Tashkent
Tashkent (Uzbek: Toshkent or Тошкент; Russian: Ташкент) is the capital and largest city of Uzbekistan, with a population of just over 3 million in 2024. It was an ancient city on the Silk Road, the network of trading routes between China and Europe, but what you see now is mostly modern - it was wrecked by an earthquake in 1966 and rebuilt in Soviet style, with humdrum medium-raise lining interminable boulevards. It's the national transport hub and many visitors are just passing through on the way to Samarkand and Bukhara, but there's plenty of interest here to reward staying a few days.
Understand
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This area is an oasis in an arid land, and from the 5th century BC a town grew up called Chach, which eventually morphed into "Tashkent", city of stone. Conditions suited settled agriculture rather than a nomadic way of life, but the nomad warlord Genghis Khan wrecked Tashkent in 1220. It recovered through trade, and there was a golden age of mosque building through the 15th century, but the medieval city was outshone by Samarkand and Bukhara. What promoted it into central Asia's greatest city was industrialisation and Russian colonisation from the 19th century.
The original town centre was west of the Chirchiq river, around Chorsu Bazaar. A Russian new town developed east of the river through the tsarist then Soviet eras, boosted during the Second World War when the USSR moved strategic industries and workforce here beyond the reach of Nazi attack. Great damage was caused by the earthquake of 26 April 1966, and the ruins were bulldozed to lay out a modern grid of long, wide boulevards.
Tashkent became the capital of Uzbekistan upon independence in 1991, and its leaders sought to create a showcase city and symbol of national identity. What has come about is a mix of the grandiose, the corporate, and the crumbling. It's impressive rather than beautiful, but never less than fascinating.
The climate is harshly continental with hot summers and cold winters. The best times to visit are April-May and Sep-Oct.
Talk
[edit]Russian is the lingua franca here and in all the "Stans". If you learn nothing else of it, learn the Cyrillic alphabet to make sense of business signs, menus and the like.
Uzbek is the official language, but for many here it's not their native tongue. It uses the western alphabet and (like Kazakh) is related to Turkish, but your Bodrum-Holiday-Turkish won't get you very far.
English is understood by many in the hospitality sector, especially in the pricier hotels.
Tajik is the main language of Bukhara and Samarkand, so you're likely to encounter it here. It's related to Persian / Farsi.
Get in
[edit]
By plane
[edit]1 Tashkent International Airport ((TAS IATA)) (8 km south of city centre). There are frequent flights from Moscow, Saint Petersburg, other Russian cities, Dubai, Istanbul (where most western visitors will change), Almaty, Bishkek and Dushanbe. The international terminal T2 is north side of the runway, as marked on the map; T1 adjacent is simply an arrivals hall. Domestic flights are from Bukhara, Nukus, Urgench and Termez, using Terminal 3 which is 4 km south across the runway. So to transfer from an international to a domestic flight you have to clear immigration and customs with your luggage (which isn't through-checked) then look for the bus, which taxi drivers will insist is not running. The airport's "Uzport" transfer bus is hourly, otherwise take city bus 11 every 20 min. 
To town: the official taxi rank is just outside T2, ignore all touts and other offers, and if possible arrange your ride through your accommodation or Yandex Go, the Uber of the steppes. The ride takes 15 min to a city centre and in 2024 a local might pay 25,000 Som, all of US$3. Visitors risk being charged a ransom so always negotiate and fix the fare in advance, and ensure that it's for all of you with luggage. If you bought a travel e-sim for Uzbekistan before arriving, Yandex Go can freeze and not load, so you'll have to use VPN to make it work.
The bus stand is 50 m away across the parking lot, from Arrivals bear left to reach it. Buses run 06:00-22:00: buses 47, 11 (northbound) and 9 take 40 min to city centre, Bus 40 runs to the main railway station, Bus 67 to Oybek metro and then on to the central square. Bus 11 southbound goes to the domestic terminal. Fares are trifling, see Get Around, but you need Uzbek small change.
By train
[edit]International: From Russia, Train 123 runs from Volgograd on Tuesday and Friday, taking almost 60 hours. It also stops in Qarshi and Samarkand but you can't ride it just for the Uzbek sector. The return train 124 departs Tu Sa towards midnight. Train 306 from Samara runs F Su taking 48 hours. Direct trains run from Moscow and from Novosibirsk about once in a blue moon.
From Almaty in Kazakhstan, Train 001 runs on even dates taking 18 hours, returning as Train 002 on odd dates at a tedious 04:30. Since covid, no trains cross the Kazakh-Chinese border - you have to trek away north via Petropavl or Novosibirsk to join the Trans-Siberian railway.
From Dushanbe in Tajikistan, Train 3013 runs on Monday taking 18 hours, and returns on Tuesday. You can also join the trains towards Volgograd and change to a domestic train in Qarshi.
From Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan take the weekly train towards Volgograd and change at Taraz in Kazakhstan, where you may need an overnight stop.
From Turkmenistan cross the border at Olot and pick up a domestic train there. Similarly from Afghanistan cross to Termez.
Domestic: Afrosiob and Sharq fast trains run from Bukhara four times a day, taking 4 hr 30 min via Samarkand. Slower trains run from Urgench and Khiva via Bukhara and Samarkand, and altogether there are 8 trains a day from Samarkand. Fast trains also link Qarshi (once a day, 4 hours) and Shahrisabz (once on Sunday, 5 hours).
Tickets: see Uzbekistan#Get around, but in short, do as much online in advance as possible. Fast trains often sell out, and stations lack info and have chaotic queues.
2 Tashkent Railway Station (Tashkent Pass Tsentral), Kichik Xalqa Yo'li (Metro: Toshkent). 24 hours. This is the terminus for almost all trains; a few continue east to Andijan and Namangan. It's in the south of the city but was formerly called North (Severny Vokzal), so they've compromised and called it Central. Reach downtown by metro, city bus or taxi. As with other large stations, there's a security screen to enter, another to get on the platform (nominally closing 30 min before departure), then a check of ID and travel documents to get aboard. There are ticket booths, left luggage, a waiting hall, cafes and a restaurant, and toilets. No ATM or bank, and absolutely no indication of upcoming departures, you'll have to ask around. It is difficult for anyone with impaired mobility to access platforms let alone trains. Arrivals are ejected onto the street and to change trains must re-enter via security x 3. 
