Bishkek to Tashkent via Tajikistan

Hello,

I will depart Bishkek on June 3rd and I need to be in Tashkent on June 5th or 6th.
In the meantime, I would really like to cross into Tajikistan for 1-2 days.
As far as I can tell, I have two options. Which one seems preferable?

1. Fly to Tashkent on June 3rd, take an overnight trip to Khujand.
   (This seems to be an easy option, but I'm not sure that Khujand is an interesting tourist destination...)

2. Fly to Dushanbe on June 3rd, spend 2 nights. Fly to Khujand for taxi transfer to Tashkent.

Am I correct in assuming that 2 would be more interesting?
If so, I have a few questions.

A. Is it possible to book the Bishkek Dushanbe flight in advance? What about the Dushanbe Khujand flight? Prices?
B. Can we get visas on arrival in Dushanbe (Canadian, German)?
C. Is it easy to get a taxi from Khujand airport to the border? Are there typically taxis waiting on the other side? If not, can someone suggest a driver?

Thanks!

It depends on what you'd prefer to do, really, but for option 1 you'd need a double-entry Uzbekistan visa of course, and you'd need to get your Tajik visa in advance--I can't help about current info for Tajik visas at the airport in Dushanbe, as that changed repeatedly even when we were living there, but I'm sure someone else will be along.

I enjoyed Dushanbe and added a long, detailed post about it here, which seems unavailable now because of the stupidity. Others have put helpful info up too, so try a search and you may be lucky. The town is not exactly a hive of activity or a cultural gem, but the museum is pretty good and the town has some attractive parks and decent markets. It certainly beats Khojand, from what little I saw of that town. (Flights to Khojand one way were about US$100 last I knew).

However, near Khojand (and hour or a little longer by taxi) is Istaravshan, a small town with some quite nice old buildings--not a patch on what you'll see in Uzbekistan, but reading between the lines of your post you're just going for the going rather than for anything in particular. Look into flights to Khojand from Bishkek, as I dimly recall there once was such a rare animal (there were certainly flights to Russia from there, not long ago).

Try Somon Air for routes and tickets, as you may be able to work something out.

Note that a third option, if you go to Dushanbe and if you aren't especially keen on Tashkent, is to get transport from Dushanbe west to Samarkand rather than flying to Khojand.

Yes on all your questions about getting from Khojand to the border and onward.

Edited by: chriskean1

Hi grlmopz!

Welcome to TT!

For flights from Dushanbe to Khunjand, take a look at Tajik Air. They also fly from Bishkek to Dushanbe but for that leg you have more choice of airlines (Kyrgyzstan Air Company, Avia...)

Tajik Air is not widely recommended when other options are available. It may be best for you depending on price and schedule, but there it is.

@grlmopz: Disregard my comment in #2 about Tajik Air flights from Dushanbe to Khunjand. For some reason I though it was Tajik Air and not Somon Air the airline that flies that route at the moment but it seems I was wrong and it's Somon Air the only airline that flies that route at the moment (4 times per week if the schedule available in their web it's updated) as I can't see any schedule for the route from Dushanbe to Khunjand in the web of Tajik Air. Sorry for the misinformation.

If you decide to fly to Dushanbe from Bishkek, I found that the only local travel agency that could book a flight with Tajik Air (that is, access the TA electronic booking system) was Kyrgyz Concept. The company has an very-out-of-date list of departures online, but which may help you select a carrier: http://www.concept.kg/eng/business_travel/airtickets/schedule_bishkek/

I've flown with Tajik Air between Bishkek and Dushanbe and later between Dushanbe and Almaty. I though the in-flight service and punctuality was OK. But be warned that Dushanbe airport is a zoo -- both on arrival and departure. Expect lots of pushing and shoving around the check in and immigration counters. Expect the customs officials at arrivals to play favourites when handing out the inbound customs forms and also expect shenanigans regarding currency declarations upon departure.

I've seen no recent traveller reports on the status of visas on arrival at Dushanbe or Khujand airports. However, the Caravanistan website, which strives to keep on top of these matters, is reporting that a French tourist arriving in January 2013 needed a letter of invitation to get one (http://caravanistan.com/visa/tajikistan/).

