Dushanbe

Dushanbe is the capital of Tajikistan.

[edit] Get in

[edit] By plane

For Westerners there are only a few ways to fly into Dushanbe. It is possible to transit Moscow - Domodedovo Airport, which has daily flights to Dushanbe. There are several airlines that fly from Moscow (Tajik Air, Somon Air, Domodedovo Airlines and Sibirian S7) to Dushanbe. S7 or it's share code flies to most European countries and you could check in your luggage up to Dushanbe. Otherwise you will require a transit visa to collect your luggage and check it in again. If you have no checked luggage, you could walk stright to transit area. There is also twice a week a flight from Istanbul - Atatürk on Turkish Airlines. TA also flies to most of the major cities in Europe and your luggage will be checked up to Dushanbe. If you use a different airline and have checked in luggage you need a transit visa because the airlines will not transfer it for you. For that reason you have to collect the luggage yourself and check it in for your final flight. In order to collect it you have to pass passport control for which you need a visa (many countries get it upon arrival and free, google yours). These policies are subject to change without a notice. Check with your airline(s) to find out whether they currently transfer luggage.
Latvia's national airline AirBaltic [1] operate flights Riga-Dushanbe as of June 1, 2009. AirBaltic is the first EU carrier to fly to Tajikistan. Riga is a hub between West and East, so check available connections at the airline's website.
China Southern Airlines also flies into Dushanbe from Urumqi.
Most of the European and North American nationals can apply for a visa upon arrival in Dushanbe. The airport is very small and the immigration is just right before the passport control. Make sure to bring 2 passport photos, and know the person's address in which you are staying. Don't lose your "beeline travel slip" which you will get at the immigration office. the luggage x-ray machines are very poor and they pay little attention to the screens. Watch the kids when you leave the airport they will offer to take your bag to the car and start to pull it off you. though not with intentions of stealing, just wanting to help and gain a tip.

[edit] By train

Rail services to Dushanbe are limited. International connections are avalible only from Moscow via Volgograd, Atyrau and Termez. Trains depart from the Moskva Kazanskaya rail terminal each Monday, Wednesday and Sunday at 12:08 PM, arriving 4:16 PM four nights later. Tickets costs from 9000 RUB for a second class sleeper.

[edit] By bus/ Taxi

There are no international bus services. A number of bus services operate in Dushanbe, however there is not much clarity which one goes to where. Within Dushanbe it is best to take a taxi, usually it should not be more than 30 Somoni ($6). If you are planning to go to a different town in Dushanbe there are 'terminals' that you can either find a shared taxi or a minibus.
Khorog (Pamir) - the terminal is close to the airport, ask for 'povorot aeroporta terminal Pamira'. There are usually 4X4 vehicles that will go to Pamirs. The roads are not in a good shape, hence make sure you look for a nicer vehicle for a 10 to 14 hours drive to reach Khorog. Prices vary depending on a season.
Khojent (and the rest of Sugd) - the terminal is at the end of Rudaki Street towards Varzob Valley. Ask your taxi driver to drop you to the Stoyanka Khodjenta close to Vodonasos or Cemzavod. It is the end of the Trolleybus line.
Kurgan-Tybe and Kulyab - there are many private cars that will go to there, however mainly it is from Korvon Market.
Dushanbe - Afghan Border (Sherkhon Bandar) - private SUVs go to the border on daily bases from Sakhovat Market. You will have to go early in the morning 05:00 to check for a shared car. Best is to go there a day before and arrange for the next day travel.

[edit] Get around

Very few streets in Dushanbe have names, so it is important to know landmarks and how to navigate with them. Every cab driver knows the airport, Somoni statue, and opera-ballet, but beyond that, it is a toss-up. It is essential to know "straight ahead," "to the left," and "to the right" in Russian or Tajik.
Dushanbe is an interesting city, but only for a few days. The center is basically one long street, with a few other main streets crossing it. Other than a few musea and monuments, there is not much here. The nightlife is not of a western standard. There are three main clubs: Port Said, Dior, and Vastan (all on or near Rudaki Street). The clubs are pretty bad and attract bad music, prostitutes, and are mostly filled with men. If a man goes out with a Tajik women, he will be expected to pay for her.

[edit][add listing] See

• Massive Statue of Somoni: This statue commemorates the one for whom the currency is named. It is on Prospekt Aiani. Apparently, the crown is 10 kilograms of tajik gold. Beware: the police at the bottom may ask for money (don't encourage this behaviour!).

• Victory Park: Hike to the top for a seasonal tiki-themed beer garden offering views of the city. The truly brave can take the rickety gondola. Turn left off of Rudaki at the TSUM and pass the beer factory.

• Fort Hissar (barter with a taxi to drive you 10 km out of town). Rebuilt 13th century fort and madrassa. It is a must see and includes small museums of ancient Tajik culture. It was destroyed by Soviet troops in their hunt for Enver Pasha. Entrance fees are 1 to 3 somoni. The cheapest way to get there is taking local bus #8 (available from Rudaki ave.) to Zarnissor bazaar. From there you catch a marshrutka (minibus) to Hissar village (2 TJS) where you can easily flag down a car for 1 TJS/seat. That means a roundtrip is roughly 7 TJS/person. Alternatively you can hire a cab for around 80 TJS.

• Rudaki statue. Recently opened for the Shanghai summit, the new park on Rudaki Avenue has a huge statue of Rudaki, a new government palace, and enough fountains to drain the whole of Dushanbe. Go at night to see the lights.  edit

• Gurminj Musical Instrument Museum: This small museum (located a block east of Rudaki near the Iranian Embassy) has an interesting variety of Central Asian musical instruments. That alone is worth a peek if you like instruments, but better still is to go when a musical or cultural event is being held, or hope to catch the folk musicians who practice there and can demo many of the instruments in the collection.

