By Paul Bartlett, Posted Nov 09, 2006
Sections: Guide to Uzbekistan Basic Info The People The Traveler Romance & Dating Work and Money Health & Safety Food and Karaoke Getting Around Accommodation Shopping Destinations
Getting around Tashkent is fairly straightforward as the Metro is fast and cheap. The only problem with this means of transport is the likelihood of being stopped by the numerous police officers who patrol the Metro stations and are keen on extracting money from all and sundry. If your paperwork is in order then this should not be a problem. Don’t let the police take you off to any of their rooms in the station – do everything out in the open. You’ll notice a heavy police presence on the streets of Tashkent, but generally they leave people alone, concentrating on getting kickbacks from street sellers and people whose documents are not in order.
Almost every car doubles up as a taxi – fares are cheap (around 50 cents minimum) going up to about 5 USD to the airport from the city centre. Speaking a bit of Uzbek or Russian may help you to get a better price. Agree your price beforehand to save later arguments. If travelling alone be wary of getting into cars with two or more people in.
Travelling between cities is also relatively easy. Overnight sleeper trains are a good way to meet locals and are good value – a berth in a four-person carriage to Bukhara from Tashkent costs around 10 USD. The trains are clean and usually run on time.
Buses provide a cheaper way of getting around but they are invariably uncomfortable, overcrowded and prone to breaking down in the middle of nowhere.
Shared cars offer a faster and more comfortable way of getting between cities. A seat in an air-conditioned Nexia from Tashkent to Samarkand costs around 5 USD. Cars leave from the end of the Metro line at Sobir Rakhimov – as soon as you leave the metro you will be surrounded by drivers and their runners trying to fill their cars. Make sure you agree the price upfront.
Flying in Uzbekistan is not for the fainthearted. Whilst some of the domestic routes now use modern aircraft, many routes still rely on the ageing fleet of Yak 40s. This jet is like a minibus with wings. There is not a lot of room of any sort in a Yak 40 so you will most likely be sitting closer than you might wish to your neighbour. They can be particularly scary in bad weather as they do not have automated landing systems. One crashed at Tashkent airport in thick fog in early 2004.
There was a feel-good article in the Guardian the other day about laughter classes in Tehran.
God knows there’s lots to laugh about. Here’s a comic speech given by the ...
