Travel Tips: Uzbekistan is a little more challenging that the Caucasus but still very easy to get around but not without some frustrating moments where you wished things worked as well as their "modern appearance"
A few major tips:
- if you know Russian you will have a better time and an easier time getting around. Some people know a little English but not many. Taxi drivers really don't know any, so if you want any insights or to negotiate hard with them (which isn't really required - we're talking the difference of a dollar or sometimes less) then knowing Russian is key. Taxi drivers are trying to scam you for sure, but only a little. By the end of my time there I was annoyed - but that's with anywhere when you know you're paying more than someone else for no reason.
- Bring USD and don't depend on credit cards as they aren't really accepted in most places. Also, if they are, it's only VISA. Their currency right now is ridiculous... 7800 Som to 1 USD and the biggest bill is 50,000 so if you change 100 USD you are carrying around a STACK of bills (more than 1M in Som). There are few to no ATMs and in general they are located in luxury hotels which are not convenient to hostels for the most part. If you rely on ATMs you'll be seeking them out when you could be doing other things. Banks, on the other hand, are everywhere and can change your USD to Som. In my case, my hostels also accepted USD and would give me change in Som, so it was pretty easy.
- The train is the most comfortable and cheapest form of transport, however they are often sold out several days in advance. If you don't want to have to rely on waiting and haggling for shared taxis in the hot sun on the outskirts of town, go buy all your train tickets when you arrive and then you're guaranteed cheap, efficient transport. You'll need to go to the station or see if your hotel can purchase them online for you. You may be able to register for an account online, but the website seems to work best in Russian or Uzbek, not English. I was able to pay with my Visa from the hostel's account and it worked fine. You will get a print out of the e-ticket. My ticket from Tashkent to Samarkand, I didn't exchange it for a real ticket at the station, but from Bukhara to Urgench, we were told to go exchange it for a real ticket at the station. Online, you are able to choose the seat/bed (upper or lower bunk) etc. It seems ticket prices vary online and at the station with no real rhyme or reason. My regular ticket from Tashkent to Samarkand was about 50,000 Som and my "overnight" (left at 4am) train from Bukhara to Urgench was one of only two tickets remaining my friend from the hostel and I were able to get. I paid more for the last "first class" (4 beds in a compartment) ticket - 89,000 Som or about $11.
