or the Atto-card, is 1700 som, as of 2023.

By bus
There are also modern buses (green). The tram service was closed down in 2016, with the lines being converted to wider roads. The fare on the bus, if paid by cash is 2000 som. You may also tap your Visa/Mastercard/Atto-card on a card reader near any door. In this case, the fare is 1700 som. Contrary to many western cities, you are not required to tap your card immediately after boarding. If there is a conductor, he will ask you to tap the card in front of him, or tap the card for you. If there is no conductor, tap the card when you exit the bus. In case you feel uncomfortable "riding without a ticket", you can alternatively tap when entering and indicate that you already tapped if a conductor carries out checks. This might seem strange to foreigners, but it's based on the Uzbek culture of honesty and trust, so please don't abuse it.

Marshrutkas also operate around the city but are more expensive, around 2500-3000 som is a normal fare. Routes and schedules can be found from Easyway journey planner.

By taxi
Official taxis should be ordered in advance at the hotel reception, they are metered and issue receipts from a machine. As of March 2018, the rate was 6,000 som per km.

While there are official, authorized taxis (with the appropriate sign on the roof of the car), in reality almost any driver in Tashkent can double as a taxi driver. The local custom is to simply stand by the side of the road with your arm extended downward and slightly away from the body. A driver will pull over and then you will state your destination and ask the fare in advance. There is a common agreement on the prices, so real negotiation will be rarely be necessary or successful, only at night some drivers ask twice the usual fare. Getting from the center to the airport should be around 15,000 som, a city trip of 3 km or more around 8,000 som (March 2018).

At least some Russian or Uzbek language skills are needed to accomplish this without difficulty. It is usually safe to use this procedure, although virtually every foreign embassy recommends against it. Directions are rarely given here using an address. Most often, a landmark is used, such as "near Hotel Russia". Moreover, many streets and hotels have been renamed in the past few years and often drivers will not recognize the current name of the street or hotel, still knowing them by their old names. Asking to be taken to the Grand Mir Hotel, for instance, will often result in a blank look. Tell the driver you want to go to the Gastinitsa Rossiya (Hotel Russia), however, and they will know exactly where you want to go. For those who speak neither Russian nor Uzbek, it is helpful to have someone draw a rudimentary map or write out directions in Russian. Few drivers will know English and most have troubles reading the maps on smartphones.

Downloading an offline Google or OSM map of the city in advance is a good idea. There are various apps available for phones. You can show it to the driver and guide him provided you know a few Russian words: nalieva - left, priama - straight, naprava - right.

Looking for landmarks, addresses or hotels on Google maps is not easy because of the multiple languages and spelling. Search in advance and bookmark your destinations.

Do not expect Western-style taxi services. Taxi drivers will often smoke while you are in the car and asking them not to will most often result in nothing more than a look of disapproval. You may be paying, but you are in their car. There are many taxi services operating in the city with fixed rates and a person can order the taxi from their hotel room. There are some web sites offering complete lists of taxi services and taxi charges.

An Uber style service is available from Yandex. Download the YandexGo app to use this. It supports English language. Uber itself does not operate in Tashkent.

Taxis within the city can be reserved by calling Taxi Express, Tel 1399999 or 16360272.

By car
Hardly any international car hire companies operate in Tashkent. Some are based near the airport and a smaller car will cost $30 per day typically. Sixt and Hertz do now operate in Uzbekistan.

On foot
If you come from Western Europe, where cities can be visited walking and metro stations are everywhere, be warned that Tashkent proportions are truly monumental. Many streets have ten lanes and buildings are huge, with plenty of space around. Plan your visit ahead and check the distances.

Old Town
The "Old Town" has retained much of its charm. Here you will find low adobe houses with shady courtyards, narrow winding streets and many ancient mosques and madrassas.
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute
 * Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute

Parks




Banks
Important update: As of March 2018, it is illegal to exchange money outside of official currency exchange offices. Foreign credit cards are increasingly accepted in shops or restaurants including the (expensive, but western-standard) supermarket Korzinka. In principle, it is allowed that foreigners pay their hotels using foreign credit cards (but not in foreign currency), however, smaller hotels may not have the necessary device. For more information see the Uzbekistan section.

Bazaars
Most local residents do their primary shopping in bazaars. Local produce, such as fruit, nuts, vegetables can be very good, especially when they are in season. In the late summer, local melons appear on the streets and in the bazaars and are tasty and very cheap.

Broadway
Saligokh St, known locally as "Broadway", has some street artists, etc. The street is easy to find from the Amir Temur Monument, just head away from the Uzbekistan Hotel. The 'mirstore' just off of Saligokh St has a modern supermarket, coffee bar and hugely overpriced fashion stores. This area, known locally as "Demir," also has Mir Burger, which has burgers, pizza and local dishes at reasonable prices. There is also a Georgian restaurant ("Tbilisi") and a Chinese restaurant. There is a heavy police (militsiya) presence here and foreigners are not often, but occasionally asked for their documents. It is advisable to keep a photocopy of your passport and visa with you, but leave the originals in the hotel safe.

Modern designer fashion and shops selling luxury goods from famous international brands have appeared in Tashkent. Catering for the wealthy, these can be found in the Broadway area, on Amir Temur Street and Pushkin Street.

