Tashkent to Bishkek: flights, the bus and the Osh route

01

Fly, bus or go via Osh: which way suits you?

For the quickest journey, fly. The flight is 1 h 10 to 1 h 25 in the air with four airlines on the route. The overnight bus is the cheapest way and crosses two borders on its way through Kazakhstan. The Fergana Valley route through Andijan and Osh avoids Kazakhstan but needs an extra night.

The table puts the three side by side. Schedules and prices come from the sources named in each section below and were checked on 24 September 2026. The journey times in the second column that are not from a timetable are our own estimates, marked as such.

02

Which airlines fly Tashkent to Bishkek, and when?

Four airlines fly the route nonstop: Uzbekistan Airways, Centrum Air, Qanot Sharq and Aero Nomad. Uzbekistan Airways has the most regular flight, a 15:20 departure on most days; the others fly on set days. The flight takes 1 h 10 to 1 h 25 to Manas airport, and Bishkek is one hour ahead of Tashkent, so the 15:20 departure lands at 17:30 local time.

The table comes from the Yandex Timetables board for the route, which collects airline schedules, read on 24 September 2026. Tashkent airport's own departures board showed the Uzbekistan Airways, Centrum Air and Aero Nomad flights to Bishkek on the same day. The Uzbekistan Airways website lists Tashkent–Bishkek as one of its routes. Tashkent airport departures, Yandex Timetables: Tashkent–Bishkek, Uzbekistan Airways route page

Two of the four airlines are new on the route. Aero Nomad, which runs the route out of Bishkek, started on 23 August 2026 with an A320 on Thursdays and Sundays; its launch fare was from 8,184 KGS one way, which Spot.uz gave as $93.56. Qanot Sharq flies an A321 on Fridays; AeroRoutes reported it in July 2026 as part of a Tashkent–Bishkek–Cam Ranh (Vietnam) service, so check that you can book the Bishkek leg on its own. Centrum Air has flown the route since 24 June 2025. Spot.uz: Aero Nomad launch, AeroRoutes: Qanot Sharq, Centrum Air launch notice

Fewer flights were listed for the airlines' winter season, which begins on 25 October. On 24 September the board showed winter dates only for Uzbekistan Airways and Centrum Air; Aero Nomad's flights were listed to 22 October and Qanot Sharq's to 23 October. Airlines often load winter dates late, so check your date before fixing the rest of the trip around it.

03

Is there a train from Tashkent to Bishkek?

No. No passenger train runs between Tashkent and Bishkek. Yandex Timetables finds no direct train, and the Kazakh railway's list of international trains from Tashkent has services to Almaty, Moscow, Volgograd and Kazan, none to Bishkek. Yandex Timetables: trains, KTZ schedule

Rail is useful on one leg of the alternatives. The Tashkent–Andijan electric train is the first step of the Fergana Valley route below, and it is booked through the Uzbek railway's system, whose old address eticket.railway.uz now redirects to eticket.uzrailpass.uz. Our train booking guide explains how the booking works.

04

How does the overnight bus through Kazakhstan work?

Scheduled buses run every evening in both directions. From Tashkent they leave the main bus station, Avtovokzal «Tashkent» at Olmazor metro, at 18:00 and 19:00, and the timetable gives 9 h 40 min for 580 km. The road runs through southern Kazakhstan, so on one night you pass the Uzbek and Kazakh controls, then the Kazakh and Kyrgyz controls.

In Tashkent, buy at the station counter or through avtoticket.uz; the station information line is +998 71 207-87-00. The timetable is published by Tashtrans, a Tashkent transport portal, which updated it on 27 June 2026 and states that it does not run the bus station, so confirm the time at the counter or by phone. Tashtrans: international routes

In Bishkek the old Western bus station closed on 23 October 2024. City hall moved the western routes to a site in west Bishkek next to the planned Ak-Kula hippodrome, and travellers since late 2024 describe the Tashkent buses leaving from this temporary western station. Some timetables, including Tashtrans, still name the Western bus station. Bishkek City Hall: bus stations, Caravanistan forum: Bishkek–Tashkent bus

Buying in Bishkek is harder. The booking site tezket.kg lists the route, but on 24 September it showed online sales suspended until October 2026 and tickets sold at the station. A May 2026 traveller found that it accepted only Kyrgyz bank cards, and an October 2025 report describes the station as cash only. Tezket: Bishkek–Tashkent

05

What happens at the two borders on the bus?