3 South Station (Janubiy Vokzal, ТАШКЕНТ ЮЖ). This has slow overnight trains from Khiva, Olot, Kungrad, Termez, Sarasya and Shabat, which all run via Samarkand. Buses connect from downtown, and from the nearest Metro Chilonzor 3 km west. The station was refurbished in 2021 and is reasonably clean and modern.
By bus
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4 Tashkent Bus Terminal (Avtovokzal), Bunyodkor, corner with Gavkhar (Metro Olmazor), ☏ +998 71 207 8700. Buses from far and wide converge here: they're the principle form of public transport and sell out, so buy tickets in advance. International buses run from Almaty (17 hours, not daily). Domestic buses run from Samarkand (6 hr), Bukhara (11 hr), Urgench / Khiva (20 hr) and elsewhere. Many routes are also served by marshrutkas, faster but more cramped. The terminal is reasonably clean, with ticket kiosks, cafes and paid toilets. It's 10 km southwest of city centre: the Metro station, local marshrutkas and taxis to get downtown are on its south side.
Shared taxis supplement the buses for inter-city journeys. They wait at the main railway station and the bus station and set off whenever they have enough passengers to make the drive profitable.
By road
[edit]The main roads are in reasonable condition and most driving behaviour is sane, this isn't the Middle East.
From Almaty in Kazakhstan is 810 km, Ashgabat in Turkmenistan is 1290 km, Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan is 570 km, and Kashgar in China is 880 km. On these international routes you must factor in the opening hours of the border post, tailbacks to reach it, and whatever tedious inspection procedures are in force - see Uzbekistan#Get in.
Domestic routes are from Andijan 392 km, Bokhara 600 km, Ferghana 325 km, Karshi 430 km, Khiva 1045 km, Kokand 236 km, Nukus 1115 km, Samarkand 295 km, Termez 705 km and Urgench 1020 km. The main road from Samarkand and beyond crosses a knuckle of Kazakhstan, but this is treated as "no man's land" with no border procedures.
Get around
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By metro
[edit]The Metro is fast, safe and inexpensive. It's the obvious way to get downtown from the main railway station but doesn't reach the airport or bus terminal. Opened in 1977, it's a typical Soviet-era network with large, richly themed stations, for example Kosmonavtlar celebrates Uzbekistan's contribution to the Soviet space programme. The Metro has four lines:
- Chilonzor (red) from Buyuk Ipak Yoli north to downtown and Chinor south.
- Oʻzbekiston (blue) from Beruniy northwest to downtown, the main railway station and Doʻstlik southeast.
- Yunus-Obod (green) from Turkiston north to downtown and Ming O'rek south. Extension towards the airport has stalled.
- Circle Line (gold) from Texnopark (north) to Qipchoq (south). It's incomplete and not a circle, but spans between the south termini of the blue and red lines.
There are three downtown interchanges, all involving a walk through connecting subways: Amir Temur Hiyoboni (red) with Yunus Rajabiy (green), Alisher Navoiy (green) with Paxtakor (red), and Oybek (blue) with Ming Oʻrik (green). Circle Line interchanges are Texnopark with Doʻstlik (blue) and Qipchoq with Chinor (red).
Trains run ever 3-10 minutes until 23:30. A paper ticket with a QR-code is 2000 som from the cashier at the stations, by cash or card.
By bus
[edit]The main downtown public transport is the bus - these are lime green, and their destination boards alternate between Russian and Uzbek. The trams were scrapped in 2016, those battle-scarred behemoths of the boulevards, with some tramways converted into bus lanes.
Probably the simplest way to plan a journey is to type "yandex bus map tashkent" into your browser. This brings up a live map of buses crawling around the city, as if in a video game, whereupon you zoom onto your start location or destination. Say you're at the airport international terminal, you might see Bus 11 in the vicinity - click on the icon and its route is revealed, north downtown through the government quarter (probably what you want) then away northwest via Chorsu Bazaar. Southbound it's heading to the domestic terminal T3.
As is common in Uzbekistan, you pay the conductor, or on exit if there isn't one, by cash or card. The standard fare within the city in 2024 is 2000 som.
Marshrutkas also ply around the city but are more expensive, around 3000 som is standard. Routes and schedules can be found from Easyway journey planner.
By taxi
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Best way to hire a taxi is via your hotel reception, as these will be honest, metered and understand where you want to go. Otherwise order via Yandex Go, equivalent to Uber. If you bought a travel e-sim for Uzbekistan before arriving, Yandex Go can freeze and not load, so you'll have to use VPN to make it work. In 2024 a reasonable daytime rate might be 8000 som flagfall then 4000 som per km, so a ride between city centre and the railway station might be 30,000 som.
"Gypsy" cabs are a Tashkent tradition - private drivers often stop for people looking like they're trying to flag down a cab, whereupon you negotiate a price in advance. You need basic Russian or Uzbek to accomplish this, and the driver may struggle to understand where you're heading, as street names have changed so often. These drivers use mobiles day-in, day-out yet may seem flummoxed when shown a location on your phone. Every official site warns against using these rides, and obviously there's a risk that he'll abduct you and sell your kidneys, but mostly they're safe. The scariest factor is the seniority of some of the people willing to take you cross-town for the sake of $5 - what might you induce that person to do for $50?
The rate should include your luggage, it's enough of a tip simply to round-up, and the driver's cigarette smoke comes free. Asking them to desist only results in dark looks, it's their car dammit.
By scooter
[edit]You can find a vast network of various scooters (samokats) spread around the town, which you can rent using their respective applications, and easily travel around the city with them, for example to/from metro stations to your accomodation. If you know Bolt scooters in Europe, that's the same thing.
The most famous one is Yandex Go (yellow colored) and there are also different local brands. The price in 2024 for Yandex scooters varies from 890 sum per minute to 620 sum per minute if you buy bigger minute packages.
By car
[edit]You're unlikely to use a car within Tashkent, and you'd have to consider proximity and security of parking lots. If you're in Tashkent for a few days then touring the country, use public transport in the city then return to the airport to pick up a hire car - the major international companies are based there. Some dozen mostly local firms have downtown bases.
