Samarkand Getting there & around

Getting there & away

Land

Tashkent is four hours away by car across a flat, dry landscape that tsarist Russians nicknamed the Hungry Steppe, now a monotonous stretch of factories and cotton fields. The main departure point to Tashkent for private buses and shared taxis is the Ulugbek marshrutka stop, about 300m east of the observatory (bus/shared taxi per seat 3500/9000S, six/3½ hours). Marshrutkas to/from Tashkent congregate at the train station (5000S).

Shared taxis to Termiz (per seat 16, 000S, five hours) gather at ‘Grebnoy Kanal’ on the city’s outskirts about 10km east of the Ulugbek stop. Infrequent Tashkent–Termiz buses pass by Grebnoy Kanal, but don’t count on them having seats. One early morning bus departs to Termiz (4500S, 8½ hours) from the dying public bus station, 500m past the airport turnoff.

Buses to Bukhara via Navoi depart from opposite the Ulugbek stop on Tashkent kochasi (3500S, five hours). They run all night, but more frequently (at least two per hour) up until 7pm. Some go on to Urgench (7500S, 13 hours). You’ll find a few shared taxis to Bukhara (per seat 11, 000S, three hours) around this bus stop, but the main departure point is the Povorot marshrutka stop about 1km west of the Gagarin Monument on Ulugbek kochasi.

For Shakhrisabz, shared taxis congregate on Suzangaran, about 100m south of the ‘Registan’ marshrutka stop (per seat 2500S, 1½ hours). Most go only as far as Kitab, where you pick up a marshrutka for the last 10km.

Train

The speedy Registan train, with airplane-style seating, departs five times a week to Tashkent at 5pm (2nd class/1st class 6500/12, 000S, four hours). The equally priced and equally speedy Bukhara–Tashkent express Sharq train rolls through Samarkand daily at 11am. There are also two slower regular passenger trains daily to Tashkent (platskartny 7500S, six hours); one originates in Bukhara.

For Bukhara you can pick up the Sharq heading west at about 1.10pm (2nd class/1st class 5700/9200S, 3½ hours). The daily Tashkent–Bukhara passenger train rumbles through Samarkand at 1.45am (platskartny 7500S, six hours). The cheapest option to Bukhara is the daily ‘suburban’ train (1200S, six hours). There is also a daily suburban train to Qarshi (850S, four hours).

The trains from Tashkent to Urgench and to Kungrad via Nukus go via Samarkand.

The train station (229 15 32; Rudakiy) is 5km northwest of Navoi Park. Take any marshrutka that says ‘’, such as 73 or 17 from the Registan.

^ Back to top

Air

Uzbekistan Airways (booking office 334 10 89; Gagarin 84) flies between Samarkand and Tashkent daily except Friday for US$36. To get to the airport take any marshrutka to the Povorot stop and get out at Gagarin. Tickets for all domestic flights must be bought here.

^ Back to top