Home – Uzbekistan
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Uzbekistan – Practical Information
After 18 days spent in Uzbekistan, here is
the Best Of in pictures from this trip:
Photos - 18 days on Uzbek Silk Road
But here are also some useful tips to help
you preparing your journey over there. The country is amazing not only for its
sites from the old Silk Road but for sure for its people, a true surprise.
In May 2008, 1
EUR = 2,050 sums, 1 USD = 1,315 sums (or around 1,370 sums on black market in
Bukhara)
Below sums are
shortened to S
Daily
life
1 bottle of
water: usually 500 S but in some remote areas could go up to 600 - 700 S.
1 coke or like
(glass bottle of 300ml) : 300 S
Ice Cream:
between 200 and 400 S depending on the quality of the cone ;-)
Shashlik: 500 S
one piece at bazaar and local restaurants
City Bus
ticket: 200 S
Metro ticket in
Tashkent: 300 S
Transportation
Domestic
flights
Uzbekistan
Airways. I did the flight from Tashkent to Nukus
on a brave old Antonov from the early 60s. Strange experience but I survive the
flight. It's time in such a Muslim country to say "Inch’
Allah".
For flights,
just check their website: http://www.uzairways.com/services.aspx
. There are flights from Tashkent to nearly every airport in Uzbekistan but
also a twice weekly flight between Samarkand and Fergana.
The easiest way
to travel throughout the country is with shared taxi. They are much faster than
buses and journeys are quite short (usually 4 to 5 hours rides between the main
cities).
Shared
Taxis (4 seats)
Urgench –
Bukhara : 15,000 S per seat (FYI, 3 local guys paid more than me with 20,000 S
per seat, the driver was really in a hurry to take me at a bargain ;-)
Samarkand
– Tashkent: 50,000 S for the whole taxi. Duration: 4h
Tashkent
– Fergana: 60,000 S for the whole taxi. Duration: 4-5h pause included
Kokand –
Fergana: 3,000 S per seat
Taxi
in cities
Tashkent
Use regular
cars (any car in town is a potential taxi)
Short ride in
town: 1,000 S
Long ride (like
Orzu hotel to TV Tower): 2,000 S
Samarkand
From train
station to Registan area: 4 to 5,000 S for the whole taxi
Microbus
In towns, they
roughly cost between 200 and 300 S regardless of the distance. Having a look to
what the other riders are paying help.
For sites near
the cities, the fare is usually 300 S
Some useful
minibuses numbers not mentioned in the LP:
Kokand: N°2
links the bazaar to downtown (Khan Palace) for 200 S
Andijon: N°33
between Yaangi Bazaar and Kolkhozny Bazaar for 200 S or n°222 between Yaangii
Bazaar and Jahon Bazaar
Other
means (buses or minibuses)
Nukus
– Kongrad: 3,500 S by minibus
Kongrad
– Moynaq: 1,500 S by bus (in Moynaq, add
200 S to continue to Oybek hotel)
Moynaq
– Nukus: 3,500 S by bus (departure at
9am, duration 3h30)
Nukus
– Urgench: 4,000 S by bus (duration 3h,
departure in front of Tashkent Hotel in Nukus)
Urgench
– Khiva: 300 S by trolleybus (duration
1h)
Khiva
– Urgench: 1,000 S by car (duration 20-30
minutes, departure from the North Gate, the drivers will spot you!!)
Fergana
– Rishtan: 600 S by minibus
Fergana
– Andijon: 1,500 S by minibus
Fergana
– Margilan: 400 to 600 S depending on the
vehicle (car or minibus)
Train
Bukhara –
Samarkand
3 classes on
The Sharq: 8,000 S, 13,000 S or 45,000 S. Duration 3h. The train leaves just
after 8am and arrives just before 11am
If you take
your ticket in town you have to add 5,000 S of commission otherwise arrive at
the train station quite early as it fills up quickly. I had to buy a middle
class ticket.
Accommodation
Nukus
Jipek Joli
Hotel – 15 USD + breakfast
200m from
Savitsky museum. There is a big Yurt in the yard. If they are full you will
maybe ask to sleep in the little museum, next door. Limited information from
the staff.
Moynaq
Oybek Hotel
– 10,000 S + 2,000 S for the dinner.
The owner is
really nice and speak some english otherwise it will be Russian and Kazakh. The
dinner is a bargain considering the lack of other option over there.
Khiva
Islambek
– 20 USD + breakfast
Clean and calm
but it lacks charm. Would have stayed at Ganijon Afandi for a 10 USD single
with shared bathroom. great location, right next to Pahlavon Mahmud Mausoleum.
Bukhara
Nazira &
Azizbek – 10 to 15 USD + a great breakfast
50m from Lyabi
Hauz square. The staff is really friendly with a nice guy really helpful
throughout the day. They keep on offering tea at any time in the day. One of my
best hotels in Uzbekistan.
Samarkand
Bahodir B&B
– 10 USD + a pretty nice breakfast
500m from
Registan. It is a (THE) backpacker place. The staff is helpful and the
gatekeeper does not mind if you come back after midnight ;-)
Fergana
Golden Valley
Homestay – 10 USD + a very poor breakfast (2 eggs, tea and bread from the
day before)
Hard to find if
I was not helped. The lady is really close to her money so she kept on asking
me for the previous night dollars even if I was leaving all my stuff in the
flat. It was like I would disappear without my bags. Not so far from bazaar and
an experience to live in a soviet style building
Tashkent
Orzu Hotel
– 32 USD single + buffet breakfast. http://www.orzu-hotels.com/
A great staff,
nice location. 500m from a fast internet cafe by the Uzbekistan airways office
and a metro station a little further up the street. My best finding in
Tashkent.
Miscellaneous
Tashkent: A ticket at Alisher Navoi Opera & Ballet Theater now costs 8,000
S. the shows are scheduled nearly everyday except Mondays. It is a must do in
Tashkent. Booking starts at 10am.
Gas. Prices I
have seen during my trip:
Diesel: 825 S /
liter
Gasoline 91:
915 S / liter
If you have
some unanswered questions, feel free to PM or email me.
Last update: May 2008
Your comments or questions are welcomed: pindavid@hotmail.com
