| Tips and photos for Tashkent vacations and tourism, posted by real travelers and Tashkent locals. Tashkent Map |
 | Tashkent General Tips | Tips 1 - 10 of 36 |  |
From my experience (mid 2006), money exchange in Tashkent is quick and easy. Exchange offices are scattered around in town (amrked “echange”…) or use most of the banks (just show an US dollar bill and you’ll be shown the way to the right booth).
In summer 2006, bills of 1000 som have been available everywhere, although quite often I had to refuse the tons of 200 som bills, they want to give you at first instance. Be firm, shake your head and show them a 1000 som bill and you’ll get what you want.
Uzbek sum do have several security features, the most obvious is the color changing print on the upper right on the non-monument side (see arrow in pic 1).
From my experience, there is only one uniform and official exchange rate all over town (which only changes according to exchange rate change), so it won’t help to look for better rates or even blackmarket.
Hotels, upscale restaurants and most of the souvenir workshops do mostly accept USD. So keep some for these purposes.
ATM machines are not that much available, but as I only had cash with me, I didn’t look in particular. Hotel Uzbekistan had one, however.
I also cannot say anything about acceptance of travellers’ cheques.
One word about the USD bills: ignore whatever your bank at home will tell you – there is zero need to bring small denomination bills ! All banks do easily accept 100 or 50 USD bills.
In the picture all Uzbek coins and banknotes; from Central Bank of Uzbekistan Leave a Comment
|
 | |  |
Visiting Tashkent?
Read reviews about Tashkent Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
A recent conversation with a friend led me to the idea to make a short summary of opening hours and prices, to give you a rough overview of the costs you can expect for Samarkand. This all is as of summer 2006 and my travel style, which involves basic to medium accommodation and two meals per day plus snacks. And of course, visiting the sights.
But as I did spend more days in Tashkent than most of you will do, I reduce my calculations to a stay of 1 1/2 days (1 night).
Opening hours:
mostly from 9 am to 5 or 6 pm on “normal” days. Expect different hours for Fridays, as this is the “Sunday” in the Islamic world. In Tashkent, a lot of museums are closed or have shorter opening hours on Tuesdays.
Travel expenses – for 1 days plus 1 afternoon/evening – per person:
Accommodation costs (1 nights): 15 USD (including breakfast);
Food costs: 20.000 sum (equals 15 USD), this includes one upscale dinner.
Snack and water costs: 5 USD;
Costs for visting sights including camera fee:
well, as the fees vary upon what you chose, I can’t calculate. Museum of Fine Arts is 3000 sum + 4000 sum camera fee.
Transport from Tashkent to e.g. Samarkand in shared taxi: seat 10 USD)
Transport from Tashkent to e.g. Khiva by plane: 60 USD. Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Tashkent is a huge city, so walking from A to B is not the best option. But with the excellent metro and bus service, you can move around very quick.
The city did grow a bit weird, a lot of different neighbourhoods did develop and expand here and there, to be eventually combined to what is Tashkent today. Also 2 very big and very much destructive earthquakes in 1966 did destroy much of the city, so a lot had to be rebuilt.
The old town is located northwest of Chorsu Bazaar and the modern centre around Timur Park (east of Chorsu). Streets run in all direction, no real “logic” behind that. Some bigger avenues however can be defined and draw a kind of triangle through town for easy reference (see photo 3, where I added these streets to my GE Metro map).
Ko’chasi stands for street in Uzbek and square would be maydoni.
Navoi Ko’chasi runs east-west roughly from the bazaar to near Amur Timur Park (photo 2). Circus’ blue cupola (photo 1) can be used as western reference, from where Furgat street leads to the Palace of Peoples’ Friendship and goes over into northwest-southeast Babor street. This one meets with southwest-northeast Rustavelli, which eventually ends as Shahrisabz street at Timur Park.
Or look at the map of Tashkent Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Now how many days should you plan for Tashkent ?
As I mentioned in the beginning, Tashkent holds many tresures, if you only allow them to be discovered. Just some of the museums are worth a visit or plan at least one or two additional days. Best upon arrival, as it will teach you a lot about architecture and Uzbek art.
