How to cross the Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border

Summary

This describes the Samarkand-Penjakent Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border crossing. This is the quickest way from Samarkand’s impressive historical monuments to Tajikistan’s outstanding Fann mountains.

It has the following sections:

• (1) Samarkand: hotel-Kaftarxona bus station (shared taxi)
• (2) Samarkand Kaftarxona bus station: shared taxi to the Uzbekistan border
• (3) Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border crossing
• (4) Tajikistan border crossing – Penjakent
• (5) The individual prices on the return trip Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border crossing

In summary, a convenient crossing in terms of:

(1) the transportation to the Samarkand-Uzbek border (45 minutes),

(2) passport controls on the Uzbekistan and Tajikistan sides (10 minutes),

(3) the transportation from the Tajikistan border to Penjakent (20 minutes).

The immigration formalities on both sides are straightforward and quick with nice border officers.

This Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border crossing is of the most efficient and nicest border crossings in Central Asia. Two hours door to door Samarkand to Penjakent, highly recommended.

(1) Samarkand: hotel-Kaftarxona bus station (shared taxi)

Order a taxi through a Yandex taxi app through the Samarkand hotel’s owner. If you do not have an Uzbek SIM card, you will have to ask somebody who does.

You pay the driver in cash, so no need to reimburse the person ordering it for you (as would be the case with Uber or Lyft).

From a hotel close to Registan in Samarkand, I paid UZS 10,000 ($1) to the bus station, 10 minutes driving time.

And the final thought. Please start early. Most of the transportation is taking place in the morning or early afternoon. As always, you do not want to travel through the border to a new destination when it is already dark.

Unrushed at Kaftarxona

This Samarkand bus station is called Kaftarxona, pronounced “kafthar-khona“.

Your taxi will drop you off on the main road next to many private taxis. Please appear unrushed and in control, even if you have never been here before.

You have been travelling around Central Asia a lot. This is just another bus station and just another routine negotiation for you.

This will generate respect on the drivers’ side, get you to the border quicker, and for a (much) lower price.

Finally, before leaving your taxi from the hotel, please rehearse your price limit. Once you arrive and get off your car, all eyes will be on you and the negotiation process will start immediately.

(2) Samarkand Kaftarxona bus station: shared taxi to the Uzbekistan border

“Tamozhnya”

The local term for the border is “tamozhnya” and you will hear it a lot. Do not say in English that you want to go the border. Simply say “tamozhnya”. If you know any more words in Russian, say them now.

Taxi drivers will drop their initial stratospheric tourist prices ($20-40) when you pronounce it right, as they will assume you know what you are doing. You will still stand out as a tourist, but they will conclude you either crossed this border before or did your research. Either way it will help.

Private or shared taxi?

Upfront you will have to make a decision if you want a private taxi (you are the only passenger) or a shared one (you buy an individual seat and there will be additional 2-3 guests in the car).

There are many (shared) taxis in Kaftarxona and drivers will approach you to offer their car to the border.

Unless you want to have the whole car to yourself (or your group), it probably makes sense to ride in a shared taxi as there is only a 1-5 minute waiting time for the car to fill up. There are many villages on the way to the border and there are plenty of locals going the same route as well.

OK to negotiate with a few drivers at the same time

Do not yield to pressure. Some drivers will undoubtedly say that they are just about to depart and you have to go now (“Come, quick, quick”). They will also try to grab your bags and put them in their trunk. Do NOT let this happen. It will make your negotiation position worse.

Also, the competition among drivers is fierce. They need your fare. Do not rush and you will depart in a few minutes for a good price.

Moreover, it is fine (and recommended) to talk to more than one driver. They are all going in the same direction soon. Their cars are similar. Beyond the price, little difference which car you take. Secondly, it will create some competition among them.

Finally, always ask how many passengers they already have. It is fine (and almost expected) to look into their car and check.

UZS 20,000 ($2)

You should not pay more than UZS20,000 ($2) for one person in a shared taxi one way.

The whole taxi via the Yandex app from my original hotel was UZS100,000 ($10), which is a useful benchmark.

Firm price

Now, some good news. Once you fixed your price, it will probably be honored. The driver will most likely not try to renegotiate it during the drive or to add some extra fees or permits at the end.

(3) Uzbekistan – Tajikistan border crossing

The taxi will drop off you just in front the Uzbek border gate. Your passport and the entry Uzbek visa will be checked and you will be let through the gate.

Walk for 1 minute and enter a small building on the right hand side with the Uzbekistan immigration office windows. A friendly officer will take your picture and stamp out your passport.

You will walk for about 3 minutes through the “no man’s land”.

Approach the Tajik immigration control in another small building on the right hand side. Again, a photo taken, a new stamp and the whole process is over in 2 minutes.

In November 2022 NO Covid-19 certificates or tests were requested at either border office.

