Stuart to Kokand (SUA–OQN) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders enter Uzbekistan visa-free for up to 30 days. No advance application is needed. Uzbekistan waived visa requirements for US citizens in 2019. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date of entry. At Islam Karimov Tashkent International Airport (TAS), immigration stamps your passport. Register with local police within 3 days of arrival; hotels handle this automatically for their guests and provide a registration slip to keep until departure.

Uzbekistan sits at the heart of the ancient Silk Road. Samarkand (the Registan, Shah-i-Zinda, and Bibi-Khanym Mosque), Bukhara (the Ark Fortress, Kalon Minaret, and Lyabi-Hauz), and Khiva (the walled inner city of Itchan Kala) are all UNESCO sites and form the classic Uzbekistan circuit. The Afrosiyob high-speed train connects Tashkent to Samarkand in 2 hours 10 minutes and to Bukhara in 3 hours 20 minutes.

No direct flights connect the US to Uzbekistan. Route through Istanbul (about 5 hours to TAS on Turkish Airlines or Uzbekistan Airways), Seoul Incheon (about 8 hours on Uzbekistan Airways or Korean Air), or Dubai (about 4 hours on flydubai). Total travel time from the US East Coast runs 15 to 22 hours. Uzbekistan uses the Uzbekistani som (UZS), trading at roughly 12,800 UZS per $1. Card payments work at hotels, restaurants, and larger shops in Tashkent, Samarkand, and Bukhara. ATMs are available in cities. US dollars are exchangeable at banks and official exchange offices. Afrosiyob train tickets cost UZS 120,000 to UZS 250,000 ($9.40 to $19.50) for Tashkent to Samarkand. Plov (rice pilaf with lamb, carrots, and chickpeas) is the national dish, served at every bazaar for UZS 25,000 to UZS 40,000 ($1.95 to $3.10).