This travel guide tells you how to get by bus from Tashkent (Uzbekistan) to Bishkek (Kyrgyzstan). Where to buy tickets, how much the ticket costs, what to be prepared for and our experience. This is a straightforward and smooth journey, actually one of the easiest long-distance bus routes to do in Central Asia. 

After visiting all the top places in Uzbekistan, it was time to move on and get to the next and final leg of our 3,5 monthly adventure across Central Asia, Bishkek. Since we were in Tashkent and wanted to avoid flying, the easiest way was to take a bus which runs overnight between those two cities daily. We tell you everything you need to know to get through this journey successfully and without any rush. 

WHERE TO BUY BUS TICKETS IN TASHKENT

The same is if you cross from Tashkent to Shymkent; you can buy a ticket at the central bus station near Olmazor metro station in Tashkent. 

When we travelled to Bishkek in September 2022, the bus was completely full, so, therefore, I recommend you get your tickets a day in advance to avoid changing the plans last minute in case the tickets are sold out. 

To get to the bus station in Tashkent, you can take a metro (1400 UZS) to Olmazor station, which is right next to the bus station, but I don’t recommend you do it with big luggage as there are checkpoints to enter the metro and you could be asked to take everything out of the bag for the check. Or order Yandex, which is a rideshare app used in Central Asia (15 000 – 25 000 UZS)

Going to Kazakhstan instead? Read our full report how to cross the border from Tashkent to Shymkent.

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BUS SCHEDULE, TIMES, PRICE, INFO

Two-night buses leave daily from the Tashkent bus station. We took the one at 6pm, and there is one more at 10pm.

Important information

• Departure times from Tashkent: 6pm, 10pm
• Expected arrival times to Bishkek: 6-8am, 10-12am
• Total bus journey: 12-14 hours
• Price: 253 000 UZS ($22) per person
• Borders crossings: first border crossing is at Zhibek Zholy/Chernaevska (Tashkent-Shymkent). Note that the bus goes most of the way through Kazakhstan, so check the visa regulations before you go. The next border crossing is from Kazakhstan to Bishkek (Chaldybar border crossing, Taraz-Talas). 

The bus drivers were going wild with the air con, and the whole bus was like a ride from Antarctica. Very cold. He was often asked to turn it down, but it seemed he knows only extra cold or completely turned off & therefore, hot. So ensure you have warm clothes even though it’s hot outside. 

The bus usually leaves on time (+- 15 minutes), and it is only a 1-hour drive to the first border with Kazakhstan. 

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WHERE TO EXCHANGE MONEY

The best is if you manage to exchange before you go. We exchanged the money in the bus station in Tashkent, as there were guys with packs of money exchanging. The rate wasn’t the most impressive, but it was ok to get us through Kazakhstan and the first day in Kyrgyzstan. You can exchange Kazakh Tenge as well as Kyrgyz som. We recommend you take both, as the biggest part of the bus ride goes through Kazakhstan, including paid toilet stops, and stops for dinner & snacks, so it’s good to have some tenge as well. 

That was the only place where we could exchange the money, as we didn’t meet anyone on the border, nor did nobody come to the bus to ask. 

Visit top place in Kyrgyzstan: Visit Fairytale Canyon in Kyrgyzstan

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WHAT TO EXPECT IN THE BUS & ROUTE

After we yo leave the bus station in Tashkent, it takes one hour only to reach the first border crossing at Zhibek Zholy. Everyone needs to get out of the bus, take all the luggage and go through the immigration building. Women go first. Security checks the bag through X-ray, stamp your passport, and you go back to the bus. The whole process on the Uzbek side took 2 hours. Nobody asked us to see the registration cards from Uzbek hotels, but in case they want to see it be ready. 

This border is more time-consuming than the others as you actually need to go back to the bus, drive to the Kazakh side and do the whole process there again. Take your bags from the bus again and go through immigration. They stamp your passport first, then check your luggage on X-ray. It took 45 minutes. 

After you successfully cross into Kazakhstan, it is around 600 km to reach the other border. The bus stops for toilets breaks quite often, as well as one big stop for dinner. Around 6 am, you’ll arrive at the borders. 

This border is a walk-through on both sides, meaning you only take things from the bus once and walk from Kazakh to Kyrgyz. They check your luggage on the Kazakh side only. This is usually a fast crossing. In our case, it took 45 minutes in total. At 8:45, we arrived in Bishkek. 

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TRAVEL INSURANCE

Remember to get proper travel insurance with the right coverage for activities you plan on doing. Usually, insurance won’t cover you at certain altitudes, or for horse riding treks etc.; in Kyrgyzstan, even when not hiking, you will often be in higher altitudes, so make sure your insurance has great coverage. We recommend IATI Insurance, as they cover all that we just mentioned and also expenses regarding Covid 19. In addition, you, as a reader of Broken Navigation, get an exclusive 5% discount for any travel insurance plan.

Get your 5% discount with IATI Insurance.

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COMING TO BISHKEK

The bus goes to Western Bus Station in Bishkek. From there, you can either take Marshrutka or Yandex, if you already have a local sim card, to your next destination.

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WHERE TO STAY IN BISHKEK

BUDGET I Dos guesthouse – our favourite place in Bishkek. Small and quiet family own guesthouse with 3 rooms only. Delicious breakfast is included, wifi is fast, and the place is comfortable. For the price you won’t find a better place, however, you need to be fast as they are quickly fully booked. 

BUDGET I Koisha – if Dos won’t work for you, Koisha is the social hostel where every traveller meets. It is close to the bazaar in a lively area, they have a nice garden to relax in, private rooms or dorms and breakfast is included. 

MID-RANGE I SilkRoad Guesthouse – stylish guesthouse with a shared lounge, garden and terrace. According to guests, the wifi works well, breakfast is amazing, and the rooms are very comfortable and clean. We really like the look of this place. If you stay in Central Asia longer, this might be an excellent change for a couple of nights. Spoiler alert: They have wooden rooms. 

MORE FROM KYRGYZSTAN

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Visit Osh: Our favourite city in Kyrgyzstan

A quick guide to visiting Fairytale Canyon, Kyrgyzstan

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