On foot
[edit]Tashkent is a low / medium-rise sprawl and distances are considerable. Amir Temur Square and the Government quarter are walkable, but for instance it's 4 km out to the TV tower and 6 km to Chorsu Bazaar. If you're keen to stretch your legs (which will help you adjust to the time zone), then maybe take the Metro out to see the sights afresh then hike back.
See
[edit]Old Town
[edit]
- This refers to the area west of the river around Chorsu Bazaar which has the oldest buildings, but much of it is modern, with boulevards seething with traffic. The little higgledy-piggledy streets further north still have something of an old town ambience, but the developers are laying waste to them with a vigour worthy of Genghis Khan.
- 1 Khazret Imam Complex is a collection of religious buildings 2 km north of city centre (Metro Gafur Gulom). It was assembled piecemeal from the 16th to 21st centuries, so although it's impressive, it doesn't have the unity or geometry of (for instance) the Registan of Samarkand, and it's transected by the wide pedestrian mall of Zarkaynar Street. The complex is free to enter daily 09:00-21:00, but individual buildings have their own admission.
- Barak-Khan Madrasah is west side of the complex, built in 1532. It contains two mausoleums: of Suyunchxoʻjaxon the first Shaybanid ruler of Tashkent, and the "nameless" mausoleum intended for Barakh-Khan or Baroqxun, but he's buried in Samarkand.
- Tellya Sheikh Mosque south side of the complex was built from 1890 to 1902.
- Moyi Mubarek Madrasah (next to Tellya Sheikh Mosque). Daily 09:00-16:00. This building of 1857 houses the world's oldest Quran, written 644/648 AD (23-27 AH). Adult 40,000 som.
- Hazrati Imam Jome Mosque east side of the complex was built in 2007 in traditional style.
- Mausoleum of Abu Bakr Muhammad Qaffol Shoshiy is in the northwest corner of the complex. Qaffol Shoshiy was a scholar and holy man who died in 976 AD: "Qaffol" means locksmith, yet another of his skills. The original tomb didn't survive and was replaced by this mausoleum in 1542.
- Namazgokh Mosque north side of the complex was built in 1850s. It's now part of the adjacent Islamic Institute.
- Imam Al Bukhari Islamic Institute northeast edge of the complex is an active madrasah opened in 1971. It's a humdrum modern building, no tourist visits.
- Islamic Civilisation Center is a grand building under construction south of Khazret Imam. It already looks impressive but in 2024 is off-limits as a hard-hat zone.
- Eshon Guzar or Oxunguzar is the name of three mosques in Tashkent and a suburb to the southwest. The one worth looking for is the mosque at the south end of Karasaray St, if you walked from Metro Gafur Gulom towards the Khazret Imam Complex: it's a distinctive redbrick design.
- 2 Kukeldash Madrasah, Navio Prospect (Metro Chorsu). Daily 08:00-18:00. This yellow-brick madrasah was built in 1570 by the vizier, scientist and poet Kulbobo Kukeldash - Kukeldash means "the Khan's foster brother'. It's been a caravanserai, fort and museum but since the 1990s is again a madrasah. It's ranged around a large courtyard with hujras (pupils' cells) and darshakona and mosque in the corners. Adult 15,000 som.
- Dzhuma Mosque or Khoja Ahror Valiy Mosque is next to Kukeldash Madrasah, prominent on raised ground. It was built in 1451.
- 3 Shayhantaur is a small burial complex; in Soviet times the name applied to a whole city district. It's free to enter daily 09:00-16:00, from its east side off Abdulla Qodiriy (Metro Alisher Navoiy or Paxtakor). The complex was wrecked in the 1966 earthquake and only 3 of its 16 monuments survived.
- Sheihantaur Mausoleum inters the 13th century Sheikh Hovendi at-Tahur. It was built in the 14th century but much altered since.
- Khavendi Takhur Sheikh Mausoleum a few metres south was built in the 14th century, but re-built in the 18th and 19th. It's plain within.
- Kaldyrgach-biy Mausoleum is a few metres north: its pyramidal dome invokes the tents of the Kazakh steppes. Kaldyrgach (meaning "swallow", the bird) was a 15th century ruler. However that was also the nickname of 17th / 18th century statesman Tole-biy (further commemorated by interminable boulevards in Tashkent and beyond), and it's unclear whether he too is buried here.
- Yunus Khan Mausoleum 100 m west was part of the complex but is now within the grounds of the Islamic University and seldom accessible to others. You could try looking academic and strolling in off Navoi. Yunus Khan (1415-1487) was a descendant of Gengiz Khan and grandfather of the Indian moghul Babur. He's not buried here, his resting place is unknown, so the mausoleum was presumably erected in his lifetime.
- 4 Abdulkasim Madrassa, Bunyodkor (Metro Milliy Bog). This madrassa was erected in 1850 in honour of the scholar Abdulkhasim Khan. It's now a crafts outlet.
- Legislative Chamber of the Supreme Assembly is the imposing modern building just south of Abdulkasim Madrassa. Since 2005 the parliament (Oliy Majlis) of Uzbekistan is bicameral, and the lower or legislative chamber seats 150 elected deputies. No admittance except on business. The Senate or upper chamber is on Mustakillik Maydoni, Independence Square.
- 5 Kukcha Mosque (Sheikh Zayniddin Jami Mosque), Mannon Uygur (Metro Bunyodkor). Huge mosque rebuilt in the 1990s. In the garden behind is the mausoleum of Sheikh Zayniddin, a Sufi holy man. He lived in the 12th-13th centuries but the mausoleum is 16th century, rebuilt in the 19th.
Other religious
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- 6 Holy Assumption Cathedral, Avliyuata 91 (Metro Toshkent), ☏ +998 71 233 3321. Daily 08:00-20:00. Russian Orthodox cathedral built in 1871. It was closed down by the Soviets but restored in 1945, and enlarged in the 1990s with the bell tower rebuilt in 2010.
- 7 St Alexander Nevsky Church is a dinky Orthodox funeral chapel within Botkin cemetery, built 1904.
- 8 Evangelical Lutheran Church, Sadyk Azimov 37, ☏ +998 90 990 2516. Su 10:00-12:00. Built in 1899 to serve the city's German community. Under the communists it was variously a warehouse, opera studio and concert hall, then re-consecrated in the 1990s.
