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Voykit pocket guide · Uzbekistan
Tashkent
Toshkent
Tashkent is a morning-and-evening city: do Khast Imam and Chorsu before 11:00, hide from the heat at midday, and use the metro and short car rides between four spread-out clusters — the airport is close, but check that your hotel desk is staffed when you land.
Tashkent's sights are far apart on wide avenues, and the summer sun is strong. The trips that go wrong walk between clusters at noon in July, or arrive late to a hotel with no night desk. Four clusters cover a first visit: the Old City with Chorsu, Khast Imam, Amir Temur Square and Independence Square. Samarkand and Bukhara are trips away from one kept bed, not part of this line.
- Country
- Uzbekistan
- Local name
- Toshkent
- Best months
- Mar · Apr · May · Sep · Oct
- Time zone
- Asia/Tashkent
- Stay
- 2 days: Khast Imam and Chorsu morning, Amir Temur Square evening
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- UZS
- Money
- Cards (Visa, Mastercard) work in hotels, malls, larger restaurants and most ride-hail apps; bazaars, tea houses, samsa stalls and small taxis are cash only in som. Change money at a bank or a licensed exchange office at the official rate; the old street-rate gap is gone, so there is no reason to use a street changer.
- Daily spend
- Budget UZS 150,000–300,000 excl. bed · Mid UZS 300,000–700,000 excl. bed · High UZS 700,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Ucell, Beeline, Mobiuz and Uzmobile sell tourist SIMs at the airport and in shops; bring your passport, the shop registers the SIM to you. An eSIM is the simpler option if your phone supports it (check coverage). Cell coverage is good across the city.
- Emergency
- Fire 101 · Police 102 · Ambulance 103
- Plugs
- 220 V, 50 Hz. Two-pin round sockets (types C and F). Bring an adapter.
- Tipping
- Not required. Round up a taxi fare; 10% is common in sit-down restaurants when no service charge is printed on the bill.
- Water
- Not for drinking from the tap. Use sealed bottled water or filtered water; ice in tourist restaurants is usually fine, in street stalls ask.
- Toilets
- Hotels, malls, cafés and museums. Public toilets at bazaars and metro stations are basic and often pay-per-use (UZS 1,000–3,000); carry tissues and small notes.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee or tea | UZS 20,000–40,000 |
| Plov portion | UZS 35,000–70,000 |
| Samsa | UZS 8,000–15,000 |
| Metro ride | About UZS 2,000–3,000 (check) |
| Ride-hail across the centre | UZS 15,000–45,000 |
| Airport to centre by app | UZS 40,000–80,000 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport (TAS)
- TAS to the centre: one ride-hail car or an airport taxi, 20–45 minutes for about 8 km (5 mi) — the risk is not the ride but a hotel that has no staffed desk when you land late.TAS to the centre: one ride-hail car or an airport taxi, 20–45 minutes for about 5 mi (8 km) — the risk is not the ride but a hotel that has no staffed desk when you land late.
By rail and road
| Station | Serves | To the centre |
|---|---|---|
| Tashkent Central railway station (Toshkent-Markaziy) | Afrosiyob high-speed trains to Samarkand and Bukhara; slower trains to other cities | Car 15–25 min; metro from a nearby station |
| Long-distance bus and shared-taxi stations | Shymkent (Kazakhstan), Fergana valley, Samarkand by road | Car 20–40 min |
| Hotel or operator pick-up | Chimgan, Charvak and day tours | Already there |
Typical fares
- Airport to centre
- UZS 40,000–80,000 by app
- Short ride in the centre
- UZS 15,000–30,000
- Metro ride
- About UZS 2,000–3,000 (check)
Show 8 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Eat, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk inside a cluster; ride the metro between the big squares and Chorsu; use Yandex Go for everything else. Distances are longer than they look on the map.
| How | Fare | Use for |
|---|---|---|
| Metro | About UZS 2,000–3,000 a ride (check) | Chorsu, Amir Temur, Mustaqillik and the west and north of the centre |
| Ride-hail car (Yandex Go) | UZS 15,000–45,000 across the centre | Khast Imam, the airport and any trip after dark |
| Walking | Free | Inside a cluster, mornings and evenings |
| City bus | About UZS 2,000–3,000 | Only if you know the route |
| Street taxi | Agree the fare first | When apps are slow |
| Car with driver | US$40–80 a day (check) | Chimgan, Charvak and multi-stop days |
Fares are estimates; check before you ride.
