How to cross the border between Panjakent and Samarkand? Our travel guide explains how things work on this Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border; you get the best transportation tips and learn the estimated price. 

The Panjakent-Samarkand border crossing has been open since 2018, which makes travel between those countries much easier. Now you can easily visit the majestic Fann mountains on a quick trip from Uzbekistan or end your Tajikistan itinerary by crossing to Uzbekistan and continuing to Samarkand/Tashkent. We crossed this border at the end of August 2022 and went straight to Tashkent.

FROM PANJAKENT TO THE BORDER

• Distance: 20 km
• Estimated time: 15-20 minutes
• Price: 10 TJS ($0.9)

From Panjakent, shared taxis stay near the entrance to the bazaar. Just opposite the T-Cell store and traffic lights. Negotiate the price. The normal charge is 10 TJS per person. The ride to the border is 20 km and takes around 15-20 minutes.

Essential reading: Epic camping by Kulikalon Lake in Fann Mountains in Tajikistan.

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EXCHANGE MONEY

There are guys exchanging money on the Tajik side. The rate for Uzbek Som is quite ok. We haven’t seen any money exchange possibilities on the Uzbek side, even though some reports state it’s possible. For this reason, we recommend you exchange the money on the Tajik side to avoid the hassle in Uzbekistan.

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BORDER CROSSING

The actual crossing is straightforward and fast. Once we exchanged the money, we went to the Tajik side border crossing. Our passport got checked and stamped within 5 minutes. No one even checked our luggage, and off we were to the Uzbek side. 

On the Uzbek side, we waited 5 minutes in the queue. It is another fast border crossing in Central Asia. We got our entry stamp to Uzbekistan; they checked our luggage with an X-ray and welcomed us to Uzbekistan!

• Total border crossing time: 20 minutes

Note: Many local people by the Tajik border crossing gate weren’t allowed inside when we were crossing. We pushed through the queue to the policeman, who immediately let us go in. So don’t worry when you see this, as foreigners and everyone with a valid visa or visa-free policy can cross this border. 

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FROM UZBEK BORDER TO SAMARKAND

• Distance: 45 km
• Estimated time: 45 – 60 minutes

Once you leave the immigration and exit gate, money-hungry taxi drivers will approach you with ridiculously overpriced offers. It’s good to mention first that we were surprised how in the middle of nowhere you get once you get out in Uzbek side. Plenty of taxi drivers are waiting, some marshrutkas, but that’s it. You’re basically on the road tucked between the farmlands. 

The usual acceptable price for a seat in a shared taxi to Samarkand is 20 000 UZS ($1.7). However, this will be hard to negotiate. We agreed on a price of 30 000 UZS ($2.6) per person to take us to the train station in Samarkand, from where we had a connection to Tashkent.

Want to go to Fergana Valley? Cross the Andarkhon border between Khujand and Fergana.

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GOING TO TASHKENT

If you don’t stay in Samarkand, it’s easy to go to Tashkent straight away. There are shared taxis, but the easiest, cheapest and fastest is to take the famous Uzbek high-speed train. It costs 100 000 UZS ($8.6) and takes only 2 hours. You can easily book your tickets online using the UZ railway official app, but make sure you book it at least a week in advance in high season or, in general, a day or two before. If no more seats are left on a high-speed train, don’t worry! Take the slower Shark train, which goes 4 hours but is still very comfortable. Overall, it is more than a 330 km journey, so 4 hours is still a great time. Read more about travelling by train in Uzbekistan below. 

Read more: Ultimate guide on travelling by train in Uzbekistan.

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WHERE TO STAY IN UZBEKISTAN

Samarkand I Furkat Guest House – the best place to stay in, and the good news is that you can negotiate a budget price. We negotiated $20 per night with breakfast included. This place is wonderful, great for relaxing and sitting on their patio with a view over Registan was our favourite part. The location is unbeatable. 

Tashkent I Art Hostel – we stayed here when we first went to Tashkent and can only recommend this place to any backpacker. Why? There is everything you need. The kitchen, living room, outside pool and seating area, little gym and the owners are very friendly. Most likely, you’ll meet many fellow travellers here. The location is amazing – within walking distance of restaurants, a few sights, and a metro station. The supermarket is 400 metres away. 

Panjakent I Inn Sogdiana – Inn Sogdiana is a popular choice amongst travellers coming to Panjakent. They can help you organize forward travel in Tajikistan or store your bags. Rooms are basic, breakfast is included, and the location is central. We stayed here before and after our trek to Fann Mountains.

I hope you find this information useful; if you need any more information, please drop a comment in the comment section below.

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