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Central Asia

UzbekistanTravel guide

Explore Uzbekistan visa rulesCommon scams in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is a Central Asian country with ancient Silk Road cities, varied landscapes and a rich history. Its capital is Tashkent, and people are known for their hospitality.

Why go

  1. Ancient cities and historic sites along the Silk Road.

  2. Local food, including plov, dumplings and freshly baked bread.

  3. Camel trips, mountain walks and river rafting.

Best time to go: Mid-May to early June, or August to early September. June, July and August are the hottest months; winter can bring snow.

Getting there

By air

  • Tashkent International Airport (TAS) is the main arrival airport. It serves Uzbekistan Airways and other international airlines.
  • Other airports include Samarkand, Bukhara, Urgench, Nukus and Ferghana. Smaller international airports mainly serve Central Asia and Russia.
  • Baggage collection and customs can take time. Allow up to two hours.

By land

  • International passenger trains connect Uzbekistan with Kazakhstan and, through Kazakhstan, Russia.
  • When land borders are open, buses run to all neighbouring countries.
  • You can take a shared taxi to a border, walk across and find another taxi on the other side. Most border posts usually open from 9am to 6pm, though some busy crossings stay open all day and night.

Customs

  • At Tashkent airport, travellers with nothing to declare could walk through customs after collecting their bags as of March 2026.
  • The source gives conflicting cash declaration figures. It also warns that taking out more foreign cash than you declared on arrival can cause problems.

Getting around

  • Train

    Trains are the most comfortable way to travel between the main tourist cities. Afrosiob and Sharq services connect Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara. Afrosiob takes about 2.5 hours from Tashkent to Samarkand. Sharq takes less than seven hours from Tashkent to Bukhara. Try to buy tickets at least two weeks ahead; sales open up to 45 days before travel. If trains are full, check again for cancellations, especially during the final 48 hours. You can buy tickets in person with your passport. Some basic Russian can help. Overnight trains have two-bed compartments, four-bed compartments and open sleeping carriages. Some open carriages use the beds as seats for daytime journeys.

  • Bus

    Domestic coach routes are listed on Avtoticket.uz. Ticket staff and drivers generally speak Uzbek. Intercity buses can be uncomfortable and noisy. Bring toilet paper and take care with food bought at stops.

  • Car

    Drive on the right and carry an international driving permit. The minimum driving age is 17. Traffic can be dangerous, and drivers often ignore road rules. Wear a seat belt and do not use a phone while driving. Remote roads can have poor surfaces and little lighting. Petrol stations are scarce outside major urban areas, and fuel quality varies.

What to see and do

  • Silk Road sites

    Uzbekistan has ancient cities and historic sites shaped by its place on the Silk Road.

  • Itchan Kala, Khiva

    Explore Khiva's old city, while checking prices carefully because tourist overcharging is common here.

  • Semi-arid landscapes

    The country's dry landscapes offer a different side to its historic cities.

  • Camel trekking

    Camel trips are available at yurt camps at Lake Aidarkul and Ayaz-Quala.

  • Walking in Ugam Chatkal National Park

    The park offers opportunities for trekking.

  • River rafting

    Rafting takes place on the Chatkal and Syr-Darya rivers.

Food and drink

  • Plov

    The national dish, also called osh, is made with rice, carrots, onions and mutton. Recipes vary by region.

  • Bread

    Bread, called non in Uzbek, comes with every meal. Samarkand is famous for obi-non, baked in clay ovens.

  • Chuchvara

    Small dumplings filled with mutton and onions.

  • Manti

    Dumplings filled with lamb and onions, often with peppers and mutton fat.

  • Lagman

    A thick soup with meat, potatoes, vegetables, spices and thin noodles.

  • Shashlik

    Pieces of marinated veal or mutton grilled over an open fire, usually served with raw onions.

Money

Uzbekistani so‘m (UZS)

  • Cash machines are available in larger cities and dispense so‘m; some also dispense US dollars. Withdrawal fees are usually 1–1.5%.
  • Visa and Mastercard work at cash machines. Cards are increasingly accepted in shops and restaurants, often with a fee of about 1%.
  • Keep smaller notes for everyday purchases. Notes worth 50,000 so‘m or more can be hard to use for small payments.
  • Sellers sometimes leave out the word 'thousand': a price of '8' can mean 8,000 so‘m. Confirm the full amount before paying.