- 9 Sacred Heart Cathedral, Taraqqiyot ko'chasi, ☏ +998 71 233 7035. M 09:30-12:30, Tu-Sa 09:30-12:30, 15:30-18:00, Su 09:00-18:00. Roman Catholic church first built as a chapel for Polish prisoners of war in 1884. A larger church took shape from 1912 but was suppressed by the Bolsheviks. In the 1930s the parish priest held secret masses here, hiding in plain sight, until the communists had him shot. It had a series of secular uses and became derelict, but was re-built from 1993, re-consecrated in 2000 and promoted to cathedral in 2005. Free.
- 10 Mirzo-Yusuf Mosque, Bogyshamol 98 (Metro Bodomzor). M-Sa 10:00-20:00. Built in the 1880s, this is large and tranquil but fairly plain.
- 11 Minor Mosque, Kichik Xalqa Yo'li (Little Ring Road) (Metro Bodomzor), ☏ +998 71 235 1733. 24 hours. Grand mosque in gleaming white marble, built in 2013/4 in traditional style. "Minor" means minarets but the mosque is named for its neighbourhood of that name. Free.
Museums
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- 12 State Museum of the Temurids (Temuriylar Tarixi Davlat Muzeyi), Amur Timur 1 (Metro Amir Temur Xiyoboni or Yunus Rajabiy), ☏ +998 71 232 0766, temurid@temurid.uz. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Timur (1336 – 1405) was the brutal and brilliant nomad warrior who united much of central Asia under his rule and laid waste far beyond. He was badly injured while livestock-rustling in childhood, hence his western name of Tamerlane, Timur the lame. When Uzbekistan became independent in 1991 its rulers sought a national cultural narrative and legitimacy, and fastened upon Timur. This grand building opened in 1996 is as much a shrine and political statement as a museum. Adult 40,000 Soʻm.
- Tashkent Polytechnic Museum, AK UzAuto, Amir Temur 13 (200 m south of Amir Temur Park), ☏ +998 71 232 3430. Tu-Su 09:00-18:00. This mostly displays antique and Soviet-era cars. Adult 20,000 Soʻm.
- 13 Museum of Applied Arts (Davlat Amaliy San'at Muzeyi), Rakatboshi 15 (Metro Kosmonavtlar), ☏ +998 712 256 4042. Daily 09:00-18:00. Charming small museum of traditional arts and crafts, in a 19th century merchant's mansion. Adult 25,000 Soʻm.
- 14 Art Gallery of Uzbekistan, Buyuk Turon 2 (Metro Mustaqilliq Maidoni). Tu-Sa 11:00-17:00. Exhibitions of contemporary Uzbek artists in a modern building. Overpriced for what you get. Adult 50,000 Soʻm.
- 15 State Museum of Arts (Oʻzbekiston Davlat Sanʼat Muzeyi), Shakhrisabz, corner of Amir Temur (Metro Ming Orik), ☏ +998 71 236 7436. Temporarily closed. Large collection of Russian and European art, many depicting Uzbek people and their lifestyle and antiquities. The previous curator should be out of jail by now, he served a long sentence for selling the works on the black market and replacing them with copies. No info on the length of the temporary closure, which is possibly to stop him having another go.
- 16 State Museum of the History of Uzbekistan (Oʻzbekiston tarixi davlat muzeyi), Sharaf Rashidova 3 (Metro Mustaqilliq Maidoni or Kosmonavtlar), ☏ +998 71 239 1779. Temporarily closed. The first floor is a small exhibition area, the second covers from the Stone Age to the takeover by the Soviet Union, and the third is dedicated to independent Uzbekistan from 1990. Signage is in Uzbek, Russian and English, but patchy and dimly lit. The museum has been closed for refurbishment since June 2024 with no word on timescale. Adult 50,000 Soʻm.
- 17 , Navoi 69 (Metro Alisher Navoiy or Paxtakor), ☏ +998 712 410 275. M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa 10:00-13:00. Ali-Shir Nava'i or Alisher Navoi (1441-1501) was an administrator, poet and prolific author who wrote in Turkic (predecessor to a family of languages that includes Uzbek) and proclaimed its superiority over Persian the official language. He lived mostly in Herat (now in Afghanistan) but became a cultural hero across the entire Turkic world, with dozens of statues, draughty boulevards and institutes nowadays named after him. This museum displays manuscripts and artworks.
- Old TV Tower stands immediately south of the Alisher Navoy Museum. In 1981 it was superseded by the new tower, below.
- Museum of Celebrities is a waxworks gallery in City Park, 200 m west of Alisher Novoi / Paxtakor Metro stations. It's open daily 11:00-23:00.
- 18 Hirayama Ikuo Cultural Caravanserai, Yusufa Khos Khodzhiba 37 (Metro Kosmonavtlar), ☏ +998 71 252 7473. Daily 09:00-20:00. Ikuo Hirayama (平山 郁夫, 1930-2009) painted dreamy scenes of the Silk Road across central Asia. His legacy funded this exhibition space for contemporary Uzbek art, his own work isn't displayed here. Free.
- 19 Museum of Telecommunication of Uzbekistan, Abay 5, ☏ +998 71 244 9909. M-Sa 09:00-13:00, 14:00-18:00. Extensive display of equipment, much of it in working order, with signage in English, Russian and Uzbek. Free.
- House of Photography, Istikbol 4 (Metro: Amir Temur; 50 m east of Chimes), ☏ +998 71 233 8051. Tu-Su 10:00-17:00. Changing art exhibitions, not necessarily photos. Free.
- 20 Ming O'rik Museum, Moshtabib 6. Daily 09:00-17:00. Ming O'rik means "thousand apricot trees" and was groves and hillocks until flattened for 19th century city expansion. Here they stumbled upon the remains of an adobe village from 5th century AD. Take the bus along Amir Temur towards the railway station and don't head for Ming O'rik Metro, which is 1 km west. Adult 10,000 som.
- 21 Railway Museum, Turkiston 6 (Metro: Toshkent), ☏ +998 71 299 7040. Daily 09:00-18:00. Soviet locos and rolling stock from 1940-60s that you can clamber aboard. W-Su they may have a loco moving. No signage on when and how these trains were deployed. Adult 30,000 Soʻm.
