Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Bring small bills to change money at the
border and if you are unsure of the rate only
change as much as you need to get you to the
nearest town, as rates are often lower at the
border.
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It's a good idea to isolate the $50 bill you
want to change before arriving at the border,
so you don't have to go digging around your
money belt on the border and watch all your
hundred dollar bills spill out onto the floor.
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Make sure you go through customs and get
a customs form on arrival. This is especially
important when entering Uzbekistan, where
you should declare all your money and fill out
two customs forms to avoid trouble later.
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Some borders are open 24 hours, others
close at dusk. Aim to cross before mid-
afternoon to ensure onward transport.
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If crossing to China, avoid crossing on the
public holidays of either country (or even
Russia for the Torugart).
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Chinese national holidays fall on 1 January,
8 March, 1 July, 1 August, the spring festival
(some time in February) and the weeks
following the major holidays of 1 May and 1
October.
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Russian national holidays fall on 1 and 7
January, 8 March, 1 and 9 May, 12 June and 7
November.
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Beware that some international border
crossings are closed at the weekend.
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If crossing a border on a train, bus or,
especially, boat bring enough food and water
for potential delays at the border.
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In general always be patient, friendly and
calm at borders.
Border Crossings Within
Central Asia
Central Asian republics share some ex-
tremely convoluted borders. During the
Soviet era most of these existed on paper
only but in recent years they have solidi-
fied into full international crossings so
make sure you have the necessary visas.
Except for a few transborder connec-
tions between Kazakhstan and Kyr-
gyzstan, there's little through transport
between republics these days, so at most
crossings you'll have to take a bus, taxi
or shared taxi to/from the border, walk
across the border and arrange onward
transport on the other side. Shared taxis
run to and from most borders from the
nearest town. Transport is generally only
a problem at the most remote crossings.
Borders between the Central Asia re-
publics are subject to political tensions
and can close suddenly in the event
of demonstrations or violence. The
Uzbekistan-Tajikistan border is par-
ticularly susceptible to closure so check
before hand.
General Tips
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You'll likely have to change money at the
borders. Most don't have formal exchange
booths so you may have to change with
moneychangers. Check rates at banks in the
nearest towns before making a crossing.