Handicrafts

 * Souvenir Shops also can be find in some hotel as: Grand Mir, InterContinental, Dedeman Silk Road, Tashkent Palace, Uzbekistan Hotel
 * Souvenir Shops also can be find in some hotel as: Grand Mir, InterContinental, Dedeman Silk Road, Tashkent Palace, Uzbekistan Hotel
 * Souvenir Shops also can be find in some hotel as: Grand Mir, InterContinental, Dedeman Silk Road, Tashkent Palace, Uzbekistan Hotel
 * Souvenir Shops also can be find in some hotel as: Grand Mir, InterContinental, Dedeman Silk Road, Tashkent Palace, Uzbekistan Hotel

Supermarkets
Supermarkets are quite small and limited compared with other countries.

Eat
There are hundreds of small cafes in Tashkent (and other Uzbek cities and villages) offering these and other local dishes at inexpensive prices. A meal of salad, bread, tea, soup, and shashlik at around US$2-3 isn't difficult to find. Sanitation standards can leave a lot to be desired in many of these cafes. Especially on warm days, look to see if the meat is kept refrigerated before it is cooked. Before meals you will always be offered warm water poured over your hands from a jug. Before drinking tea, it is traditional to bless the cup with the first splash of tea from the pot. This serves ritual and hygienic purposes. Locals also believe in the sterilising properties of vodka.

In regular restaurants with (seemingly) western appearance, higher prices are applied, e.g. a simple meal can easily be US$10-15 and drinks $3 and more.

Budget
There are many small restaurants serving simple meals at good prices. Burgers and kebabs are common. Borsch (soup) is tasty, and perfect on a cold day.

Drink
As is common in other Central Asian countries, tea is drunk by most people, but without milk. Black coffee is also available everywhere. Some coffee shops and cafes offer good coffee, but the best of them is probably Amore Coffee at the MIR store just off of Broadway.

Alcoholic drinks are available, though no longer sold in supermarkets and on the street. Look for licensed liquor/alcohol stores. Outdoor bars are popular in good weather. Uzbek wine, vodka, and many different beers are available. Local beer, Sarbast, is popular and should be about half the price of imported beers. It is quite good and at 4.2% (red label), not too strong. Sarbast is also available with a blue label at 5.6%. The Russian beer "Baltika" is popular. Baltika 3 is good and similar to other international beers. Baltika 0 has no alcohol, Baltika 5 and 7 are also good, and Baltika 9 is very strong.

Nightclubs, as everywhere, offer expensive drinks and typically play a mix of Russian and Western music. Strip shows are common.

Sleep
Tashkent is not too strong for budget and mid-range accommodation, but it is improving slowly. When you check out you will be given a tiny registration card that may be requested at the next hotel, so keep it safe.

Stay safe
Tashkent is generally a very safe place to visit. However, visitors should refrain from political activities or doing anything that could be regarded as undermining the state. As anywhere, remember to watch your personal belongings. There have been incidents of robbery, including some violent assaults but they are very rare. Visitors should use the same caution they would use in any large city, especially at night. It is not advisable for foreigners to walk around alone at night, especially in areas where few people are about and/or lighting is poor. Police sometimes levy small on-the-spot fines for minor offences such as appearing to be slightly intoxicated.

However, a potential scam was observed in July 2024: The self-service ticket machine at the train station does not accept foreign cards. When yours is declined, a polite young man with excellent English will offer to buy your tickets with his card if you give him the cash. He will (presumably) take your money, buy the tickets, then cancel them later, leaving you with useless paper and out of pocket.

The emergency number is for medical emergencies and  for fires, while the police emergency number is.

Major clinics are listed below:

Embassies and consulates

 * 🇦🇫 Afghanistan
 * 🇦🇺 Australia
 * 🇦🇿 Azerbaijan
 * 🇧🇩 Bangladesh
 * 🇧🇾 Belarus
 * 🇧🇪 Belgium
 * 🇧🇬 Bulgaria
 * 🇨🇦 Canada
 * 🇨🇳 China
 * 🇨🇿 Czech Republic
 * 🇪🇬 Egypt
 * 🇫🇷 France
 * Georgia
 * 🇩🇪 Germany
 * 🇮🇳 India
 * 🇮🇷 Iran
 * 🇮🇱 Israel
 * 🇮🇹 Italy
 * 🇯🇵 Japan
 * 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan
 * 🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
 * 🇳🇱 Netherlands
 * 🇳🇿 New Zealand
 * 🇵🇱 Poland
 * 🇷🇴 Romania
 * 🇷🇺 Russia
 * 🇿🇦 South Africa
 * 🇰🇷 South Korea
 * 🇪🇸 Spain
 * 🇨🇭 Switzerland
 * 🇹🇯 Tajikistan
 * 🇹🇷 Turkey
 * 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan
 * 🇺🇦 Ukraine
 * 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
 * 🇺🇸 United States
 * 🇺🇸 United States

Go next

 * Samarkand - Part of the UNESCO World Heritage list
 * Shymkent -Five coaches a day run between Tashkent and Shymkent, leaving from Tashkent Avtovokzal (the central one) at (ostensibly, but don't count on the times) 07:00, 09:00, 12:00, 15:00 and 18:00. Tickets are about 40,000 som but this can be brought down by bargaining. The route began in late 2018. The process is smoother and more official than the shared taxis, with faster border crossings and tickets to be bought from a "kassa" in the station. Comfortable ride, takes about 3-4 hours.