- Museum of Victims of Repressions, Amir Temur (Opposite new TV tower, Metro Shahriston), ☏ +998 71 212 3685. Tu-Sa 09:00-13:00, 1400-17:00, Su 09:00-15:00. Within the Memorial Park, this documents those killed by the Soviets and is silent on post-independence repression. No English signage so you can't read the stories of the individuals shown. Adult 25,000 Soʻm.
Others
[edit]
- 22 Amir Temur Square is where the great warlord checks his horse to greet his troops. A bust of Karl Marx occupied the spot in Soviet times. The square is a leafy quiet place amidst the swirling traffic, and the police don't allow hawkers or beggars. Metro Amir Temur Hiyoboni (red line) is 200 m east, with Yunus Rajabiy (green line) another 100 m north.
- Tashkent Chimes is the marketing name for the twin clocktowers south side of Amir Temur Square, looking like they should bookend an Ottoman railway station. The old (west) tower was built in 1947 and now houses a restaurant, the new (east) tower was added in 2009.
- Palace of International Forums is a great modern slab between the clocktowers and Hotel Uzbekistan, mostly used as a concert hall.
- 23 Mustakillik Maydoni means Independence Square. Laid out from 1991 (when Lenin was toppled from his plinth and "cancelled" as a place-name) it's more like a chequerboard of linked squares, parks and monuments, lined by government buildings. Lenin was replaced by a golden globe, and a statue symbolising motherhood was later added. Just north are monuments to the country's war losses.
- 24 Monument of Courage on Sharof Rashidov is a Stakhanovite statue celebrating the people's resilience after the city was pulverised by the earthquake of 26 April 1966.
- Bonum Factum, Sadik Azimov 20 (west side of Sacred Heart Cathedral), ☏ +998 90 318 4393. Tu-Th 11:30-20:30, Sa Su 11:30-18:00. Small gallery with exhibitions and sales.
- 25 Tashkent TV Tower, Amir Temur St 109 (between Metro Habib Abdullayev and Metro Bodomzor), ☏ +998 71 202 3582. Daily 10:00-13:00, 14:00-20:00. Oh-so-Seventies structure looking like the offspring of a triffid with a moon shot, this 375 m tower beams radio and TV to all parts of the country. The observation deck is at 97 m, and the restaurant at 110 m lurches part-way round then backtracks. Long lines at weekends, book online if feasible, and bring your passport. Adult 50,000 Som.
- 26 Oqsaroy Presidential Palace, Afrosiyob. This cod-classical bling mansion was the residence of the country's first President, Islam Karimov (1938-2016). He was an engineer who worked his way up the communist hierarchy and then upon independence ran a regime every bit as brutal and oppressive. He was re-elected again and again by rigged ballots. The mansion is now government offices, no visits, but is flanked by a small museum to his glory open Tu-Su.
- 27 Magic Aquarium, Yoshlik (Metro: Eshlik), ☏ +998 71 202 7799. Daily 10:00-22:00. Large walk-through aquarium with a variety of habitats and the obligatory shark. Adult or child 100,000 Soʻm.
- 28 Tashkent Botanical Garden, Bogishamol 232в (From Metro Bodomzor go 2 km east), ☏ +998 55 514 1424. Daily 09:00-18:00. Tranquil wooded garden over 66 hectares, the autumn colours are glorious. Adult 15,000 Soʻm.
- Tashkent Zoo, Bogishamol 232A (west side of Botanical Garden), ☏ +998 71 207 2072. Daily 08:00-20:00. 100 year-old zoo, cramped by today's standards. Adult 50,000 Soʻm.
- 29 Oqtepa Yunusobod, Otaboy ota Tursunov (Bus 32 or 50 along Yangi Shahar). Daily 09:00-18:00. Ancient settlement on a mound protected by a moat. The structures are mud brick so they're crumbly and subsiding.
- 30 Yakkasaroy Cemetery has sections of German and Japanese war graves. Many prisoners of war were held in the city after their defeat in World War 2, used as labour and as political bargaining chips. They were less than popular in the USSR, but cemetery custodian Mirokil Fozilov took scrupulous care of their graves over decades. It's on Sodiq Miraxmedov southeast of the centre, 2 km south of Metro Mirzo Ulugbek: enter via the north gate, then the war graves are 500 m south. The graves are simple slabs.
- 31 Zengi-Ata, Zangiota, M-34 Hwy (18 km southwest of city centre). Mosque, madressah and burial place of 13th century Sheikh Aj-Hodzha, nicknamed Zengi-Ata meaning black.
Do
[edit]- National Library of Uzbekistan is a pseudo-classical building at Navoi 1 in the government quarter (Metro Mustakillik maydoni). It has a comprehensive stock, but you have to register (in Uzbek) to get in.
Parks
[edit]
- 1 (Metro Milly Bog). Large popular park with fairground and artificial lake.
- 2 Do’stlik Recreation Park, Bobur (corner with Shota Rustaveli). Daily 08:00-23:00. Pleasant park with a boating lake.
- 3 Aqua Park, Amir Temur 100 (Metro Bodomzor), ☏ +998 71 235 0250. Daily 10:00-20:00. Water park 500 m south of TV tower with several pools, wave machine, water chutes and slides. There's a restaurant and bars within. Adult 100,000 som, child 50,000 som.
- Japanese Garden (200 m south of Aqua Park). Daily 10:00-22:00. Small and overpriced for a few rocks and cherry blossoms. Adult 30,000 som, child 20,000 som.
- Tashkentland is a kiddy theme park east across the pond from Japanese Garden. Free to enter daily 10:00-21:00, you pay individually for rides.
- 4 Mirzo Ulugbek Recreation Park, Hamidulla Oripov 21 (Metro Khamid Alimjan), ☏ +998 71 237 2379. Daily 09:00-23:00. Leafy park with boating pond and small funfair.
- Anhor Lokomotiv is a funfair and amusement park at Shaykhontohur 28, 200 m north of Navruz Park. It's open daily 10:00-23:00.
