Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport is the biggest airport in Uzbekistan and indeed the biggest in Central Asia. If you’re traveling to Uzbekistan there’s a high chance you’ll be passing through Tashkent airport at some point.
If you have questions about Tashkent airport then you’re in the right place as we currently live in Tashkent and have passed through this airport dozens of times!
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Contents:
- Tashkent Airport – City Center
- City Center – Tashkent Airport
- Hotels Near Tashkent Airport
- Tashkent Airport FAQs
How To Get From Tashkent Airport To the City Center
Tashkent Airport is located within the city of Tashkent, an easy 2.5 miles (4 km) drive from the city center.
If you’re traveling by car, the journey from the airport to the city center typically takes about 15 to 20 minutes, although during rush hours between 5 and 7 pm, it might take a bit longer.
Arriving at Tashkent Airport can be hectic and overwhelming, especially after a long flight. Unfortunately there is no easy way for English speakers to travel to the city center via public transport as the city currently lacks the infrastructure and English signage for tourists.
Additionally, the crowd of taxi drivers outside the airport can be relentless in following you hoping to overcharge unwitting tourists for a taxi.
This is an unfortunate introduction to Uzbekistan as the country itself is a friendly and pleasant place so don’t let your first impressions dampen your experience!
The easiest way to travel between Tashkent airport and the city center is to go by taxi or private transfer as prices are reasonable and you can reach any part of the city quickly and comfortably. Public transport, although cheap, is not yet simple or practical for most tourists unfortunately.
How to Get a Taxi From Tashkent Airport to the City Center
You have a number of options for booking a taxi from the airport and we strongly recommend planning this in advance to avoid being overwhelmed or overcharged, especially if jetlagged.
Official Airport Taxi
You can book an official airport taxi from inside the airport and from 2023, this is the only permitted way to get a licensed taxi inside of the airport grounds.
Whilst these are definitely overpriced compared to the price of a regular taxi, you won’t be unknowingly cheated and the taxis here are well regulated.
Hotel Pick Up
Another option is to contact your hotel to see if they can arrange a pick up. Prices will vary depending on the hotel and not all hotels offer this but you’ll at least have the comfort of knowing you’ll arrive at the right place.
If doing it this way make sure to do it well in advance. In our experience, hotels were helpful but slow to reply to our requests.
Private Airport Transfer
You can book a private airport transfer for up to 8 people with an English speaking driver. Drivers will wait for you at the airport with a sign with your surname for a hassle-free transition.
The driver will assist you with your luggage and wait for you even if your flight is delayed so you don’t need to worry about any problems in your journey.
You can book a private transfer here.
Taxi Apps – no longer a viable option for tourists
Taxi apps used to be the most reliable way to travel from the airport without being ripped off but there are a number of issues trying to do this now.
First of all they are no longer allowed to enter the airport grounds as only the official airport taxis can pick up passengers from the airport grounds.
Additionally there is no Uber in Uzbekistan and due to sanctions, popular local taxi app Yandex is blocked online from many app stores. If you are able to get a Yandex taxi from here prices will start from around 25,000 Som ($2).
Read our guide to visiting Tashkent.
How to Get From Tashkent Airport to the City Center via Public Transport
Bus
There are a number of buses leaving from the airport but we can’t recommend traveling this way.
Whilst they are incredibly cheap (around $0.20 for a single ticket), information in English is almost non-existent and you’ll need to know exactly which bus to get and where to alight.
For newbies to Uzbekistan we suggest only doing this if you can speak Russian and can ask for help.
Metro
Unfortunately, there is no airport metro station so to travel by metro to your final destination you first need to take an airport bus to Tashkent station (described below).
For a total fee of less than $0.50 for both the bus and metro ticket, it’s a very cheap way to travel although it can be quite inconvenient, especially if traveling with luggage. You’ll need small denominations of cash to pay for a bus ticket on board.
From Tashkent Metro Station you can ride the metro to Oybek, Kosmonavtlar and Uzbekistan stations or transfer to the red or green lines to reach other parts of the city.
Tashkent Airport to Tashkent Train and Metro Station
Bus number 40 runs regularly from Tashkent Airport to both the Tashkent train station and Tashkent metro station, conveniently located in the same area. The journey typically takes around 30 minutes, and you’ll find the bus stop for bus 40 just outside the airport.
RELATED POST: Most Entertaining Things to Do in Tashkent
How to Get to Tashkent Airport from the City Center
Thankfully, traveling to Tashkent Airport is easier than traveling from Tashkent airport. You won’t need to deal with the mobs of taxi drivers outside of the arrivals hall and you can book your transport in advance to arrive with plenty of time to check-in.
If you are able to download a taxi app then ordering a taxi to the airport is the most cost efficient way to get to the airport. Yandex and MyTaxi are both popular taxi apps used in Tashkent. As mentioned above however, many countries have blocked these apps due to sanctions so this might not be possible.
If you can’t use a taxi app then either booking a private hire airport transfer or arranging pick up via your hotel are the next best options.
Best Hotels Near Tashkent Airport
Tashkent Airport does not have a hotel within the airport but it has a number of convenient and comfortable hotels nearby.