- Passes
- No pass. Short car rides inside the centre are cheap; check the fare in the app before you ride.
- Late at night
- The metro stops at night (field-verify the last train); ride-hailing runs all night.
See and do
01Chorsu bazaarChorsu bozori
The domed hall, bread, spices and dried fruit; the city at its most direct.
Hours: best Early morning · Price: Free · Time: 1–1.5 h · 41.3262, 69.2369
02Khast Imam complexHazrati Imom majmuasi
Working mosque, madrasa courtyards and an old library of manuscripts.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free to small fee · Time: 45–60 min · 41.3375, 69.2411
03Plov and samsa lunchOsh va somsa, Chorsu
The dish that defines Uzbek food, eaten with the lunch crowd.
Hours: best 12:00–13:00 · Price: UZS 35,000–70,000 · Time: 30–45 minHours: best 12:00 PM–1:00 PM · Price: UZS 35,000–70,000 · Time: 30–45 min · 41.3262, 69.2385
04Tashkent metroToshkent metropoliteni
Marble, chandeliers and murals in stations that double as a cheap lift home.
Hours: best Midday · Price: UZS 2,000–3,000 a ride · Time: 1 h · 41.3150, 69.2711
05Amir Temur SquareAmir Temur xiyoboni
Timur's statue, the fountains and the gardens at dusk.
Hours: best Late afternoon · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min · 41.3116, 69.2818
06Temuriylar History MuseumTemuriylar tarixi davlat muzeyi
The best indoor rest from the heat, with Timurid history in ornate halls.
Hours: best Midday · Price: About UZS 40,000–60,000 · Time: 1 h · 41.3137, 69.2790
07Independence SquareMustaqillik maydoni
A Soviet-scale square with an arch and gardens; best after 17:00.A Soviet-scale square with an arch and gardens; best after 5:00 PM.
Hours: best Evening · Price: Free · Time: 30–45 min · 41.3154, 69.2674
08Kukeldash madrasaKo'kaldosh madrasasi
A 16th-century madrasa beside the bazaar; a short stop for the exterior.
Hours: best Morning · Price: Free · Time: 15–20 min · 41.3234, 69.2360
09Shashlik dinnerKechki shashlik
Skewers and salads at an evening grill.
Hours: best 19:00 · Price: UZS 90,000–200,000 · Time: 1–1.5 hHours: best 7:00 PM · Price: UZS 90,000–200,000 · Time: 1–1.5 h · 41.3140, 69.2690
10Samarkand by train
The next stop on the Silk Road, two hours away.
Hours: best Spring or autumn · Price: Train seat US$20–50 (check) · Time: 2 nights
Hours and prices are desk estimates (checked 2026-09); anything marked (check) is not confirmed. Coordinates open in any map app.
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Chimgan and Charvak reservoir | Car with driver, 1.5–2 h each way | Full day |
| Samarkand by high-speed train | Afrosiyob from Tashkent Central, about 2 h 10 min | Full day (long) or better as 2 nights |
| Kokand and the Fergana Valley | Train or car, 4–5 h each way | 2 days |
| Shymkent, Kazakhstan | Shared taxi or bus to the border, 2–3 h | Full day |
Eat
| Where | What · area | Price | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plov and samsa near Chorsu bazaar | Plov and samsa at the bazaar · Chorsu | UZS 35,000–70,000 | Budget |
| Tandoor bread and sweets row at Chorsu | Hot tandoor bread and sweets · Chorsu | UZS 5,000–20,000 | Budget |
| Samsa stalls | Baked pastry with beef or pumpkin · Any market or street corner | UZS 8,000–15,000 | Budget |
| Tea house (chaikhana) near Khast Imam | Tea, bread and a hot dish at a tea house · Khast Imam | UZS 60,000–120,000 | Mid-range |
| Lagman and manti canteen near Amir Temur Square | Lagman noodles and manti dumplings · Amir Temur | UZS 50,000–100,000 | Mid-range |
| Evening shashlik grill near Independence Square | Shashlik and salads · Mustaqillik | UZS 90,000–200,000 | Mid-range |
| Hotel and modern Uzbek restaurants | Tasting menus, wine and grilled fish · Amir Temur, Yunusobod (check) | UZS 250,000–500,000 | Splurge |
Per person, one dish or one meal, 2026 estimate. Hours change: check the day before.