Sports
[edit]
- Football: Uzbekistan is part of the Asian Football Confederation, and the men's national soccer team play at Milliy Stadium. Tashkent has three clubs in Super League, the top tier, so you'll always find a match in town during the March-Nov season.
- 5 FC Bunyodkor, Bunyodkor 47 (Metro Novza). They play in Super League at Milliy Stadium (capacity 34,000), 5 km southwest of city centre.
- 6 FC Pakhtakor (Metro Paxtakor). They too play in Super League, and often win it. Pakhtakor Stadium (capacity 35,000, all-seater) is also used for junior internationals such as U21. It's very central, barely 500 m west of Independence Square.
- 7 FC Olympic, JAR Stadium (Metro Chorsu). They too play in Super League. The stadium (capacity 8500) is part of a multi-sports complex sprawling over 1 km x 0.5 km.
Live arts
[edit]- 8 , Atatürk 28 (Metro Mustaqilliq Maidoni), ☏ +998 71 233 9081. Box Office 10:00-19:00. Neoclassical 1940s structure, built by Japanese prisoners of war.
- Russian Drama Theatre, Atatürk 24 (block north of Opera House), ☏ +998 71 233 8165. No online ticket sales, you have to go to the Box Office.
- Friendship of the Nations Palace or Istiklol Palace is a concert hall on Bunyodkor (Metro Xalqlar Do'stligi), 200 m north of Abdulkasim Sheikh Madrasah. It was built in 1980 and the name acknowledges international assistance after the earthquake of 1966. The style is described as Brutalist, but it looks to be wearing petticoats, and those nozzles around the sofits suggest a shampoo production line.
- Ilkhom Theatre (Театр Марка Вайля Ильхом), Pakhator 5 (next to Shodlik Palace Hotel), ☏ +998 71 241 2241. Progressive theatre, performances are in Russian.
- 9 Musical Comedy Theatre, Chapanata (Metro Mirzo Ulugbek), ☏ +998 71 273 8591. Most shows are for kids.
- 10 Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre (O‘zbek milliy akademik drama teatri), Navoi 34 (Metro Gafur Gulom), ☏ +998 71 244 1751. Lively theatre.
- 11 State Circus (Sirk), Zarqaynar 1 (Metro Chorsu), ☏ +998 71 244 3435. Still putting on trad shows in a 1976 futuristic building.
- City Planetarium, Zarqaynar (200 m north of State Circus). M-Sa 09:00-17:00. This is sad and run down, as it's set in the former Abdulla Kadiri Recreation Park, which has closed for re-development.
- 12 Turkiston Concert Hall (Turkiston Sanʼat Saroyi), Navoi 2 (Metro Abdulla Kodiriy), ☏ +998 71 235 4440. Concert hall in a modern Soviet confection, reasonable facilities, events inexpensive by western standards.
- State Puppet Theatre (O'zbek Davlat Respublika Qo'g'irchoqlar Teatri) is on Afrosiyob (Metro Kosmonavtlar) next to the Presidential Palace, the Karimov mansion. It's unwise to muse aloud about this juxtaposition.
- Youth Theatre (O'zbekiston Yoshlar Teatri), Navoiy 55 (same building as Museum of Literature), ☏ +998 71 244 1087. Grand Soviet building, uncomfortable seats, but a lively company.
Buy
[edit]Money
[edit]In theory it's illegal to exchange money outside of official currency exchanges. But try to find one? Use ATMs to withdraw local money: these are widespread, mostly accept foreign debit / credit cards, and charge minimal mark-up though your own bank will pile it on. Most large businesses accept card payment and US dollar cash, but seldom other foreign currencies. So if you came with a wad of Euros or UK £, you might struggle to buy a bus ticket or kebab.
Uzbek banks are infamously slow, and just because they display exchange rates doesn't mean that they will exchange.
- Tashkent Airport has good rates and is open 24 hours. Nothing at the main railway or bus stations.
- Asaka Bank main branch is at Furqat 9, 100 m south of the Navoi flyover, open M-F 09:00-18:00. They have three others.
- National Bank of Uzbekistan (NBU) have exchanges at their branches at Abdulla Kadiry 1 and at Amur Temir 101.
- Uzpromstroybank is at Pahlavon Mahmud 3, two km east of Amur Temir Square.
Bazaars
[edit]Locals do most of their shopping in bazaars, which have a fabulous range of daily necessities, colourful spices and herbs, fresh food, textiles and clothing, IT and tat. Their practical importance makes them into secondary transport hubs.
- 1 Chorsu Bazaar (Eski Juva) (Metro Chorsu). Daily 05:00-20:00. The biggest, best and oldest bazaar in Central Asia, trading here for over 2000 years. The stalls are under seven tiled domes. Beneath the largest dome are spices, fruit and veg, while the smaller domes house craft workshops, for jewelry, fancy wear, pottery and carpets. South side by Beruni Ave is a food court, lined by sheep's heads staring reproachfully through a fug of charcoal brazier smoke.
- 2 Alay Bazaar, Yahyo Gulyamov 7 (Metro Abdulla Qodiriy), ☏ +998 71 232 1453. Daily 07:00-17:00. Beautifully laid out displays of local produce, dried fruit and nuts. It's close to tourist hotels so they're quick to inflate prices if you look touristy.
- 3 Farkhad Bazaar, Farkhad (corner of Lufti), ☏ +998 90 986 9036. Daily 04:00-20:00. Large fresh produce market in a modern building.
- 4 Abu Sakhiy (Hippodrome), Ring Road (corner of Bunyodkor). Tu-Su 09:00-18:00. Busy mall in modern buildings, merging into Chilonzor shopping centre.
- 5 Parkent Bazaar, Parkent 74, ☏ +998 71 269 3960. Daily 09:00-19:00. Large covered market.
- 6 Yunusobod Bazaar, Ahmad Donish (Metro Yunusobod). Daily 05:30-20:30. Large covered market
- Mirabad Bazaar is at the corner of Nukus and Mirabad 200 m west of Cathedral of the Assumption, open daily 07:00-20:00.
- Saligokh Street, known locally as Broadway, is a flea market extending west from Amir Temur Square.
Stores and malls
[edit]- The difference between bazaars and malls is blurring as traditional trading places move into modern premises.