Typical costs

  • A street snack costs about US$0.80, and a comfortable double room costs about US$40.
  • Bread in a bazaar costs around 1,000–2,500 so‘m.
  • Chocolate cake costs about 10,000–25,000 so‘m per slice in a café or restaurant, or 4,000–5,000 so‘m in a cake shop.
  • In February 2025, Tashkent–Samarkand Afrosiob tickets cost 270,000 so‘m in economy or 396,000 so‘m in business class. Sharq cost about 179,250 so‘m.
  • An informal guide may charge US$10–25 per day, depending on the service and time spent.

Language

  • Uzbek is the official state language and uses both Latin and Cyrillic writing.
  • Russian is widely spoken, especially in cities and Tashkent.
  • Tajik is commonly heard in Samarkand and Bukhara.
  • Karakalpak and Uzbek are official languages in Karakalpakstan.
  • English is increasingly spoken in tourist hotels and restaurants. Do not assume every passerby speaks it.

Staying safe

  • Uzbekistan is generally safe for visitors. Avoid walking alone in poorly lit city areas at night.
  • Keep cash out of sight and avoid valuable jewellery. In bazaars, keep wallets in a front pocket and bags in front of your body.
  • Many governments advise against non-essential travel near Afghanistan. Take care near the Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan borders in the Ferghana Valley.
  • Some border areas contain mines. Cross only at authorised border crossings.
7 common scams in Uzbekistan, and how to avoid them

Local customs

Do

  • Treat older people with particular respect.
  • Be polite when speaking to women.
  • Give and receive tea and cups with your right hand.

Don't

  • Do not openly flirt with women; this is traditionally unwelcome.
  • Do not visibly waste or carelessly throw away bread. Bread is considered sacred.
  • Use caution when seeking same-sex romantic contact. The source states that LGBT activities are criminalised.

Laws to know

  • Use official exchange offices in banks or some expensive international hotels. Changing money elsewhere is illegal, and street rates can be much worse.

Staying healthy

  • Bring necessary medicines, prescriptions and medical supplies. Local healthcare can lack medicines and equipment.
  • Treat tap water outside Tashkent as unsafe to drink.
  • Peel fruit and vegetables before eating them.
  • Avoid home-brewed vodka and brandy. They may contain methanol, a poisonous alcohol.

Phone and internet

  • Main mobile providers include Beeline, Mobiuz, Ucell and UzTelecom, also called UzMobile.
  • Their kiosks in Tashkent airport arrivals, before customs, sell SIM cards and electronic SIMs, called eSIMs.
  • Bring your passport to buy a SIM card. Registration is required to activate the connection, and some vendors may refuse foreign customers.
  • Most international eSIMs use Beeline, according to the March 2026 information. Its coverage is better in cities than elsewhere.

Where to stay

  • A comfortable double room costs about US$40.
  • Yurt camps are mentioned at Lake Aidarkul and Ayaz-Quala.

Trips to Uzbekistan

Day-by-day itineraries by snuck, shaped around you.

5 nights
A Little Time in SamarkandTashkentSamarkandFrom, per person~US$734
 7 nights
Mountain Mornings and Samarkand EveningsTashkentAmirsoy and Chimgan regionSamarkandFrom, per person~US$1,270
 8 nights
Courtyards Along the Silk RoadTashkentSamarkandBukharaFrom, per person~US$1,160

Outdoor adventures in Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan offers mountain trekking, river rafting, camel treks and wildlife watching in desert and riverside reserves. Ugam-Chatkal National Park is a mountain destination near Tashkent, while Nukus is a starting point for trips towards the shrinking Aral Sea.

  • Ugam-Chatkal National Park trekking

    TrekWestern Tien Shannear Tashkent

    The park is about 80 km from Tashkent. Trekking routes, transport and booking arrangements are not specified.

  • Lake Aidarkul camel trekking

    More to do

    Arrange camel trekking at the yurt camps at Lake Aidarkul.

  • Ayaz-Quala camel trekking

    More to do

    Arrange camel trekking at the yurt camps at Ayaz-Quala.

  • Chatkal River rafting

    Rafting

    Rafting is available on the Chatkal River. Starting points and booking arrangements are not specified.

  • Syr-Darya River rafting

    Rafting

    Rafting is available on the Syr-Darya River. Starting points and booking arrangements are not specified.

