Getting around · Samarkand · Uzbekistan
Getting around Samarkand
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
The old town is walkable: the Registan, Gur-e-Amir, Bibi-Khanym, the Siab Bazaar and Shah-i-Zinda all lie within about a 30-minute walk. Ride-hailing taxis cover the outlying sights such as the Ulugh Beg Observatory and Konigil, and high-speed trains link the city to Tashkent and Bukhara. No.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Walking
- Airports
- SKD
- Need a car?
- No
Ways to get around
Walking
Gur-e-Amir to the Registan is about 10 minutes on foot, and the Registan to Bibi-Khanym about 10 minutes along pedestrian Tashkent Street, with Shah-i-Zinda a further 10–15 minutes beyond.
Taxi
Yandex Go is widely used and shows the fare upfront, avoiding negotiation; street taxis are plentiful but agree a price before getting in.
Ride-hailing is the easiest way to reach the observatory, Afrasiyab and Konigil in one loop.
Bus
City buses and shared minibuses run along the main roads for a very small fare, but routes are signed mainly in Uzbek and are hard for first-time visitors to use.
Train
Afrosiyob high-speed trains reach Tashkent in about 2 hours 10 minutes and Bukhara in about 1 hour 30 minutes from Samarkand station, north-west of the centre; slower Sharq trains are also available.
High-speed trains fill up in spring and autumn; buy tickets in advance through Uzbekistan Railways.
From the airport
Samarkand International Airport is on the northern edge of the city, about 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Registan. A ride-hailing app or a hotel pick-up is the simplest way into town.
Do you need a car?
No. The monuments are walkable and taxis are inexpensive; for Shahrisabz and Urgut, hire a car with a driver or take a shared taxi rather than driving yourself.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Shahrisabz | About 1 hour 30 minutes–2 hours by car | Car with driver or shared taxi over the Takhtakaracha pass |
| Bukhara | About 1 hour 30 minutes by high-speed train | Afrosiyob high-speed train |
| Imam al-Bukhari Memorial Complex | About 35 minutes by car | Taxi or car with driver |
| Urgut bazaar | About 45 minutes by car | Taxi or shared minibus |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Samarkand?
No. The monuments are walkable and taxis are inexpensive; for Shahrisabz and Urgut, hire a car with a driver or take a shared taxi rather than driving yourself.
+How do you get from the airport to Samarkand?
Samarkand International Airport is on the northern edge of the city, about 15–20 minutes by taxi from the Registan. A ride-hailing app or a hotel pick-up is the simplest way into town.
+What is the best way to get around Samarkand?
Walking: Gur-e-Amir to the Registan is about 10 minutes on foot, and the Registan to Bibi-Khanym about 10 minutes along pedestrian Tashkent Street, with Shah-i-Zinda a further 10–15 minutes beyond.