Tashkent, Uzbekistan’s bustling capital, is tantalisingly close to some of the other ‘Stans’. In particular, the southern borders of Kazakhstan and the town of Shymkent are just a short bus ride away. Given that we love a good land border crossing, it would have been rude not to make the most of this opportunity. We, therefore, added a quick border hop from Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan to our trip in September 2019. Here is how to travel between Tashkent and Shymkent by bus.
Updated in November 2023 to reflect the fact that the below bus service between Tashkent and Shymkent is suspended.
IMPORTANT UPDATE: the bus is no longer running
November 2023: Unfortunately, it appears that the bus route that we took in 2019 has been suspended. We have kept the information below for reference, as it may be useful to some, but the timetables and bus options are no longer current.
2023 alternatives to the bus
With the below bus route apparently suspended, these are your options for travelling between Tashkent and Shymkent:
- Taxi: Private taxi to the border -> border crossing -> private taxi from the border. The easiest way to get a taxi in Tashkent is via the Yandex app. In Shymkent, you can find taxis at the Kolos bus stop in the centre of the city.
- Shared taxi: Shared taxi/marshrutka to the border -> border crossing -> shared taxi/marshrutka from the border. There are plenty of options on both the Uzbek and Kazakh sides of the border.
- Train: The 001/2 train travels between Tashkent and Shymkent. Note that the train takes 6 hours.
For the latest updates from travellers who have done the border crossing between Tashkent and Shymkent, we highly recommend visiting this thread on the Carivanistan forums. There appears to be no single authority on the availability of transport to and from the borders (aside from
Getting the bus from Tashkent to Shymkent: The Plan
After some research, we settled on a short visit to Shymkent. Shymkent is Kazakhstan’s third biggest city and is accessible from Tashkent via a dedicated international bus service. We had high hopes for this route – publicity from its launch back in January 2018 mentions that:
- The bus runs hourly from 6am to 8pm every day, and will take 3-4 hours.
- The border formalities should take 15-20 minutes, breezing through the ‘green corridor’ and bypassing the usual long queues.
- You will be whisked along in rather fancy-looking buses – UK readers can think National Express rather than Megabus!
So, the route promised great things – but how was it in reality, a mere 18 months after the launch? Is it still possible to travel easily between Tashkent and Shymkent by bus? Let’s find out!
What time did the buses run between Tashkent and Shymkent?
2023 update: The bus no longer exists. The information below serves as a reference for the old service.
This was initially advertised as an hourly service between 6am and 8pm. However, when we visited (September 2019) the bus from Tashkent to Shymkent ran five times daily. Moreover, the return from Shymkent to Tashkent was even more sporadic, setting off just three times each day.
Below were the times for the Tashkent-Shymkent bus:
Tashkent -> Shymkent: 07:00, 09:00, 12:00, 15:00, 18:00
Shymkent -> Tashkent: 08:00, 13:00, 19:00
The bus was scheduled to take 3.5 to 4 hours, which did not include the 1-hour time difference (Kazakhstan is ahead of Uzbekistan). There is a Facebook page for the bus route with vaguely updated times. It can be accessed here, although it’s worth keeping in mind that (at the time of writing) it was last updated in November 2018. 2023 update: these bus times no longer apply – the service is suspended.
The timetable above shows the direct buses from Tashkent to Shymkent. However, we unintentionally ended up on the 16:00 bus to Turkestan, 160km further North into Kazakhstan. The bus stops in Shymkent along the way, but – unbeknown to us – it doesn’t take you to the bus station. Instead, it skirts around the edge of Shymkent before dropping you off on a busy road.
This wasn’t particularly a problem, as there were plenty of taxis around. However, if you do end up on the 16:00 service, we recommend you keep checking where you are on your phone’s GPS. This way, you’ll avoid ending up another 3 or 4 hours further up the road in Kazakhstan!
Read next: Discovering the best place to eat plov in Tashkent.
How do I buy tickets for the bus between Tashkent and Shymkent?
2023 update: The bus no longer exists. The information below serves as a reference for the old service.