- Central Department Store (MUM), Karimov (Metro Mustaqilliq Maidoni or Kosmonavtlar; opposite Lotte City Hotel). Daily 08:30-19:00. Little changed since it was a Soviet GUM store, this has fair prices for souvenirs.
- Turkuaz Chorsu, Navoiy (Metro Chorsu, opposite Kukeldash Medressa). Daily 10:00-20:00. In a plain building a block south of Chorsu bazaar.
- Poytakht Shopping Center, Matbuotchilar 9 (200 m west of Amir Temur Square). Daily 10:00-20:00. Small collection of independent retailers.
- Universam Yunusabad, Amir Temur (opposite Yunusabad Food Market), ☏ +998 33 791 9919. Daily 09:00-20:00. Department store with a wide selection.
- 7 Tashkent City Mall, Tashkent, st. Botir Zakirov 7. Opened in March 2024, this is the largest shopping mall in Uzbekistan. It has the major international brands.
Arts & crafts
[edit]- 8 Rakhimov Ceramics Studio, Kukchka Dabaza 15, ☏ +998 90 992 4401. M-Th 10:00-19:00, F 10:00-16:00. Ceramic studio with pricey but attractive wares.
- 9 Human House, Kichik Mirobod 43, ☏ +998 90 980 7947. Daily 10:00-19:00. Well-stocked souvenir shop with a range of quality crafts.
- 10 Orient House, Amir Temur 51 (Metro Minor), ☏ +998 90 113 9111. Daily 09:00-22:00. Up-market souvenir shop
Eat
[edit]Budget
[edit]- Bravissimo (Junction of Shahrisabz & Movarounnakhr), ☏ +998 99 816 8080. Daily 10:30-22:30. Coffee shop with cakes and local food.
- Cafe Bukhara, Abdulla Kadiry 18 (Metro: Abdulla Kadiry), ☏ +998 99 823 1023. Daily 10:30-22:30. Relaxed cafe near the concert hall and government quarter.
- Besh Qozon, Guards Colonel Khodjaev 1 (100 m north of TV tower), ☏ +998 71 200 9444. Daily 09:00-23:00. Busy, somewhat chaotic place but it serves great plov. Far better value than the restaurant in the TV tower.
Mid-range
[edit]
- 1 Ariston Park, Gandhi (north end of Mirzo Ulug'bek Recreation Park), ☏ +998 71 237 2614. Daily 10:00-23:00. Acceptable place by the park.
- 2 Caravan, Abdulla Khalkat 22, ☏ +998 78 150 6606. Daily 11:00-14:00. Good reviews for their trad Uzbek food.
- 3 Jumanji, Yunus Khos Khodjib 62, ☏ +998 71 255 4200. M-Sa 12:00-23:00, Su 17:00-23:00. Big portions of high quality central Asian, Chinese and European food.
- Zaytoon is a good Afghan restaurant 100 m further up the street, at Rakatboshi 85.
- 4 Khangan, Urikzor 153, ☏ +998 94 907 7196. 24 hours. Quality Korean food.
- 5 Bella Napoli, Shota Rustaveli 63, ☏ +998 253 9183. Daily 11:00-23:00. Cosy chain pizzeria serving the usual Italian staples.
- 6 Pro.Khinkali, 60 Amir Temur, ☏ +998 50 051 0101. Daily 09:00-00:00. Good Georgian restaurant.
- 7 Shashleek, Uzbekiston Ovozi 49, ☏ +998 98 101 0111. Daily 12:00-03:00. Family-friendly chain restaurant by the eco-park.
Drink
[edit]- Tea (choy, чай) fuels Central Asia the way gasoline fuels Texas. It's usually taken black, without milk.
- Tap water safety is not guaranteed, drink bottled. Beware that ice (eg for drinks) is probably from unboiled tap water.
- Kuratny is the pricy bar, nightclub and shisha cafe within The Chimes on Amir Temur Square, open daily 13:00-03:00.
- Scandalist is a cocktail bar at Istiqbol 8, open Su-Th 12:00-01:00, F Sa 12:00-03:00.
- The Irish Pub at Taras Shevchenko 30 (by Ming O'rik Metro) smells like an authentic pre-1980s Irish boozer, heavy with cigarette smoke. It's open daily 12:00-00:00.
- Bier Regen is a microbrewery at Taraqqiyot 67 near Ashxobod Park, open daily 12:00-23:30.
- Ye Old Chelsea Arms, Abdulla Kakhar 25 (200 m south of Dostlik Park). Daily 18:00-06:00. "Ye Old" is the warning that this is overpriced and not remotely like a London pub, but aiming for how they think the punters would imagine one.
- Pelican, Sadik Azimov 47, ☏ +998 97 755 3388. Daily 10:00-01:00. This is primarily a beer store with a few tables where you can sit and drink.
Sleep
[edit]Budget
[edit]- 1 Gulnara Guesthouse, Ozod 40 (Metro Chorsu), ☏ +998 71 240 6336. Pleasant small guesthouse by Chorsu Bazaar. B&B double $40.
- 2 Jahongir B&B, Chirokchi 4 (Metro Tinchlik), ☏ +998 90 966 3944. Welcoming small guesthouse in the suburbs. B&B double US$45.
- 3 Orzu Hotel, Kichik Mirobod 14 (Metro Ming Orik), ☏ +998 78 120 8824. Friendly small hotel with 34 rooms. B&B double US$70.
Mid-range
[edit]
- 4 Asia Tashkent Hotel, Usman Nasir 111, ☏ +998 71 250 9680. Maintenance needed, but overall comfy enough. With pool and sauna. Some noise from street and nightclub. B&B double US$70.
- 5 Oasis Asaka Hotel, Fargon Yuli 23, ☏ +998 71 291 3000. Hotel in a quiet area, adequate for what you pay. B&B double US$75.
- 6 Retro Palace, Vakhidov 65, ☏ +998 71 256 3236. Adequate place in a quiet area. B&B double US$55.
- 7 Shodlik Palace Hotel, Pakhtakor 5 (Metro Paxtakor / Alisher Navoiy), ☏ +998 78 120 9977. Trad Soviet-era hotel showing its age. B&B double US$60.