• Museum of Antiquities on the main square near the Sadbarg shopping center. It is quite old fashioned and includes a number of exhibits that detail the country's history. It is great for historians of contemporary Tajikistan and the current President.

• Museum of Archeology. See the Sleeping Buddha.

[edit][add listing] Do

• The Opera Ballet regularly has free or cheap concerts sponsored by embassies and traveling companies.

• Mayakovsky Theatre

• Padida Theatre

• Bactria Cultural Centre

• Various Concert Halls

[edit][add listing] Buy

[edit][add listing] Eat

• Cafe Merve: Excellent turkish owned Restaurant: Kebab, Pizza, salads, french fries, cakes, coffee and delicious breakfast (feta with olives).

yet loved by local people. It is on Rudaki 92.

• Delhi Darbar: The most well-known (and possibly the best vegetarian food in all of Tajikistan) of three local Indian restaurants serves excellent butter chicken and spinach. It also offers private "family rooms." It is on Rudaki near the Pedagogical Institute.
• Merve: Happening, casual Turkish cafeteria always packed with students and young locals. Have several choices in mind, as they never ever have everything on the menu, no matter how basic. It also serves an authentic Turkish breakfast. It is on Rudaki next to Orima supermarket.
• Salsa: The only Ecuadorian restaurant for hundreds of miles. It is a reasonable imitation of Latin cuisine and popular with Europeans. It is located just off the north end of Rudaki near Starry Night (Zvezdnaya Noch) billiards.
• Tiflis: One of two Georgian restaurants in the city with some of the best meat dishes in the city (and a substantial wine list). It is located behind the opera-ballet, across the park.
• Georgia Cafe: the other Georgian restaurant, located about a block north of the Opera Square on Rudaki Avenue. It has simple and tasty dishes, good cheap house wine, and a nice friendly atmosphere. Be sure to either book or come early, as the seats go fast.
• La Grande Dame: The only French Restaurant in town. It serves great steaks and other food at a hefty price. It is, however, popular with consultants with hefty per diems. The place offers a good taste of the West for those missing their homes. On the corner of Bukhoro and Shevchenko.
• Kellers. A nice, well-hidden restaurant that serves European and Chinese style food (although the lines between the two are often blurred). Also, the home made beer (3 som.) is well worth trying. It is on the left side of Somoni street near Rudaki end, at the side of a block of flats.  edit

[edit][add listing] Drink

• Irish Pub: A brand-new, Irish pub serving Guiness in a can with Irish charm (considering this is Central Asia). To find it, go to the Gurminj museum, head south to the corner and turn left.
• Small Restaurants in front of the Opera, (At the small square in fron of the Opera, just off from Rudaki.). There are about 6 small restaurants selling shashliks, beer and softdrinks in front of the opera. Pick a table in the shade and watch people walk by while sipping your cold beer. beer: 3 somonis.  edit

[edit][add listing] Sleep

• Gastnitsa Vakhsh, Rudaki 24 (Just next to the opera). checkout: 12:00. A nice, clean and very centrally located hotel. The staff might try to sell you to more expensive room first but ask for the more economical options. All rooms have a bathroom and a tv while some of the rooms have nice balconies toward the square in front of the Opera. Some English and German is spoken at the reception (sometimes). dm: 60 TJS, d: 120 TJS ste: 180 TJS.  edit

• Hyatt Regency Dushanbe, Prospekt Ismoili Somoni 26/1 (in City Park, near Lake Komsomol), ☎ +992 43 377 1234 (dushanbe.regency@hyatt.com), [2]. A 5 star hotel with 202 rooms and suites. Amenities: floor-to-ceiling windows, sitting area, heated bath floor, iPod docking station, wireless internet and free access to pool and health club. Regency Club Lounge for free continental breakfast and evening cocktails.  edit

Hotel Tajikistan Hotel Mercury

• Atlas B&B, 63, Mirzo Rizo, [3]. Very good Tajik Guesthouse... US$ 80.  edit

[edit] Stay safe

In general, Dushanbe is safe but robberies and street crime do sometimes occur even in broad daylight although this is rare. The police force can sometimes seem a little ineffective. People tend to be private and conservative but with a little effort they can be incredibly welcoming and genuine.

[edit] Stay healthy

Never drink the water from the tap, nor use the water to brush your teeth. Always wash fresh produce, especially when bought from the local bazaar.

[edit] Cope

[edit] Embassies

• Embassy of Uzbekistan, (Take the small street off from Rudaki just next to hotel Avesto (Rudaki 105) and walk until the bend.). 9:00-12:00. Visas to Uzbekistan can be obtained here. You need to bring a passport size photo, a copy of your passport and your Tajik visa in addition to your passport. Some nationalities (including Finnish), need to bring an invitation. The visa is issued on the same day you submitted your application so that the processing takes, depending on how busy it is at the embassy, about an hour. The staff is neither friendly nor helpful. 62 USD.  edit
• United States, ☎ [992] (37) 229 20 00 (usembassydushanbe@state.gov, fax: [992] (37) 229 20 50, 236 04 30), [4].  edit
• United Kingdom, 65 Mirzo Tursunzade Street Dushanbe 734002, ☎ [992] (37) 224 22 21 (dushanbe.reception@fco.gov.uk, fax: [992] (37) 227 1726), [5].  edit
• Germany, 59/1 Somoni Street Dushanbe 734064, ☎ [992] (37) 221-21-89 (fax: [992] (43) 377-3080).  edit

[edit] Get out