Sleep
| Band | Price a night | Where | What |
|---|---|---|---|
| budget | US$20–45 | Chorsu, Old City guesthouses | Hostels and guesthouses |
| mid | US$50–110 | Amir Temur and Broadway | 3–4 star hotels |
| splurge | US$130–300+ | Amir Temur, Yunusobod | 5-star and international chains |
Per room per night, 2026 estimate in US dollars.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello (formal) | Assalomu alaykumah-sah-LOH-moo ah-LAY-koom |
| Hi | Salomsah-LOHM |
| Thank you | Rahmatrakh-MAHT |
| Please | Iltimosil-tee-MOHS |
| How much is it? | Qancha?KAHN-chah |
| Too expensive | Qimmatkim-MAHT |
| Yes / no | Ha / yo'qhah / yoak |
| Where is the metro? | Metro qayerda?met-ROH kah-yer-DAH |
| Thank you (Russian) | Spasibospah-SEE-bah |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Shake hands with men; wait for a woman to offer a hand. Place a hand on your chest for a respectful greeting.
- Mosques and madrasas: Cover shoulders and knees; women may be asked to cover their hair. Take shoes off at prayer halls and do not photograph people at prayer.
- Tea and bread: Bread is respected: do not put it upside down or throw it away. Accept tea when it is offered; it is a sign of welcome.
- Photos: Ask before photographing people, especially women and older men. No photos of guards, military or government buildings.
- Eating: Eat plov with the right hand or a spoon; leave a little on the plate to show you are full.
- Tipping and bargaining: Bargain politely at bazaars, not in shops; 10% at a restaurant is welcome.
Red lines
- Mosques and mausoleums: shoulders and knees covered; shoes off at prayer halls.
- Do not photograph government buildings, guards or military sites.
- Ask before photographing people at the bazaar.
Scams and watch-outs
- Unmetered street taxis quote foreigners two or three times the app fare: book through Yandex Go or agree the price before you get in.
- At Chorsu and other bazaars a stallholder may weigh generously or add a portion you did not ask for: ask the price per kilo first, watch the scale, and pay with small notes.
- A helper at Khast Imam or Kukeldash offers a private guided tour and names the price afterwards: agree the price in writing or say no thanks.
- A friendly stranger invites you to a restaurant or a shop and the bill is inflated: choose the place yourself and check the menu prices.
- Street changers approach near bazaars and hotels: use a bank or licensed exchange office, and count notes in front of the cashier.
One and two days
1 day
A long layover or a stop before the train to Samarkand. Skip: Independence Square and the museum: add them on a second day.
- 07:307:30 AMChorsu bazaar and Kukeldash
- 10:0010:00 AMKhast Imam complex
- 12:3012:30 PMPlov lunch
- 14:002:00 PMMetro to the centre and a museum or hotel rest
- 17:305:30 PMAmir Temur Square and Broadway
- 19:307:30 PMShashlik dinner
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Uzbekistan Tourism Committee: uzbekistan.travel/
- Uzbekistan e-visa portal: e-visa.gov.uz/
- Wikivoyage — Tashkent: en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/Tashkent
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
TashkentToshkent
Iltimos, meni ... ga olib boring
Please take me to
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
Take me to
- Chorsu bozoriChorsu Bazaar
- Hazrati Imom majmuasiKhast Imam (Hazrati Imam) Complex
- Osh va somsa, ChorsuPlov and samsa near Chorsu bazaar
- Toshkent metropoliteniTashkent Metro stations
- Amir Temur xiyoboniAmir Temur Square
- Temuriylar tarixi davlat muzeyiTemuriylar History Museum
Most embassies are in Tashkent: write the number of yours here before you fly.
Save your hotel's address in Uzbek and Russian offline, and carry small som notes for bazaars and tea houses.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tashkent). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.