Turkmenistan Travel Guide

Social Conventions

Lipioshka (bread) should never be laid upside down, and it is normal to remove shoes, but not socks, when entering someone’s house. Shorts are rarely seen in Turkmenistan and, if worn by females, are likely to provoke unwelcome attention from the local male population.

International Travel

Getting There By Air

The national airline is Turkmenistan Airlines (T5).

Departure Tax

US$25. Nationals of CIS countries pay US$15 and nationals of Turkmenistan pay US$5.

Main Airports

Ashgabat Airport (ASB) is approximately 13km (8 miles) northwest of the city center. To/from the airport: The airport is served by buses and taxis.

Getting There By Water

There are ferries to Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) from Baku (Azerbaijan) and an irregular service to Astrakhan (Russian Federation).

It is theoretically possible to travel from Moscow to Turkmenbashi via the Volga River and the Caspian Sea without setting foot on dry land.

Getting There By Rail

The Trans-Caspian Railway connects Turkmenistan with the rest of the Central Asian republics and thence to Moscow and the rest of the CIS. The terminus is in Turkmenbashi on the Caspian Sea, from where it runs through Ashgabat before it crosses into Uzbekistan near the city of Chardzhou.

Approximate journey times: From Turkmenbashi to Tashkent is 24 hours, to Dushanbe is 36 hours and to Moscow is three days. There is a rail link to the Iranian network, enabling train travel from Turkmenistan to Turkey (Istanbul).

Getting There By Road

Turkmenistan is connected by road to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and to Mashad and Tehran in Iran. The crossing into Iran is only open to nationals of the CIS and Iran.

Bus: Services are available to the capitals of the neighboring republics, and north across the Kara-Kum desert to Kunya-Urgench with connections to Urgench and Khiva in Uzbekistan. A service also runs between Ashgabat and Mashhad (eastern Iran).

Duty Free

Overview

Import regulations in Turkmenistan are subject to change at short notice, and travelers should contact the embassy before departure for up-to-date information.
The following goods may be imported into Turkmenistan by passengers aged 16 and over:

• 200 cigarettes or 200g of tobacco.
• 2L of any alcoholic beverage (passengers aged 21 and over).
• Personal belongings up to a reasonable value.

Note: On entering the country, tourists must complete a customs declaration form which must be retained until departure. This allows the import of articles intended for personal use, including currency and valuables which must be registered on the declaration form. Customs inspection can be long and detailed. It is advisable when shopping to ask for a certificate from the shop which states that goods have been paid for in hard currency. Presentation of such certificates should speed up customs formalities.

Prohibited Imports

Military weapons, ammunition and narcotics may not be imported.

Prohibited Exports

Military weapons, ammunition and narcotics may not be exported. Works of art and antiques may not be exported (unless permission has been granted by the Ministry of Culture).

Internal Travel

Getting Around By Air

Turkmenistan Airlines runs regular flights between Ashgabat, Chardzhou, Dashoguz, Mary, Turkmenbashi and Turkmenabat, and to Kerki (far east) and Balkanabat. All flight tickets have to be paid for in local currency.

Getting Around By Rail

There is a day-time and overnight train between Ashgabat and Turkmenbashi; overnight trains to Turkmenabat, one continuing to Dashgouz; and an overnight service between Ashgabat and Gushgi via Mary (although Gushgi is off limits due to its border with Afghanistan). The Trans-Caspian Railway runs from Turkmenbashi (formerly Krasnovodsk) in the west, through Ashgabat and Mary to Chardzhou in the east before continuing to Bukhara in Uzbekistan.

Getting Around By Road

Traffic drives on the right. Conditions can be dangerous. The main road in Turkmenistan runs along the route of the Trans-Caspian Railway (see above). There is also a road that runs north from Ashgabat to Tashauz and Kunya-Urgench before crossing into Uzbekistan. This road crosses 500km (311 miles) of the Kara-Kum desert.

Bus: Cheap services are available within all the major towns. Modern and comfortable long-distance buses also operate to Dashgouz, Mary, Turkmenabashi and Turkmenabat from Ashgabat.

Taxi: Taxis and chauffeur-driven cars for hire can be found in all major towns. Many are unlicensed and travelers are advised to agree the fare in advance. As many of the street names have changed since independence, it is also advisable to ascertain both the old and the new street names when asking directions.

Car hire: Self-drive hire is available from a few large hotels.

Documentation: An International Driving Permit, or national license with authorized translation, is required.