You get off at each border, walk through both countries' controls with all your bags, and rejoin the bus on the other side. Travellers on the Bishkek–Tashkent bus in 2025 spent about 1 h 15 min at the Kyrgyz–Kazakh border and between under 2 hours and about 7 hours at the Uzbek border. These are individual trip reports from the Caravanistan forum, not official figures.

Between Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan the buses use the Chaldovar (Kyrgyz) and Sypatai Batyr (Kazakh) posts on the direct road between Bishkek and Taraz. Caravanistan: Kyrgyzstan border crossings

Between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan the usual Tashkent crossing, Gisht Kuprik / Zhibek Zholy (Chernyaevka), has been closed for rebuilding since 5 February 2025. It was due to reopen in September 2026, but a Turkestan-region paper still described it on 7 September as being prepared for launch, and the Uzbek customs committee's Telegram channel had announced no opening by 24 September. During the closure most people cross at Kaplanbek (Kazakhstan) / Navoi (Uzbekistan), about 20 km further on. We could not confirm which post the Tashkent–Bishkek buses use now. Gazeta.uz: reopening plan, Otyrar: 7 September status, Kazinform: Kaplanbek The status of the Gisht Kuprik crossing and the daily Talgo train to Almaty are covered in Tashkent to Almaty.

1. 1

   First border: Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan

   Coming from Bishkek, you take your luggage and walk across while the bus crosses empty and waits on the far side (July 2025 report). Travellers put this border at about 1 h 15 min. Leaving Tashkent, the order of the two borders is reversed.

2. 2

   Second border: Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan

   Bags go through an X-ray on the Uzbek side, and one October 2025 traveller was asked by an officer whether they carried a drone. A July 2025 traveller found one luggage scanner for hundreds of people.

3. 3

   Arrival

   Two October 2025 reports describe the 21:00 bus from Bishkek arriving in Tashkent at 05:45 and at about 07:00. Plan the first morning in Tashkent as a rest morning.

06

Do you need a Kazakh visa or QazETA for the bus?

You need a Kazakh visa only if your passport is not on Kazakhstan's visa-free list. Citizens of about 57 listed countries, including the US, UK, Germany, France, Australia, Canada and Japan, enter Kazakhstan without a visa for up to 30 days per visit and 90 days in any 180; the night's transit uses one of those days. Everyone else needs a Kazakh visa before boarding. Kazakh Invest: entry of foreign citizens

Kazakhstan is introducing an electronic travel authorisation, QazETA, for visa-free visitors. The law has been in force since 25 August 2026, but the system is in a pilot: Kazakhstan's Interior Ministry said on 6 September that applying is voluntary and free, and that not having QazETA is not a reason to refuse entry. When it becomes mandatory, reports say you apply in the QazETA app at least 72 hours before entry. Kazakhstan had not announced a mandatory date when we checked on 24 September. Gazeta.uz: QazETA, Economist.kg: Interior Ministry statement, Bes.media: QazETA not yet mandatory

07

How do you go via Andijan, Dostuk and Osh?

Take the morning electric train to Andijan, cross into Kyrgyzstan at Dostuk, spend the night in Osh and fly to Bishkek the next day. The route avoids Kazakhstan and suits travellers who want to see the Fergana Valley or Osh anyway. Choose a direct flight if reaching Bishkek quickly is your priority.

The train times change on 1 October 2026. Train 730 then leaves Tashkent at 07:20 and reaches Andijan at 11:42, calling at Pop, Kokand and Margilan; an evening train, 732, leaves Tashkent at 17:50 and arrives at 23:53. Spot.uz: new timetable, Yangi O'zbekiston: train launch

Can it be done in one day? On paper, yes: the 07:20 train reaches Andijan at 11:42, and on 24 September evening flights were listed from Osh at 17:55 and 20:45. We plan a night in Osh because the border time is unpredictable, and missing the evening flight would mean staying overnight anyway.

Centrum Air also flies Tashkent–Osh nonstop in about an hour: on Wednesdays on the dates listed to 21 October, and on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays in winter. It suits a visit to Osh; it is not a faster way to Bishkek. Yandex Timetables: Tashkent–Osh

1. 1

   Train to Andijan

   Book train 730 in the railway's system or at the station; the booking guide covers accounts and payment.

