Tashkent, Uzbekistan travel guide

Soviet boulevards, chandeliered metro stations and the gateway to the Silk Road.

Best time to visit: April-May, September-October
Average daily budget: $30 to $90 USD
Ideal trip length: 2 to 3 days

Tashkent was rebuilt after the 1966 earthquake as a showcase Soviet capital, which is why Central Asia's biggest city is all wide avenues, fountains and mosaic-covered apartment blocks. Beneath it runs a metro whose stations look like palaces, and in the old town the bazaars and madrasas still run on Silk Road rhythms.

Tashkent itinerary

Day 1, Get oriented

Morning: Tashkent metro. Ride the network and photograph Kosmonavtlar, Alisher Navoi and Pakhtakor stations.

Afternoon: Explore Old City (Eski Shahar), Chorsu bazaar, Kukeldash Madrasa and the low mudbrick lanes around Hazrati Imam.

Evening: Chorsu Bazaar. Spend a morning under the blue-domed hall among spices, bread and butchers.

Day 2, Go deeper

Morning: Hazrati Imam complex. See the 7th-century Uthman Quran, one of the oldest in the world.

Afternoon: Explore Amir Timur Square, Monumental centre with the Hotel Uzbekistan, museums and tree-lined avenues.

Evening: Soviet-era architecture walk. Trace the modernist blocks and mosaics of the post-1966 rebuilt city.

Day 3, Hidden side

Morning: Museum of Applied Arts inside a 19th-century diplomat's decorated house. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Afternoon: Explore Mirabad, Leafy embassy district with the best restaurants and the Alay bazaar.

Evening: The Romanov Palace exterior, a strange piece of imperial Russia in the centre. A local favourite most visitors miss, worth the detour.

Best neighbourhoods

Old City (Eski Shahar): Chorsu bazaar, Kukeldash Madrasa and the low mudbrick lanes around Hazrati Imam.
Amir Timur Square: Monumental centre with the Hotel Uzbekistan, museums and tree-lined avenues.
Mirabad: Leafy embassy district with the best restaurants and the Alay bazaar.
Yunusabad: Residential Soviet microdistricts and the TV tower, everyday Tashkent life.
Tashkent City Park: New glass-and-fountain development that locals treat as the evening promenade.

Must-do experiences

Tashkent metro: Ride the network and photograph Kosmonavtlar, Alisher Navoi and Pakhtakor stations.
Chorsu Bazaar: Spend a morning under the blue-domed hall among spices, bread and butchers.
Hazrati Imam complex: See the 7th-century Uthman Quran, one of the oldest in the world.
Soviet-era architecture walk: Trace the modernist blocks and mosaics of the post-1966 rebuilt city.

Hidden gems

Museum of Applied Arts inside a 19th-century diplomat's decorated house
The Romanov Palace exterior, a strange piece of imperial Russia in the centre
Tashkent's Plov Centre at midday, industrial-scale rice cooked in vast kazans
Yangiobod flea market on a weekend for Soviet clutter and old cameras

Daily budget

$30 to $90 USD per day.

What to eat

Plov, the national dish, best eaten before 2pm when it runs out
Samsa baked on the walls of a tandyr, lamb and onion inside
Lagman hand-pulled noodles in a Uyghur cafe
Non bread stamped fresh at Chorsu, still hot from the oven

Getting around

The metro is cheap, fast, air-conditioned and beautiful, with a flat fare of about 15 cents. Yandex Go is the standard taxi app and rides across the centre cost $1 to $3. Distances between sights are long and the streets are wide, so pair the metro with short taxi hops rather than walking everywhere.

Safety

Tashkent is one of the safest capitals in Asia, with very low street crime and a heavy but polite police presence. Photography in metro stations is now allowed, though avoid government buildings. Summer heat above 40C is the real hazard, and unregistered taxis will overcharge if you do not use the app.

Frequently asked questions

How many days do you need in Tashkent?

Two days is enough for the main sights: one for the metro stations, Amir Timur Square and the museums, one for Chorsu bazaar, the old town and Hazrati Imam. A third day suits a trip to the Chimgan mountains or the Charvak reservoir, about 90 minutes out of the city.

Is Tashkent worth visiting?

Yes, though for different reasons than Samarkand or Bukhara. Tashkent is about Soviet modernism, the extraordinary metro, huge bazaars and modern Uzbek life rather than turquoise domes. Treat it as a two-day city in its own right rather than a stopover and it holds up well.

Do you need a visa for Uzbekistan?

Citizens of the EU, UK, Japan and around 90 other countries enter visa-free for 30 days. Americans, Canadians and Australians can use the e-visa, which costs about $20 USD and is usually issued in two to three working days. Check the current official list before you book, as the rules keep widening.

How do you get from Tashkent to Samarkand?

The Afrosiyob high-speed train takes about two hours and 10 minutes and costs roughly $12 to $25 depending on class. It sells out days ahead in spring and autumn, so book online as soon as your dates are fixed. Slower trains take four hours and shared taxis around four to five.

When is the best time to visit Tashkent?

April to May and September to October, when days are warm and the parks are at their best. Summer regularly passes 40C and the city empties in the afternoon. Winter is cold and grey but very cheap, with occasional snow that makes the Soviet architecture look striking.

Is Tashkent expensive?

It is one of the better-value capitals in Asia. Hostels run $10 to $15, mid-range hotels $35 to $70, plov lunches $2 to $4 and full restaurant dinners $8 to $15. Metro tickets cost about 15 cents and taxis across town $2. Around $45 a day is comfortable, and $30 is easily doable.

Can you photograph the Tashkent metro?

Yes. The ban was lifted in 2018 and photography is now openly permitted in the stations, which are among the most decorated in the world. Kosmonavtlar, Alisher Navoi and Pakhtakor are the highlights. Avoid photographing military or government buildings above ground, where restrictions still apply.

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