Yallama border crossing into Kazakhstan

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artsem
artsem

Just wanted to share my experience of crossing the Yallama border (south of Tashkent) into Kazakhstan. This border apparently still is the only one allowed for foreigners coming from / going to Taskent. Individual travellers are still turned away at the Chernyaevka border (though I met travellers that crossed the Chernyaevka border while taking a direct bus or train to/ from Almaty but they all reported long queues and sometimes even angry crowds).

The Yallama border crossing was completely hassle-free and took me just an hour. Officers on both sides were extremely friendly and let me jump all queues. No bribes just big smiles.

I took a shared taxi from Sobir Rahminov metro station in Tashkent (20$ for the car) which took 45min. On the Kazakh side there are minibuses going to Shymkent for 15$ per person (3 to 4h).

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geebsie
geebsie

I'm glad that someone has finally been able to confirm the position on Yallama / Chernyaevka - both the British Embassy in Astana and the Kazakh Embassy in Aberdeen / London have been unable to do so.

In the end, we took the train from Shymkent to Tashkent to avoid running about in minibuses / taxis etc in 35C temperatures and chilled in Shymkent for the day instead, albeit see my Almaty trip report for the attempted extortion we faced on that train.

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Giora
Giora

Is a donkey taxi still the only way of getting between the border posts at Yallama?

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ainsan
ainsan

Chernyaevka (Gisht Kuprick) is open again for foreigners

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gbloom4
gbloom4
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AINSAN are you sure about that? It wasn't even close to being reopened in Feb and I was told by several sources that it was at least a year away.

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celticmami
celticmami

the border is back in business my brother just crossed it this moning well after payin 2 dolar fine fightin with guards and getting threatened with deportation even tho they have visas to enter.just remember always carry dollars with you there great for bribery along the way

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aadam90804
aadam90804

Just a thought, but is there any possibility of hiring a car and driver to go from Shymkent to Tashkent, or that kinda thing just doesn't happen here? I meant a privately owned car as opposed to a taxi which according to all reports I've read so far only goes up to the border, and you'll have to catch another cab on the other side.

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geebsie
geebsie

Adam - we were getting quoted silly money for this trip from drivers in Shymkent - and I'm talking actual car drivers here rather than taxis - as they were having to go to Yallama. I think the lowest quote we were given was $200.

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