Samarkand Airport (SKD) to the city

Arriving in Samarkand: three ways in

Samarkand International Airport (SKD) is on Ibn Sino Street in Samarkand city. If you land here, you reach the centre by taxi or by minibus and city bus.

If the arrival airport on your ticket is Tashkent (TAS), you can continue to Samarkand on the Afrosiyob high-speed train. According to Uzbekistan Railways, the Afrosiyob runs between Tashkent and Samarkand.

This post is not a sightseeing plan; it only covers getting from arrival to your accommodation area. Fares and route numbers change easily, so check the official information before you go.

• Full Samarkand travel guide →
• Incheon → Samarkand flights →

Taxi: book through an official taxi app

According to Uzbekistan's national tourism site, taxis can be ordered via official taxi apps in Samarkand, and it advises using them to avoid overpricing.

The tourism site also says minibuses and taxis are commonly used to reach airports and railway stations in Uzbekistan. Check the official information before you go for the taxi fare and travel time from the airport to the city.

• How: an official taxi app (as the tourism site advises)
• Why: to avoid overpricing
• Fare and travel time: check the official information before you go

Minibuses and city buses: route numbers from local official info

The tourism site says minibuses are commonly used to reach airports and railway stations. Check route numbers and hours from the airport to the city with local official information.

According to the tourism site's general information for Uzbekistan, a city bus ride costs UZS 1,700, and tickets can be bought from the conductor on board. Fares may differ by city, so check the Samarkand fare locally.

Minibuses are popular for long cross-city trips.

• Route numbers and hours: check local official information
• City bus fare: UZS 1,700 per ride per the tourism site's general information (may differ by city)
• Tickets: from the conductor on board

Coming in via Tashkent (TAS): the Afrosiyob high-speed train

According to Uzbekistan Railways, the Afrosiyob began running between Tashkent and Samarkand on 8 October 2011. It covers 344 km with a top speed of 250 km/h and takes about 2 h 15 min per Uzbekistan Railways. Check the current timetable officially.

Tashkent has a North and a South railway station, so check which one your train leaves from when you book. For getting from Tashkent's airport into the city, see the Tashkent travel guide linked below.

Buy tickets with your passport details on the railway's booking site (eticket.railway.uz). Uzbekistan Railways says passenger details must be entered exactly as in your passport, and tickets sell fast in peak season, so book ahead.

• Booking: eticket.railway.uz
• Details: exactly as in your passport
• Departure station (Tashkent North or South) and timetable: check officially when you book
• Fares: by date and class on the booking site
• Peak season: tickets sell fast, so book ahead

At a glance

One line per option. For anything marked 'check officially', check the official information before you go or locally.

• Taxi (SKD): order via an official taxi app; check fares and times officially
• Minibus and city bus (SKD): check route numbers and hours with local official information; city buses are UZS 1,700 per ride per the tourism site's general information
• Afrosiyob (from Tashkent): 344 km, about 2 h 15 min per Uzbekistan Railways; check the current timetable officially
• Afrosiyob tickets: on eticket.railway.uz with passport details; check fares by date and class
• Currency: Uzbek som (UZS)

Where to head: choosing an area to stay

For a first visit, the heart of the historic centre with Registan Square and the Gur-Emir Mausoleum is the easy choice. Registan Square, Gur-Emir and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque are all in the historic centre, within walking distance of each other.

For bazaar browsing and souvenirs, stay around Siab Bazaar, right next to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque. For late dinners there is Orzu Mahmudov Street: according to a September 2026 announcement by the Registan directorate, 20 eateries there are open around the clock.

• Around Registan Square (historic centre): first-timers, sightseeing
• Around Siab Bazaar and the Bibi-Khanym Mosque: bazaar browsing, souvenirs
• Orzu Mahmudov Street: late dinners

Arrival-day checklist

Once you have dropped your bags, continue with the posts below: a one-day route through the highlights, a two-day Timurid monuments route, and a 4-day route combined with Tashkent.

• Entry rules: they depend on your nationality, so check the Uzbek government's official information (e.g. e-visa.gov.uz) before you go
• Registration: according to the tourism site, hotels and guesthouses register foreign guests; check the conditions officially
• Taxi: order through an official taxi app
• Afrosiyob tickets: details exactly as in your passport; book ahead in peak season
• Water: don't drink untreated water
• Time zone: UTC+5
• Emergency numbers: police 102, ambulance 103, fire 101, tourist safety call center 1173

• Full Samarkand travel guide →
• Samarkand in one day: high-speed train and Registan →
• Samarkand in 2 days: a Timurid monuments route →
• Tashkent and Samarkand in 4 days →
• Full Tashkent travel guide →

FAQ

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