- 8 Uzbekistan Hotel, Mirzamakhmud Musakhanov 45 (Metro Amir Temur Xiyoboni or Yunus Rajabiy), ☏ +998 78 113 1111. Great Soviet slab, a piece of city history, slowly getting a makeover. Very central, mostly good reviews, though the aircon struggles on hot days. Their website is only in Uzbek and Russian, and they don't respond to enquiries in English. B&B double US$65.
Splurge
[edit]- Hotel City Palace, Amir Temur 15 (opposite Wyndham, Metro Yunus Rajabiy), ☏ +998 71 238 3000. Mostly good reviews, some facilities tired. B&B double $110.
- 9 Wyndham Hotel, Amir Temur 7 (corner of Navoi, Metro Abdulla Qodirii), ☏ +998 78 120 3700. Mixed reviews for comfort and service. B&B double US$160.
- 10 Grand Mir Hotel (Гран Мир), Mirabad 2 (Metro Ming Orik), ☏ +998 78 140 2000. Business hotel, mixed reviews for comfort and cleanliness. B&B double US$130.
- 11 Le Grande Plaza Hotel, Uzbekiston Ovozi 2 (Metro Amir Temur Xiyoboni or Yunus Rajabiy), ☏ +998 78 120 6600. Comfy and central but poor service and cuisine. B&B double US$150.
- 12 Hotel Ichan Qala, Tafakkur 24, ☏ +998 71 231 9898. Pleasant hotel around a courtyard and pool. B&B double USD$100.
- 13 Ramada Tashkent, Abdulla Qodiriy 1 (1 km from Metro station Gafur Gulom or Abdulla Qodirii), ☏ +998 71 140 6000. Friendly hotel with Indian restaurant, most rooms spacious but others poky. B&B double US$120.
- 14 International Hotel Tashkent, Amir Temur 107A (Metro Bodomzor), ☏ +998 78 120 7000. Modern hotel near Expo, mostly good scores for comfort and service, some gripes with over-zealous security. B&B double US$120.
- 15 Radisson Blu Hotel, Amir Temur 88 (Metro Bodomzor), ☏ +998 78 120 4900, reservation.tashkent@radissonblu.com. Efficient central chain hotel. B&B double $120.
- 16 Lotte City Tashkent Palace Hotel, Buyuk Turon 56 (by Central Department Store), ☏ +998 78 120 5800. Korean-owned, clean, comfy and central, good food. B&B double US$160.
Connect
[edit]As of Sep 2024, Tashkent and its approach highways have 4G from all Uzbek carriers, and city centre has 5G from Ucell and Uzmobile.
Stay safe
[edit]Tashkent is generally safe. Beware traffic, safeguard valuables, don't get mixed up in local politics (eg demos) and suspect a scam if a suave local approaches you.
Emergency numbers are 103 for medical, 101 for fire and 102 for police.
Seek advice from your accommodation on nearby medical, dental or pharmacy services. Standards of health care are well below those in the west, and anything serious will probably need a medical evacuation flight. Your hotelier will know which doctors and hospitals are doing their best within limited facilities, and which are seeking to empty your wallet.
Cope
[edit]Embassies and consulates
[edit]
Australia in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Moscow, which also covers Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Azerbaijan, Shark Tongi 25 (Metro Milliy Bog), ☏ +998 71 207 8018, tashkent@mission.mfa.gov.az.
Bangladesh, Hamid Suleymanov 56, Yakkasaray, ☏ +998 71 255 6520, mission.tashkent@mofa.gov.bd. This also covers Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan.
Belarus, Yahyo Gulyamov 75, ☏ +998 71 120 7254.
Belgium in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Bulgaria, Rakatboshi 4, ☏ +998 56 4888.
Canada in 2024 has only an Honorary Consulate, +998 71 120 7270. Their Embassy in Astana serves Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
China, Yahyo Gulyamov 79, ☏ +998 71 233 1396.
Czech Republic, Navnikhol Street 3, ☏ +998 71 120 6071.
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Egypt, Beshchinor 41, ☏ +998 71 120 5008.
France, Istiqbol 25, ☏ +998 71 232 8100.
Georgia, Firdavsy 7, ☏ +998 71 235 8680.
Germany, Sharaf Rashidov 15, ☏ +998 71 120 8440.
India, Kara-Bulak 15 (Metro Pushkin), ☏ +998 71 140 0983.- Indonesia, Yahyo Gulyamov 73, ☏ +998 71 232 0236.
Iran, Parkent 20, ☏ +998 78 150 6050.
Israel, Abdulla Kahar 3, ☏ +998 71 120 5808.
Italy, 40 Yusuf Hos Hojib 40, ☏ +998 71 252 1119, segreteria.tashkent@esteri.it.
Japan, Sadyk Azimov 63, ☏ +998 71 120 8061.
Kazakhstan, Zulfiya Khonum 240, ☏ +998 71 231 6170.
Kyrgyzstan, Bustonlik, ☏ +998 71 233.
Netherlands in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Astana, Kazakhstan.
New Zealand in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Moscow, which also covers Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Poland, Firdavsiy 66, ☏ +998 71 120 8650.
Romania, Zanjirbog 44, ☏ +998 71 252 6355.
Russia, Nukus 83, ☏ +998 71 120 3504.
South Africa in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
South Korea, Afrosiab 7 (Metro Ming O'rik), ☏ +998 71 252 3151.
Spain in 2024 is represented by their Embassy in Moscow.
Switzerland, off Shota Rustaveli, ☏ +998 71 120 6738.
Tajikistan, Abdulla Kakhkhar 61, ☏ +998 71 254 9966.
Turkey, Yahyo Gulyamov 87, ☏ +998 71 206 2259.
Turkmenistan, Afrosiab 19 (Metro Ming O'rik), ☏ +998 71 256 9402.
Ukraine, Yahyo Gulyamov 68, ☏ +998 71 233 5596.
United Kingdom, Yahyo Gulyamov 67, ☏ +998 71 120 1500.
United States, Moyqorghon 3, Yunusobod, ☏ +998 71 120 5450.
Go next
[edit]- Samarkand and Bukhara are the fabulous highlights of the Silk Road.
- Shahrisabz has the tomb intended for Timur, but he never reached it.
- Almaty in Kazakhstan is a Soviet-era city on a grid pattern, with lots to do and see.