Kyrgyzstan Getting In and Out information
Air
Russia's Aeroflot, S7, Ural Airlines, Azimut operate direct flights from Russia's major cities. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Asia also fly
to Bishkek from London, Paris, Brusseles, Amsterdam with a stopover in Istanbul.
Fly Dubai operates flights from Dubai Airport. There are also direct flights to Tashkent (Uzbekistan) operated by Uzbekistan
Airlines and Urumqi in China operated by China Southern Airlines.
In addition, there is a number of direct flights from Europe to Almaty and Nur Sultan, in neighbouring
Kazakhstan. The connection from there to Kyrgyzstan is via frequent flights of Air Astana - Kazakstan's national flagman airline
or bus or taxi services to Bishkek (travel time -5 hours). Other European airlines
flying directly to Almaty include Lufthansa from Frankfurt on Main and KLM from
Amsterdam. Transit visa may be required to cross Kazakhstan so please check in visa section before you travel.
International airports
Bishkek Manas Airport (FRU) is 40km (24 miles) north of Bishkek. Facilities here open 24 hours and include exchange offices, duty-free shops, a number of cafes and bars. There is a minibus shuttle service to the city centre at day time (travel time - 60 minutes). Taxis are readily available, travel time is 20-25 minutes. A few taxi companies have their offices in customs area and international arrival lounge. Please be aware of private taxi drivers - fraud may occur!!
Osh International Airport (OSS) is 15 mins drive from Osh downtown and is more comfortable entry point for those heading Arslnabob. Local minibuses link city with airport as well as private unlicensed taxis.
Rail
There are rail connections with the Russian Federation (travel time to Moscow is three days) and with other Central Asian republics. It is possible to connect to China through Almaty in Kazakhstan; and to Iran and the Middle East via Turkmenistan. Railroad services are cheap comparing to Western standards but not exactly reliable and comfortable.
Road
Kyrgyzstan has road connections to all its neighbours. The main international road links are with Kazakhstan and there are presently two crossing points into China, Torugart and Irkeshtam; visitors should note that the Chinese authorities normally require proof of an invitation by a Chinese tour operator as a condition of entry. Generally, main roads have good conditions. Note that the road to Osh can be affected by landslides during spring in the mountain areas, while winter may cause hazardous conditions on a number of roads crossing over mountain passes, some of which may be closed during certain periods; visitors should also note that garage services are very limited outside the cities and towns. If you are going to travel with your own car, please contact your local Embassy first to get further information and additional details you might need to know crossing the borders in Central Asia.
|
Destination
|
Distance in km
|
Travel time
|
| Almaty | 250 km |
2-3 hours
|
| Balykchi (Issyk-Kul) | 175 km |
1.5-2 hours
|
| Djalal-Abad | 576 km |
8-10 hours
|
| Karakol | 392 km |
5-6 hours
|
| Maida-Adyr | 570 km |
10-12 hours
|
| Naryn | 348 km |
5-6 hours
|
| Osh | 710 km |
10-12 hours
|
| Song-Kul | 360 km |
6-7 hours
|
| Talas | 300 km |
5-6 hours
|
| Tashkent | 585 km |
8-9 hours
|
| Tash-Rabat | 467 km |
8-9 hours
|
| Torugart pass | 550 km |
10-11 hours
|
Bus
There are coach services to all of the neighbouring countries.
There are regular bus links from Bishkek to Tashkent (Uzbekistan) (travel time
- 10-12 hours), Almaty (Kazakhstan) (travel time - 6 hours), Kashgar in China
(travel time 20-24 hours), Moscow, Ekaterinburg and a number of Siberia destinations; services
leave the long-distance West bus station in Bishkek.
On skis
Please note that the only legal places where you can cross the
border is at a designated post - which means that now it is not possible to
follow the trekking routes over the mountains from Issyk-Kul to Almaty in Kazakhstan
which were popular in Soviet times.
Car rental
It is possible to hire the car with driver for long journeys from us or to look for these is at the west bus stations for Tashkent, Issyk-Kul and Almaty Area. The car to Kyrgyz-China border can be hired in travel agencies only as they require special border permit for drivers. 4x4 self drive options available from our friends at Iron Horse Nomads.
Duty Free
The following goods may be imported into Kyrgyzstan by travellers of 16 years or over without incurring customs duty: 1000 cigarettes or 1000g of tobacco products; 1.5l of alcoholic beverages and 2l of wine; a reasonable quantity of perfume for personal use.Prohibited imports: Firearms, military weapons, ammunition, drugs, photographs and printed matter directed against the country, live animals, fruits and vegetables.
Prohibited exports: All prohibited imports, Items more than 100 years old and those of special cultural importance require special permission for export. When buying items that may be more than 100 years old, ask for a certificate stating the age of the items. Precious metals, stones, furs, saiga horns, Siberian stag, red deer antlers and deer skins, arms and ammunition are also prohibited unless on organised hunting trip.
Cash: Ammounts exceeding 10000 USD must be declared both for
Import and Export. Fill out two custom declarations and make sure you got your
copy stamped by custom officer. Retain it until departure if you plan to export
the cash. Cash Import and Export are not limited.
