Turkmenistan - Central Asia - page 400

To/From Kazakhstan
Shared taxis (120M/480M per seat/car) go
from Turkmenbashi, via Garabogaz, across
the Kazakh border and on to Zhanaozen (Novy
Uzen), where there is further transport to Ak-
tau. From Karabogas to the border the road's a
rough dirt track. Delays at the border can oc-
cur when caravans of traders appear together.
Note that there is absolutely nothing on either
side of this remote border - do not try to save
money by paying for a taxi to the border post
alone, as you'd be extremely lucky to ind any
onward transport from here.
To/From Uzbekistan
There are three crossings into Turkmenistan
from Uzbekistan. Each crossing requires a
walk of about 10 to 20 minutes across a ridicu-
lously wide band of no-man's-land. Shared
taxis are sometimes available to shuttle travel-
lers across, the cost of which is approximately
US$1. Whether they are operating or not when
you visit is a matter of luck.
The Farab crossing is closest to Bukhara
(Uzbekistan) and Turkmenabat (Turkmeni-
stan). The 45km taxi ride to Farab from Turk-
menabat should cost 15M for a taxi or 4M for
a seat in a shared taxi. From the border, take a
taxi (US$20) to Bukhara, or hire a taxi as far as
Uzbek Olot (or Karakol), where you can change
to a shared taxi.
The Dashogus crossing is best if you are
headed for Khiva or Urgench. A taxi from
Dashogus to the Uzbek border is no more than
5M. From the border to Khiva expect to pay
around US$10.
Less used is the Hojeli crossing, a 10-minute
taxi ride (6M) from Konye-Urgench. Once
across the border it's a half-hour drive to
Nukus in Karakalpakstan. From the border,
take public transport to Hojeli (US$2) or a taxi
all the way to Nukus (US$10).
SEA
You can leave and enter Turkmenistan at Turk-
menbashi by ferry to/from Baku in Azerbaijan.
(p385).

ENTRY¨&¨DEPARTURE¨TAX
For entry into Turkmenitan there is a
US$12 to US$14 fee per person, de-
pending on your nationality. Bring cash
in US dollars for this; change is normal-
ly available. International air departure
tax is now included in all airline ticket
prices. There is no departure tax for
dometic travel, nor by land or sea.

happen, and will save you some money if it does:
try requesting this option in good time with a
travel agency, but be aware that it's not normal.
Business and transit visa holders will be able to
make full use of the public transport options.
AIR
Air transport is super cheap and generally reli-
able, and well-worth considering if you're in a
hurry. Domestic Turkmenistan Airlines lights
are heavily subsidised, making the ticket prices
amazingly low. Consequently, demand is high
and lights need to be booked in advance. Turk-
menistan Airlines serves the country's main
cities with a leet of modern Boeing 717s. As the
main hub, most lights go in and out of Ashgabat,
though there are also lights from Dashogus to
Turkmenbashi, Mary and Turkmenabat; from
Mary to Turkmenbashi; and from Turkmenbashi
to Turkmenabat.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Driving through Turkmenistan is perfectly pos-
sible, but expensive and full of hassles (road
blocks, poor roads) and extra charges. Signii-
cantly, there's also a road tax calculated by the
kilometre for your route through the country.
MARSHRUTKIS, MINIBUSES
& SHARED TAXIS
Marshrutkis and minibuses are the most efec-
tive way to get around, though they're cramped
for long journeys and you'll often have to wait for
some time until they're full for them to depart.
Shared taxis are a good alternative to marshrut-
kas, being faster and more comfortable (and you
can even buy the remaining seats in a vehicle if
you're in a hurry to get going).
TRAINS
Trains are slow, but comfortable and a great way
to see the countryside and meet people.

8 Getting¨Around
Travellers on tourist visas will have to travel with
a guide, and guides usually have their own cars
or 4WDs, so getting around Turkmenistan will
always be comfortable and straightforward,
though not very cheap. it's rare for guides to
travel by public transport with you, but it can