  • Aral Sea shore and Moynoq trips

    More to doKarakalpakstannear Nukus

    Moynoq day trip: 3–3½ hours each way from Nukus

    Start in Nukus for trips to the Aral Sea shore or Moynoq. Moynoq is about 200 km away. Take a taxi or a shared minibus via Kungrad. Start early for a day trip.

    • Cost: A taxi from Nukus to Moynoq costs around US$70, with higher prices through hotels.
    • Air quality in Karakalpakstan is particularly poor because of salt, dust and toxins from the Aral Sea.

  • Jeyran Ecological Centre wildlife watching

    Wildlifenear Bukhara

    The centre is 40 km from Bukhara. Transport and visitor access arrangements are not specified.

  • Kyzylkum Tugai and Sand Reserve birdwatching

    WildlifeNorth-western Bukhara Province

    Spring

    The reserve covers Amu Darya floodplains and nearby desert dunes. Transport and visitor access arrangements are not specified.

  • Nuratau-Kyzylkum Biospheric Reserve area

    WildlifeSouthern Kyzylkum Desert, Nuratau and Koitash ridges

    The area includes lakes Aydarkul and Tuzgan and the Nuratau and Koitash ridges. Visitor access and transport arrangements are not specified.

  • Bog'ishamol hiking trails

    HikeFerghana Valleynear Andijan

    Visit Bog'ishamol park on the hills overlooking Andijan and use its hiking trails.

Airports, metros and trains in Uzbekistan

Airports with scheduled flights

  • BHKBukhara International AirportBukharaMain international airport
  • NMANamangan International AirportNamanganMain international airport
  • NCUNukus International AirportNukusMain international airport
  • SKDSamarkand International AirportSamarkandMain international airport
  • TASTashkent International AirportTashkentMain international airport
  • UGCUrgench International AirportUrgenchMain international airport

Metro and subway

  • TashkentTashkent Metro45 stations70.8 kmsince 1977

Trains

Rail network
4,669 km
Electrified
2,500 km
High-speed lines
1,161 km
Top speed
260 km/h

People and safety in Uzbekistan

Religion

Most people are Muslim. Mostly one faith.

  • Muslim97%
  • Christian2%
  • No religion<1%

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex relationships are illegal

  • The law allows up to 3 years in prison.
  • Legal gender change is not recognised.

Check your own government's travel advice before you go, and be careful with public displays of affection and dating apps.

Women travellers

Ranked #98 of 181 countries for women's safety, inclusion and justice.

81% of women say they feel safe walking alone at night where they live.

Who can visit without a visa

Travellers from 95 of 198 countries can visit Uzbekistan easily: no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Visa not required95
  • eVisa48
  • Visa required55

Who can visit easily, by part of the world

For each part of the world: how many countries' travellers can come easily. Easy means no visa, a visa at the airport, or a short online form.

  • Europe43 of 46 countries
  • Americas24 of 35 countries
  • Asia26 of 49 countries
  • Oceania2 of 14 countries
  • Africa0 of 54 countries

Questions

When is the most comfortable time to visit?

Mid-May to early June, or August to early September. Summer can be extremely hot, especially July.

Can I buy train tickets without booking online?

Yes, you can buy them in person by showing your passport. Buy ahead because trains can fill up, and some basic Russian can help.

Can I pay by card?

Cards are increasingly accepted in restaurants, supermarkets and other shops. A fee of about 1% is common, and smaller cash notes are useful for small purchases.

Will people understand English?

English is increasingly used in tourist hotels and restaurants. It is less reliable when speaking to people on the street.

What local food should I try?

Try plov, the national rice dish, along with fresh bread, dumplings, somsa pastries and grilled shashlik.

Can I drink tap water?

Treat tap water outside Tashkent as unsafe to drink.

Is Uzbekistan safe for first-time visitors?

It is generally safe with normal precautions. Watch for pickpockets, overcharging and street scams, and avoid poorly lit areas at night.

Where can I get a local phone connection?

Several providers sell SIM cards and eSIMs at Tashkent airport arrivals before customs. Bring your passport.

What local customs should I know?

Respect older people, handle tea cups with your right hand and avoid wasting bread. Open flirting with women is traditionally unwelcome.

How much does a basic visit cost?

The source gives about US$0.80 for a street snack and US$40 for a comfortable double room. Agree prices before buying or ordering.

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