Let me give it a try and list the sights and time needed in my opinion:
Museum of Fine Art should be a must, as it is well displayed and explanatory – minimum 2 hours.
Wandering around on the bazaars and buy some delicious food would roughly take 1 hour, given the big size of the main bazaar.
Doing some gift shooping and walking around Timur Park would add another hour.
You should try one of the upscale restaurants (if this is your like) or the more charming food stalls in parks or the bazaar.
And end your evening with an opera performance. I didn’t do it (no idea why, maybe my brain was just too mashed in the heat), but will do next time. Read what Leyle (of WanderingCamels) wrote about her pleasant opera evening.
Well, this could be roughly be “done” in one day, evening and overnight stay included. But… but… but…it will not be enough to discover the hidden charm of this capital.
Decide yourself :-) Leave a Comment
|
| | |
I place this under “General”, as it is more than just a sales office.
Uzbekistan Airlines city sales office is a very convenient place, as it does also have an exchange office.
Of course you can get all your national (or international or CIS) tickets here. It is a tiny bit complicated or better buerocratic, but well….. First you have to go to a ticket counter, tell where you like to go. The girl will write down a payment note, which you have to bring to the separate cashier to pay. Then bring back your payment note with verification stamp of your payment, and you will get your ticket.
But the personnel is both helpful and efficient. However, not much English spoken.
Exchange office is right hand side after entrance.
Flight map of Uzbekistan Airlines
The sales office is located at the big crossing of Rustavelli and Konaev - opposite of Hotel Mir (Hotel Mir - see picture) Leave a Comment
|
| | |
Visiting Tashkent?
Read reviews about Tashkent Hotels
Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
Some websites will give you further reading and information. Some are of travel agencies, but they still have a lot of interesting information.
In my opinion the best website about Tashkent anyhow:
Sairam Tours - Tashkent
Travel Agency Orexa
Dolores Travel website
Visit-Uzbekistan website
.
and :-) of course:
make sure you read what Leyle of the WanderingCamels wrote about Tashkent .
She was the one who “brought” me to Uzbekistan and Tashkent with what she wrote here on VT. Leave a Comment
|
 Where are the people? by TheWanderingCamel
leyle Leave a Comment
|
 Sweet strawberries by TheWanderingCamel
leyle Leave a Comment
|
 Ancient art by TheWanderingCamel
Look for it in the Museum of Fine Art. Leave a Comment
|
 by nepalgoods
Tashkent was Turkish until in 8th century the Arabs conquered the city. 1220 Genghis Khan took the city. A time of quarrels between the Khans of this area followed. in 16th century came a time of wealth under the rule of the Schaibanide Khans. Trade and art flourished.
After the fall of the Schaibanide Dynasty Tashkent was under the influence of Kazakh Khans and later was part of the Kokand Khanat until 1865. Leave a Comment
|
|
| Best Tashkent Travel Deals |
Tashkent Flight at $787
Tax incl. Book by Nov 30 and Save! Call for Holidays Specials Today. Uzbekistan Tours
Visit beautiful Uzbekistan on group and private tours with MIR Uzbekistan
Group travel/tour to Central Asia with upscale hotels & expert guides Travel
Save Time & Money With Easy Booking & Great Deals. Search Bing ™ Now. Tashkent Uzbekistan Hotels
Find Rooms at Top Hotels - Cheap with Orbitz Low Price Guarantee! Sponsored Links
- Elite Hotel
Usuf Khos Khodjib Street 75/10, Tashkent - InterContinental Tashkent
107a Amir Temur Street, Tashkent - Best Eastern Poytaht Hotel
4 Movaraunnahr Street, Tashkent - Radisson SAS Hotel Tashkent
Amir Temur Street 88, Tashkent - Domina Shodlik Palace
Pakhtakorskaya Street 5, Tashkent - Le Meridien Tashkent Palace
56, Buyuk Turon Street, Tashkent - Dedeman Silk Road Hotel
Amir Temur Street C 4, No 7/8, Tashkent - Grand Mir Hotel
2 Kunaeva St, Tashkent - Markaziy Hotel Tashkent
Corner of Amir Termur Street and Navoi Avenue (Formerly "Sheraton"), Tashkent
Local Merchants in Tashkent
|