However, since the airport is so close to the city, it’s possible to stay in the city center and make the short journey to the airport directly from your hotel.
Here are our top picks for hotels near Tashkent Airport.
Top Rated Hotels Near Tashkent Airport
For the highest rated hotels close to the airport and with airport shuttle we recommend the following hotels:
The Royal Mezbon Hotel & SPA is the highest rated airport hotel and offers indoor swimming pool, Turkish style bath and beautiful decor.
- Facilities: Indoor pool, 24 hour desk, bar
- Time to Airport: 15-20 mins
- Rating: 9.4
Shamsan Airport Hotel is a relatively new and modern hotel and also offers an indoor swimming pool as well as sauna and fitness center.
- Facilities: Indoor pool, 24 hour desk, bar, fitness center
- Time to Airport: 15-25 mins
- Rating: 9.6
The Time Hotel is another highly rated hotel close to the airport and offers excellent budget-friendly accommodation.
- Facilities: 24 hour desk, airport shuttle, bicycle rental
- Time to Airport: 10-20 mins
- Rating: 9.1
Cheap Hotels Near Tashkent Airport
For the best cheap airport hotels try the following hotels and hostels. All are highly rated and within a 15 to 25 minute drive to the airport.
Safarov’s Family Hostel
- Summary: Cheap, clean and comfortable dorms and private rooms
- Time to Airport: 15-20 mins
- Rating: 9.2
Nest Inn
- Description: Excellent value for money, clean and comfortable private rooms
- Time to Airport: 10-20 minutes
- Rating: 9.5
New Friends Mini-Hotel
- Description: Cheap rooms plus swimming pool
- Time to Airport: 10-20 mins
- Rating: 8.9
Best Tashkent City Hotels with Airport Shuttle
Being so close to the airport, the city center is only a short ride away so it’s also convenient to stay in the city center and travel to the airport in time for your flight.
OLD TASHKENT Hotel & Spa is just a 10 minute taxi to the airport and is one of the highest rated hotels in the city. It has indoor and outdoor pools as well as jacuzzi, sauna and Turkish bath.
- Facilities: 24 hour desk, airport shuttle, outdoor pool, excellent breakfast
- Distance to Airport: 10-20 mins
- Rating: 9.5
If you’re looking for luxury hotels close to Tashkent airport then try the new exceptional Intercontinental Hotel or world renowned Hyatt Regency Tashkent. Both hotels are located in the city center but are just a 20 minute taxi ride to the airport.
RELATED POST: Looking for the top areas to stay in Tashkent?
Tashkent airport fAQs
Tashkent Airport Information
| Official Website | www.tashkent-airport.uz |
| Address | 13, Kumarik street, Sergeli district, Tashkent |
| Phone Number | +998 78 140 28 88 |
Does Tashkent Airport Have Free WIFI?
Officially Tashkent Airport offers free Wi-Fi. Users need to connect to the TASAirportUzcloud network for which they will need to enter a mobile phone number to receive a text code via SMS. Foreign numbers can also access this service if their SIM cards can receive SMS in Uzbekistan.
Personally I have never been able to connect to the free Wi-Fi at Tashkent Airport so I would be very cautious about relying on the Wi-Fi for essential use.
What to Do in Tashkent Airport: Facilities
The check-in area has very little in terms of facilities. There is a small coffee shop where you can also buy snacks. The airport itself is quite isolated and there’s very little just outside of the airport grounds that you can reach on foot.
In the departure lounge there are a couple of restaurants with a fairly basic menu as well as a bar. There is also a duty free shop selling all of the usual products such as cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate and souvenirs.
In the arrivals hall there is an information desk where you can buy an Uzbek SIM card, a couple of ATM machines which accept Visa and Mastercard, and a tiny duty free shop.
TIPS: To save time, buy your SIM card whilst waiting for your luggage to come out and also be aware that the ATMs are not always working.
You can read more on withdrawing money in our guide to Uzbekistan here.
Does Tashkent Airport Have a Lounge?
As for an airport lounge, there is a CIP Hall Service (Commercially Important Person) offering snacks, drinks and international newspapers. They also advertise Wi-Fi, comfortable furniture, and showers.
This VIP lounge is free for first and business class passengers or $200 for other passengers.
Since the authors on this blog are not particularly important people, we’re afraid we can’t comment on the quality of this lounge!
How Many Terminals Does Tashkent Airport Have?
Tashkent Airport has two terminals. Terminal 2 is for international flights in and out of Uzbekistan whilst Terminal 3 is for domestic flights such as to Samarkand and Bukhara.
How Many Airports Are There in Tashkent?
There are two airports in Tashkent but only Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport serves commercial flights. Tashkent Eastern Airport is not open to the public and is not frequently used.
How Early Should I Arrive at Tashkent Airport?
Just like any other airport, the general consensus is that you should arrive 3 hours before an international flight and 2 hours before domestic flights. Often you will ok to arrive up until 1 hour before a domestic flight but we don’t recommend being this late as your trip won’t be guaranteed.