As the Covid entry requirements have been changing frequently, you might want to check:

https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/uzbekistan/entry-requirements

(4) Tajikistan border crossing – Penjakent

After the Tajikistan passport control you will then walk for an additional 2 minutes and approach the Tajik closed gate.

If you meet other tourists in the passport control, it helps if you exit the gate and negotiate together.

Here the real fun is starting. Take a deep breath, rehearse your destination and your budget limit again, and enter the lions’ den when the gate opens.

10-20 drivers who will immediately run to you. Asking for your destination (or not). Already offering to carry your luggage to their car (they will definitely do it but do NOT let it happen). Proclaiming to be your friend in many languages (including probably your own regardless where you come from). Plus the other usual taxi arrangement pleasantries (“the petrol price is very high”, “you have to go with me now as I am the last one to leave”, etc.).

All this to create a mental pressure and make you pay a higher price.

Negotiate firm

The initial prices quoted will be, as usually, highly excessive and only the initial firing shot in the delightful negotiation game. You would almost offend the taxi drivers by accepting those initial prices and depriving them of the pleasure of negotiating with you.

There also seem to be tiers of drivers with the most aggressive ones initially approaching you and quoting the highest prices. Once you indicate you are not easy prey, the other more reasonable providers will approach you with lower numbers.

Moreover, it is absolutely fine (and expected) to reject the initial offers. It is also fine to negotiate with a few drivers at the same time. They need your fare. The competition is intense. There are no hundreds or thousands of tourists arriving. Time is on your side.

The final prices to Penjakent offered were $3 per person one-way, Seven Lakes ($50 for the entire car one-way), Artuch ($40 for the entire car one way), and Iskanderkul ($90 for the entire car one way).

If those prices are still too high, a perfectly reasonable option is to travel to Penjakent and repeat the whole negotiating game at a lower level. Unfortunately, there seems to be a significant premium charged at the border. The drop-off point for the border cars in Penjakent is similar to the departure spot for the other destinations, next to the bazaar.

Congratulations, you made it. And you did a favor to the fellow travelers in the future by not accepting outlandish prices.

(5) The individual prices on the return trip Tajikistan-Uzbekistan border crossing

The prices for the return trip Penjakent-Samarkand turn out to be different. There is a premium charged by the drivers at the either side of the border.

Therefore, the same Kaftarxona-border distance will be cheaper than the border-Kaftarxona ride. There is a monopoly of the drivers at the border and they know we are not going to walk to Samarkand or Penjakent. Negotiate firm but accept that you will be overcharged at the either side of the border. The Uzbek and Tajik drivers are completely in agreement how to squeeze an extra dollar or two.

Penjakent – Tajikistan border crossing

Returning from Penjakent, the prices are lower when starting near the Penjakent bazaar. The shared taxis to the border are departing from the main bazaar. When facing the main bazaar main entrance, walk to the left for 1 minute. Taxi drivers (and their friends, and their friends’ friends) will approach you yelling “tamozhnya” (border).

An individual seat in a shared taxi from the Penjakent bazaar to tamozhnya should be UZS 15,000 ($1.50). As always, you will hear a much higher quote first (UZS 50,000 or even UZS 100,000). Counteroffer UZS 15,000 and be firm.

Unless you are in a hurry (or it is getting dark), time is on your side. Somebody will yield in a few minutes, the competition among the drivers is fierce.

Uzbekistan border crossing – Kaftarxona

The pricing from the border to Samarkand Kaftarxona bus station is also higher than in the opposite direction.

The local term for the Samarkand bus station is “kaftar-khona” and you will hear it a lot. Simply say “kaftar-khona”. If you know any more words in Russian, say them now.

Same as earlier, taxi drivers will drop their initial stratospheric tourist prices ($20-40) when you pronounce it right, as they will assume you know what you are doing.

The price for an individual seat in a shared taxi was UZS 50,000 ($5) to Kaftarxona in September 2022. There are also cramped marshrutkas for UZS25,000 per seat.

Again, the initial prices offered will be significantly higher. They will depend how the driver evaluates your ability to pay, how many passengers he already has, or his life on this day in general. You will hear UZS 100,000-200,000 ($10-20) initially with a range of reasons why everything got so expensive and there is nothing to be done about it.

Be firm and you will get to Samarkand for UZS 50,000 ($5) in a shared taxi (45 minutes away).

If you are going here, the guide is here: Samarkand

More information

Beyond this guide to the Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border crossing, some more information about the region.

If you go to Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan – Kyrgyzstan border at Dostyk will help with the border crossing.

When travelling to Kazakhstan: How to cross the Kyrgyzstan – Kazakhstan border at Korday.

If you are traveling by train, How to buy Uzbekistan train ticket will help, especially if you set the default language to English first.

Finally, here is a guide to Bukhara and Samarkand how to get to them.

The overall country travel guide: Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.