2. 2

   Andijan to Dostuk

   Dostuk (Dustlik on the Uzbek side) is on Uzbekistan's list of international crossings open round the clock (2019 list), and foreigners use it. Caravanistan's crossing page (updated 20 July 2026) reports a lunch break from 13:15 to 13:45 and direct minibuses between Andijan and Osh, about 2 hours, every 20 minutes.

3. 3

   Cross on foot

   Walk through the Uzbek and Kyrgyz posts. Uzbek customs said in 2018 that crowds on Qorasuv market days slow the post and that an orderly queue takes about 15 minutes. Expect to wait longer on market days.

4. 4

   Osh to Bishkek

   Flights take 40 minutes to an hour. On 24 September Yandex Timetables listed Aero Nomad (three a day), Sky FRU, Comair and Avia Traffic, with at least five flights on most days to 24 October; winter dates were only partly loaded. Yandex Timetables: Osh–Bishkek

08

What are the entry rules for Kyrgyzstan, and for coming back?

Most Western visitors can stay in Kyrgyzstan without a visa for up to 30 days in each 60-day period. Kyrgyzstan's regulation on the stay of foreign citizens (Cabinet of Ministers resolution No. 541, in its edition of 7 September 2026) sets this limit for the 55 countries in its Appendix 1, which include the UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Germany, France and many other EU states. The 30-day rule has applied since 13 January 2026, under an amendment adopted on 31 December 2025; before that the limit was 60 days in each 120. Kyrgyz Ministry of Justice: regulation No. 541

The same regulation gives Uzbek citizens 60 days in each 120 and citizens of the EAEU states (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Russia) 90 days in each 180. Days are counted in calendar days from the day you cross the border, by the state's electronic migration system or, if that is unavailable, from the border stamps in your passport (September 2026 amendment, No. 602).

Coming back to Uzbekistan starts a new visa-free period: Uzbekistan's foreign ministry says its 30- and 60-day visa-free regimes run from the moment you cross the state border. The visa and registration guide covers the Uzbek rules, including hotel registration. Uzbek MFA: visa regime

Kyrgyzstan uses the som (KGS), a different currency from the Uzbek so'm (UZS). If the bus is your only time in Kazakhstan, you are unlikely to need tenge. Our money guide covers the Uzbek side.

09

Which route should you choose?

For most readers the flight is the answer. The other two routes make sense in particular cases, set out below.

• Short trip or fixed dates: fly. Plan around the Uzbekistan Airways 15:20 flight, and after 25 October check the winter days before anything else.
• Tight budget and a passport that is visa-free in Kazakhstan: the overnight bus, if you can sleep sitting up and have a free first morning.
• You want Kokand, Margilan or Osh anyway: the Fergana route with a night in Osh.
• Following our Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in 12 days or Kyrgyzstan in 8 days itineraries: fly, as their day plans assume.

10

What goes wrong on this route?

Schedule changes and border delays are the main difficulties. Allow time for them: they can cost you a day or a night's sleep.

• Winter flights: on 24 September only Uzbekistan Airways and Centrum Air had dates listed after 25 October.
• A late landing: the Aero Nomad flight reaches Manas at 00:25, so arrange the airport transfer before you fly.
• The Uzbek border on the bus: waits from under 2 hours to about 7 hours in 2025 reports, with one luggage scanner for a full crowd.
• Bus tickets in Bishkek: tezket.kg sales were suspended until October 2026, the station has been reported as cash only, and the online site took only Kyrgyz cards in May 2026.
• Gisht Kuprik: its opening date is still unconfirmed. When it opens, bus routes and times may change.
• QazETA: voluntary now. If Kazakhstan makes it mandatory, bus passengers on visa-free passports will need it in advance.
• What we could not verify: which Uzbek–Kazakh post the bus uses now, a current official Bishkek fare, and whether Qanot Sharq sells the Tashkent–Bishkek leg on its own.

11

How OxusRoad can help with this leg

We arrange the Uzbekistan part of a trip, including this transfer day: the airport or bus-station transfer in Tashkent, or the train and the Andijan–Dostuk transfer on the Fergana route. We arrange the Kyrgyzstan part together with your Uzbekistan trip. Send your dates, group size and preferred route through the trip inquiry page, and we confirm the plan and price with you before booking anything. More for this trip: Kyrgyzstan entry rules, Bishkek city guide, Kyrgyzstan guides and Central Asia in 2 weeks.

Common questions