Bishkek Getting There & Away

Getting There & Away

Bishkek is connected to Kashi in Western China via a pass that was an important link on the ancient Silk Road. You can also come from China/Kashgar over the Toragut pass, if you have the time and patience. Known as one of the most frustrating passes in Central Asia, both sides can be closed for holidays or seeming randomness. By plane Bishkek's Manas Airport is a thirty minute drive from the city center. Most of the international flights depart and arrive at very early hours of the morning. Aeroflot flies daily to Moscow's Sheremyetvo where you can connect to the rest of Asia and Europre. They no longer fly the uncomfortable Tu-154, but the newer Airbus 320, making the five hour flight much more comfortable. In the summer a second daytime flight is operated four days a week. British Airways (operated by British Med) flies four days a week to London Heathrow with a fuel stop in Yerevan, Armenia. It is nearly an 11 hour flight and you are not allowed to leave the plane during the fuel stop. Turkish Airlines flies four days a week to Istanbul, Turkey. There are additional flights on local carriers to the following cities: *Urumqi, China *Ekaterinburg, Russia *Dushanbe, Tajikistan *Tashkent, Uzbekistan *Novissibirsk, Russia *Dubai, UAE There are also occasional charter flights to Seoul, New Delhi, Sharjah, and Kabul. There are also flights to the following domestic locations: *Osh *Jalalabad *Kerben *Batken Beware that Kyrgyz airlines do not operate sufficient on western standards and most are banned from flying over or to the Eurpean Union. Manas Airport is also home to a US Air Force Base that provides logistics support to the forces in Afghanistan. You will see American fuel tankers and cargo jets sitting along side old soviet passenger jets. Beware: There are many aggressive taxi drivers awaiting all flights. The normal rate charged by the major taxi companies to the city center is 350 soms (~$9-10). You should attempt to get a similar rate when arriving. By train There is a 4 day a week service to Moscow. Two days are operated by the Kyrgyz Railways and two days by the Russian Railways. In addition, there is also a service that goes to Balikchy on the Western Edge of Lake Issyk-Kul. While slow and accomodation is minimal, it is one of the most scenic railtrips in Eurasia sneeking through the thin mountainous alpine pass to the lake. By car Bishkek is approximately a 3 1/2 hour drive from Almaty, Kazakhstan. There are also additional long distance road connections to Taraz, Kazakhstan (leading to Shymkent & Tashket, Uz). You can also share or rent an entire taxi to Almaty. Both KLM and Lufthansa offer bus service to Almaty airport to meet their early morning flights.