Things to be aware of when traveling to Uzbekistan [as of April-May 2025]

During Golden Week, a national holiday period in Japan in spring, in 2025, I went to Uzbekistan.

The two cities I visited are:

　Capital: Tashkent

　4th city: Samarkand

I’ve summarized what I noticed here.

The price is approximately 1,000 soʻm approximately 11.5 JPY.

`1.` Communications and Internet

It is better to purchase and set up a SIM card at Tashkent Airport. Here are the reasons why:
- There are several stores at the airport
- To use the free Wi-Fi at the airport, you need a local phone number (international number: +998)
- SIM cards are pretty cheap
  - I bought Ucell . The communication was good everywhere and at all times.
  - The plan I purchased is Katta Doimiy 55 (44GB + 22GB (5G) + 22GB (SNS)) for 55,000 soʻm
Uzbek and Russian are the official languages in Uzbekistan . It is convenient to have both languages on Google Translate. English is easy for young people to understand.
For calls and messaging, WhatsApp is the go-to.

The most common car dispatch apps in Tashkent are “Yandex Go” and “MyTaxi.uz”. Yandex Go requires SMS or Telegram authentication, which may fail. In that case, use MyTaxi.uz instead. Yandex Go is recommended nationwide. However, none of the apps had coverage in Shahrisabz, a World Heritage site.
When you call a taxi at the airport, the fare is set according to the distance.
The comfort class was comfortable on the ride-hailing app. I paid in cash and there were no issues with extra charges.
The ATTO card (YAGONA TRANSPORT KARTASI), which can be used on Tashkent’s buses and metro , displays the message “karta bloklangan (card blocked)” when passing through a gate if the card does not have enough balance. This can be resolved by charging the card, but you will need to wait about three minutes after completing the charge payment.

I exchanged money three times in the city, including at the airport exchange near baggage claim, and the airport exchange was the most efficient ( 12,870-12,920 soʻm/USD ).
Prices at souvenir shops in the airport are displayed in EURO and are expensive. They are converted at a fixed rate of EURO x 1,500 soʻm, which makes them more expensive than in town (e.g. one chocolate bar is 7 EURO, a box of chocolates is 35-45 EURO).

Baggage inspections are sloppy throughout Uzbekistan, including at airports. You are asked to show the contents of your bag, but no money is confiscated.
There is a lounge at Tashkent Airport, but be aware that the number of seats and seats with power outlets is quite limited.

When purchasing train tickets using the ” Uzrailways tickets ” app, the availability of seats and seat classes change frequently, and are at different levels every time you open the app.
Refunds can be done on the app. However, you will need to go to the counter as refunds cannot be done right before the departure time.
Place names are often written in Russian.
Tashkent Railway Station has two stations, North and South. Please note their locations.

The World Heritage Site ” Historic Centre of Shakhrisyabz ” that can be reached from Samarkand has no ruins at all. If you have time, it’s worth going, but to be honest, I’m not sure if it’s worth taking two hours each way. In that case, a shared taxi was 500-1,000 soʻm one way . Especially on the way back, there is a bus stop in the neighboring town of Kitob, so please take a shared bus from the World Heritage Site.
If you book your stay online, you will be charged a tourist tax (over 1 USD). You may be able to get a waiver by contacting the hotel owner directly.
Many places accept credit card payments. I had no problems with MasterCard .
Most items don’t have price tags, and just like taxis, prices are negotiable.
There are many slopes and it is sweltering hot during the day, but it gets chilly after the evening.

Many establishments serve beer, and you can also buy alcohol at convenience stores.
I have never paid a tip. In most cases, a service tax is included in the bill, and the tax rate varies depending on the restaurant (10%-25%).
Many of the dishes are oily. The lagman is similar to udon noodles, so it was easy to eat. Overall, don’t expect too much from the taste.