This is supported by current text on the Tajik MFA website:

Notes: Please, be informed that for processing of visa (except private visa) in Consulate Bureau of Consular Department of MFA in the airport of Dushanbe for the period which is less than 45 days foreign citizens should submit filled visa support or visa application (2 copies), 2 photos and invitation. If foreign citizen fail to submit above mentioned documents, visa processing and issuance will not be produced and these persons will be deported from the Republic of Tajikistan.

(http://mfa.tj/index.php?node=article&id=455)

'Visa support' or 'invitation' = letter of invitation from a travel agent or hotel.

All in all, I think you're facing a lot of legwork and expense for a fleeting transit.

I would not recommend flight options from Bishkek to Dushanbe as that option is not reliable and flight often gets cancelled last minute.

2nd option is you can fly to Osh drive to Batken border and cross via Isfra to Khujand can be done in one day.

Khujand to Dushanbe these days they open the tunnel so the travel time is around 5-6 hrs each way
Dushanbe-Khujand same story there are couple of flights a day if not enough people they also get often cancelled.

Uzbekistan to Khujand best way take a taxi to the border via Oybek border.

Thanks for your help, everyone.

I tried to visit Kyrgyz Concept's website, but it seems to be down.

We are going to get our visas in advance from the Tajik embassy. I don't want to chance visas on arrival in a place where the rules seem to frequently change.

Our original plan is: 2 nights each in Bishkek, Dushanbe, Tashkent and Samarkand, followed by three nights in Bukhara.

If Tashkent is worth a miss, then we could get a direct transfer from Dushanbe to Samarkand, which would free up two extra days. Is there anywhere aside from Tashkent these two days could be better spent? (Issyk Kul? Somewhere near Dushanbe?)

Are we crazy to rely on a flight from Bishkek to Dushanbe to not be cancelled? If it is, I suppose it would be very tough to get where we need to go.

Thanks again for all of your help!

And, chriskean1 is correct: The visit to Tajikistan is just to go there, rather than to see any specific sites. I'm on a mission to visit all of the countries in the world, and it would be a shame to travel into that area and not duck in for a couple of days. :)

OP: I need to be in Tashkent on June 5th or 6th.

#7: If Tashkent is worth a miss, then we could get a direct transfer from Dushanbe to Samarkand.

So if you don't really "need to" be in Tashkent, I would skip it. But that's probably just me. My memories are from Tashkent in 2000, when it became the black hole of my trip, draining away much too much time I couldn't really afford. But many people like its energy, and some expats in the region particularly because it's the closest thing to a metropolis anywhere close by. I think it was the fourth most populous USSR city during those days, which is saying something.

Again, I'd skip it if you don't have to be there. As you say, you can go straight to Samarkand from Dushanbe by car (or to Termiz or Boysun for somewhere more out of the way). You could add a day or two to Samarkand and see more of the surrounding area, or head to Issyk kul, or Urgench and Khiva, or Iskender kul. By the way, is there something particular you'll be seeing or doing in Bishkek?

Hi again,

There's nothing in particular that I'll be doing in Bishkek. The main reason for my travels will be to see Uzbekistan, but since I want to visit all of the countries, I'll be visiting all five Stans.

Current itinerary:

Almaty: 3 days
Bishkek: 2 days

then, either

Dushanbe: 2 days, Tashkent, 2 days
OR
Tashkent 3 days with an overnight in Khujand

Samarkand: 2 days
Bukhara: 3 days
Khiva: 2 days
Turkmenistan: 3 days

(The four days between Bishkek and Uzbekistan could be structured another way, as long as we get to visit Tajikistan for a day or two)

Out of curiosity, does anyone know how to book a Tajik Air flight? Their schedule lists Monday flights between Bishkek and Dushanbe, but no Monday flights seem to be available via the booking engine.

We thought about visiting Lake Issyk Kul while in Bishkek, but it seems to be a bit far away for a two-night stay. If Bishkek isn't so great (as I've heard to be the case), we could always limit our time there to one night, I suppose.

I said that I needed to be in Tashkent, because I intended to take a train from there to Samarkand. I suppose it's true that I don't need to be there, although I'm somewhat curious about the place.

Hi

it is better to take flight to TAJİKİSTAN capital city DUSHANBE and have tour for 2days and then to take flight by somon air to KHUJAND city which far away from TASHKENT 1.5 hour this is the cheap way

you can take also have special cars nearly 80dolar to panjekent from there to cross the boarder to samarkand which far aways from panjekent 66km DUSHANBE İ think it is better for your tour have anice trip