Uzbekistan Travel Tips: Safety, Etiquette, SIM Cards and More

Practical tips for a first trip to Uzbekistan — safety, what to wear, visiting mosques, mobile internet and SIM cards, taxis, language, food and water.

Uzbekistan is one of the most welcoming countries on the Silk Road. These practical tips will help your first trip go smoothly.

Is Uzbekistan safe?

Uzbekistan is generally considered a safe country for travellers, including women travelling alone. Violent crime against tourists is rare, the old towns are lively until late and the police are visible in tourist areas.

Watch your belongings in crowded bazaars, stations and the metro, as you would anywhere.
Use official taxis or taxi apps rather than unmarked cars at night.
Carry a copy of your passport; police may ask to see ID.
Read your government's travel advice before you go, especially if you plan to visit border areas.

What to wear

Uzbekistan is a Muslim-majority country with relaxed, secular everyday life. In Tashkent you will see every style of clothing.

In the old towns and the countryside, light clothes that cover shoulders and knees are respectful and also protect you from the sun.
In mosques and shrines: women should cover their hair (bring a scarf), shoulders and legs; men should wear long trousers. Take your shoes off where others do.
Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen from spring to autumn, and good walking shoes for cobbled streets.

Etiquette

Greetings: a handshake is common between men; with women, wait for them to offer a hand. Placing your right hand on your heart is a polite greeting.
Hospitality: if you are invited home, bring a small gift such as sweets. Bread (non) is respected: do not put it upside down or throw it away.
Photos: ask before photographing people, especially women and in bazaars. Do not photograph military sites, airports or police. Some museums charge for photography.
Alcohol is legal and sold in shops and restaurants, but drinking in public places is frowned upon.

Mobile internet and SIM cards

A local SIM card is cheap and gives you fast mobile internet in the cities. The main operators are Beeline, Ucell, Mobiuz and Uzmobile.
Buy a SIM card at the operator's office in the airport or in town; you need your passport. Tourist packages with data are available.
Some operators also offer an eSIM, and international eSIM apps work in Uzbekistan.
Free Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés.

Getting around

Between cities: trains are fast and comfortable — see our train guide. Domestic flights connect Tashkent with Urgench, Nukus, Bukhara, Termez and other cities.
In cities: use the taxi app Yandex Go, which shows the price in advance and works in all major cities. Tashkent has a metro famous for its decorated stations and a cheap bus network.
Shared taxis travel between cities and towns from special stands, leaving when the car is full.

Language

The official language is Uzbek, written in the Latin alphabet. Russian is widely spoken, especially in Tashkent. English is common in hotels and tourist areas in Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, less so elsewhere. A translation app and a few words help a lot:

Assalomu alaykum — hello
Rahmat — thank you
Qancha? — how much?

Food and water

Try plov (rice with meat and carrots), samsa (baked pastries), lagman (noodles), shashlik and fresh bread from a tandoor oven. Browse our food listings for places to eat.
Vegetarians can find salads, soups, vegetable samsa and dairy dishes, but meat is everywhere — say go‘shtsiz (without meat).
Drink bottled or filtered water, not tap water. Fruit and vegetables from the bazaar should be washed or peeled.

Health and insurance

Bring travel insurance that covers medical treatment. Pharmacies are common in the cities. In summer, drink plenty of water and avoid the midday sun in the desert.

Electricity and time

Plugs are the European type (C and F), 220 V.
Uzbekistan time is UTC+5 all year round.

Before you go

Check the visa and entry rules, pick the best time to visit, plan your budget and choose a route. Then explore the destinations to decide where to spend your days.