You can easily purchase tickets for the bus between Tashkent and Shymkent at both bus stations.
For services departing from Tashkent, you can buy the tickets from the Autovokzal Tashkent – the bus also leaves from here. The Autovokzal is a short walk from the main passenger train station, and can be accessed from Olmazor Metro stop. As of September 2019, a ticket purchased from the Uzbek side costs 40,000 som ($4).
In Shymkent, the bus station for this route is Shymkent Autovoksal on Kurnakov Street, close to Independence Park. It’s within walking distance from most of the city centre. However, a taxi should be able to take you there for relatively little. Tickets can be purchased directly from the Autovoksal, and departing from the Kazakh side costs 1700 tenge (also $4).
What was the bus between Tashkent and Shymkent like?
2023 update: The bus no longer exists. The information below serves as a reference for the old service.
Neither journey was luxurious, but nor was there too much to complain about. The buses between Tashkent and Shymkent were OK for the length of the trip. These are large 50-seater coaches, with reclining seats and decent legroom – although leather seat-backs are a bonus rather than a given!
Neither of our coaches benefited from air conditioning – so we’d definitely recommend packing plenty of water for the trip (or even a portable fan) if you’re travelling in summer. Keep in mind, however, that a working toilet is not guaranteed on board! Don’t go polishing off a 2-litre bottle of water just before your journey!
Read next: How to travel between Amsterdam and Rotterdam by bus and train.
What should I expect at the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan?
2023 update: The bus no longer exists. The information below serves as a reference for the old service.
Don’t let the reduced timetable or lack of leather seats on the bus deceive you. The USP of this route is that it passes through the ‘green corridor’ at the border between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. This means that it avoids the queues and drastically reduces your waiting time. It’s well worth it just for this time-saving.
As you approach the border in either direction, you’ll first notice the lines of cars waiting to be let through. By the time you get close to the gates which guard the inspection area, this trickle of cars becomes a seemingly endless sea of vehicles.
The bus will weave straight through, horn blaring. When you reach the front of the queue, the gates will mysteriously open – as if by magic – for you to pass through for your priority inspection.
At this point, passengers have to get off the bus and take all luggage to border control. Here, a scanner will inspect the bags after a thorough passport check. The luggage inspection can take a while, as the buses transport all sorts of goods. We even had a local chap on one of our buses who had a full trailer of building materials with him!
This meticulous inspection happens at both Uzbek and Kazakh border control. The 15-20 minute estimate for border formalities mentioned in the promotional articles is optimistic. Both times we crossed, it took more like 90 minutes. However, this is a vast improvement on how long you’d be waiting if this bus didn’t exist.
The officials on both sides found our British passports to be a good novelty and were helpful and friendly. An unexpected quirk when passing through Uzbek border control saw women going through before men – cue a confused Lucy meandering around without a clue what was going on.
We also had to complete a migration card at Kazakh border control. This just asked for fairly standard details. Put the name of your hotel as the ‘inviting organisation’ and you shouldn’t have any issues.
Shortly after crossing the border on the Kazakh side, a money exchange person will board the bus. This is a good opportunity to get enough local currency (at reasonable exchange rates) to tide you over whilst you search for a working ATM! The same will happen on your return journey, and you might as well take advantage before sitting back and enjoying the rest of the ride.
The Tashkent / Shymkent Bus – conclusion
2023 update: The bus no longer exists. The information below serves as a reference for the old service.
Whilst the international bus route may not be quite as fancy or frequent as the original publicity suggested, it does work very well for both locals and travellers alike. Shymkent may not have the objective beauty of Uzbekistan’s Silk Road wonders, but it’s certainly worth jumping over the border if you find yourself with a spare day or two. We’d certainly recommend the bus between Tashkent and Shymkent. You’ll get all the fun of a Central Asian border crossing without having to wait in the infamous queues!
Read Next:
– Top 6 reasons to visit Tashkent
– How to travel Uzbekistan by train
– Top 9 things to do in Bukhara
Last Updated: November 2023