The Foreigner's Survival Guide to Tashkent

📱 Must-Have Apps

Maps & Navigation

• Yandex Maps — The Maps of Central Asia. Works offline, has accurate Tashkent street data, and shows real traffic. Download this first.
• 2GIS — Excellent for finding specific businesses, markets, and local spots that aren't on Google Maps. Very detailed for Tashkent neighborhoods.
• Google Maps — Still useful for some tourist spots and reviews, but less reliable for routing in Tashkent.

Transport & Taxis

• Yandex Go (formerly Yandex Taxi) — The dominant ride-hailing app. Cheap, reliable, and widely used. Set up your account before arrival.
• Uber — Also works in Tashkent and is sometimes cheaper. Keep both apps installed.
• MyTaxi UZ — Local alternative, often used by locals for shorter rides.

💡 Tip: Always set your destination in the app — don't rely on verbal communication if you don't speak Russian or Uzbek. Drivers rarely speak English.

Food & Delivery

• Yandex Eats — Food delivery that actually works well in Tashkent. Covers most restaurants in the city.
• Express24 — Local super-app for food delivery, grocery delivery, and more.
• Uzum Market — For ordering everyday items, snacks, and household goods fast.

Communication

• Telegram — This is the primary communication platform in Uzbekistan. Almost everyone uses it: businesses, restaurants, transport services, locals. More important than WhatsApp here.
• WhatsApp — Still useful for communicating with people back home.

💳 Money & Payments

Currency

The local currency is the Uzbek Som (UZS). As of 2024–2025, roughly 1 USD ≈ 12,700–13,000 UZS.

Cash vs. Card

• Cash is king — Many local bazaars, small cafes, and taxis only accept cash. Always have some on hand.
• Cards are accepted at malls, supermarkets, and modern restaurants, but don't count on it everywhere.
• Bring USD or EUR — these are easy to exchange anywhere in the city.

Where to Get Cash

• Currency exchange booths are everywhere and offer better rates than airport exchanges. The airport rate is bad — change only a small amount there if needed.
• ATMs are available at major banks (NBU, Ipak Yoli, Kapitalbank) and in shopping malls. Visa and Mastercard work, but have a backup plan.
• Avoid exchanging money on the street — it's technically illegal and a common scam.

Useful Payment App

• Payme or Click — Local payment apps used widely for utilities and some restaurants. Not essential for tourists but good to know about.

💡 Tip: Carry small bills. Vendors often claim they have no change (and sometimes genuinely don't). Having 5,000–10,000 UZS notes makes life easier.

⚠️ Declare Your Phone at Customs (Important!)

Before you exit the airport, you need to declare your foreign phone at customs if you plan to use a local SIM card.

Uzbekistan requires foreign devices to be registered in the national IMEI database (imei.uz). If your phone's IMEI isn't registered, it may be blocked from working on local networks after a grace period.

What to Do

1. At the customs declaration form — declare your mobile devices (phones, tablets, laptops).
2. After getting your local SIM, visit imei.uz to register your device's IMEI number. The process is free and takes a few minutes.
3. You'll need your passport number and IMEI number (dial *#06# to find it).

💡 Tip: Do this within the first day or two of arrival. Unregistered devices can stop receiving calls and mobile data, which is a headache to fix later.

Getting a SIM Card

Pick up a local SIM card at the airport arrivals hall or at any operator store in the city. It's cheap and the process is straightforward — bring your passport.

Main Operators

Operator	Coverage	Best For
Beeline UZ	Excellent in Tashkent	Data speeds, city use
Ucell	Good nationwide	Wider country coverage
UMS	Good	Budget option

Costs

• A SIM card costs almost nothing (sometimes free).
• A data plan with 10–30 GB typically costs $3–8/month — extremely affordable.
• Unlimited local calls are often included.

What to Know About Internet

• 4G/LTE is widely available throughout Tashkent.
• Wi-Fi is available in most cafes, hotels, and malls — but can be slow.
• VPN: Some foreign websites and services may load slowly or inconsistently. Having a VPN installed (ProtonVPN, Windscribe) is recommended.
• Google services, Instagram, and most apps work fine without a VPN.

💡 Tip: Buy your SIM card at the airport immediately after landing. Don't wait — you'll need Google Maps and Yandex Go from the moment you step outside.

🫱 Culture & Etiquette

General Attitude

Uzbeks are famously hospitable. Accepting tea or food when offered is a sign of respect. Refusing too quickly can come across as rude — a polite "just a little" goes a long way.

Greetings

• Men greet other men with a handshake, sometimes placing the left hand over the heart.
• When greeting women, wait for them to extend their hand first — many prefer not to shake hands with men they don't know well.
• A slight bow with hand on heart (assalomu alaykum) is always appropriate and appreciated.

Dress Code

• Tashkent is a modern, relatively liberal capital — jeans and regular clothes are totally fine for the city.
• When visiting mosques or religious sites, cover your shoulders and knees. Women should bring a scarf to cover their hair.
• Avoid overly revealing clothing in more traditional neighborhoods or bazaars.

Food & Dining

• Pork is mostly unavailable — the country is predominantly Muslim. Don't expect it in local restaurants.
• Meals are a social event. Don't rush through dining with locals.
• It's polite to try everything you're offered. "I don't eat this" is fine but explain with kindness.
• Bread (non) is sacred in Uzbek culture — never place it upside down on the table, and don't throw it away disrespectfully.

Photography

• Always ask before photographing people, especially older women.
• Military sites, government buildings, and border areas — do not photograph. This is taken seriously.
• Bazaars and food markets are generally fine, but a smile and gesture of asking goes a long way.

Language

• Russian is widely spoken, especially by older generations and in business settings.
• Uzbek is the official language and increasingly used by younger people.
• English is spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and by younger educated locals — but don't rely on it outside of those contexts.

• Learning just a few phrases in Uzbek or Russian goes a long way:

  • Rahmat — Thank you (Uzbek)
  • Spasibo — Thank you (Russian)
  • Salom — Hello (Uzbek)

General Do's & Don'ts

✅ Do	❌ Don't
Accept tea when offered	Refuse hospitality abruptly
Use both hands when giving/receiving things	Point the sole of your foot at someone
Dress modestly at religious sites	Take photos near military buildings
Carry cash	Rely on card payments everywhere
Download Telegram	Assume people speak English

✅ Pre-Departure Checklist

• Find your phone's IMEI number before travel (dial *#06#)
• Download Yandex Maps, Yandex Go, 2GIS, Telegram
• Install a VPN app (just in case)
• Bring USD or EUR cash to exchange on arrival
• Check if your country needs a visa for Uzbekistan (many don't — 30–90 day visa-free for EU, UK, US, and others)
• Get travel insurance that covers Central Asia
• Note your hotel address in Russian or Uzbek to show taxi drivers

Welcome to Tashkent — one of Central Asia's most underrated cities. You're going to love it. 🏙️