Kyrgyzstan shares borders with Kazakhstan, China, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. For an exact location of these and all other border crossings on the Silk Road, see the border crossing map. For more information about visas, see the Kyrgyzstan visa chapter.
Warning: do not venture into border areas unless you have a border permit or are actually crossing at the border crossing. There are plenty of other beautiful spots in Kyrgyzstan. Foreigners without the correct border permits do get arrested from time to time.
Warning number 2: if you are traveling on an e-visa, only 12 border crossings are valid crossing points for you. Find out more at eligible e-visa border crossings.
Table of Contents
Border crossing map
This map is schematic and only depicts the main border crossings of Kyrgyzstan. For all border crossings and their precise location, see the map at Border crossings of the Silk Road. Status (open or closed) is detailed below.
- Aisha Bibi
- Sypatai Batyr
- Kordai
- Karkara Valley
- Torugart Pass
- Irkeshtam Pass
- Kyzylart
- Karamyk – Jirgital
- Kulundu
- Batken – Isfara
- Dostyk
- Uchkurgan
Kyrgyzstan – Kazakhstan border crossings
Korday / Ak-Zhol
After being closed for reconstruction in 2020-2022, Korday / Ak-Zhol is once again the main border crossing between Bishkek and Almaty. Updates gathered here.
Self-drivers should watch out for the traffic police just beyond the border on the Kyrgyz side. There is a stop sign that should not be ignored; even when stopping, a bribe could be solicited. Further updates in this post.
Large buses go between Bishkek’s new bus terminal (the old Western bus terminal is no longer in use) and Almaty’s Sairan bus station (5 hours), currently 5 times per day. Shared taxis are also available.
In case you are left without transport after the border, on the Kyrgyz side there are many buses and taxis going straight to the centre of Bishkek and Dordoi. On the Kazakh side, shared taxis vie for your business. The border is open 24/7, there is currency exchange on both sides and a decent canteen on the Kyrgyz side.
Karkara valley (Kegen – Tup/Kensu)
A scenic crossing, the Karkara valley is a good way to go from Almaty to Karakol, with attractions like Charyn Canyon and Kolsai Lakes on the way. Previously, the border opened only approximately between May 1 and October 31 from dusk til dawn, but since 2025 it’s open year round, 24/7. Crossing reports and questions are gathered in this forum Q&A.
Public transport for travelers without their own vehicle: Shared taxi hopping or a long bus ride (details below).
For those with their own transport: It’s 30 km from Kegen and about 85 to Tup on the Kyrgyz side. Come prepared, there is little in the way of supplies between these towns. The road is rough gravel for the last 15 km on the Kazakh side and the first 50 or so on the Kyrgyz side.
Karkara and Kegen don’t have money changing facilities. If you are coming from Kyrgyzstan, try to get tenge in Karakol. On the Kazakh side, the offroad route from Turgen to Bartogai Reservoir comes highly recommended, although it is very steep if you are cycling.
On public transport
Almaty -> Karakol: Shared taxis in Almaty to Kegen hang out here these days. In Kegen, taxi drivers hang out near the petrol station. From the border to Karakol, you need to wait for a car to hitchhike, or organise a ride in advance with a local tour operator.
Previously the only bus took 11 hours via Bishkek. However, in 2025, the first direct bus via Kegen arrived. Will it still be there when you want to take it? Check the bus schedule and book on the Sairan bus station website or have a look at the Almaty-Karakol forum Q&A for the latest news.
To find others to share a ride, try hostels and our travel sharing forum. Reasonable chances in July-August, slim chances the rest of the year. Hitchhiking reports gathered here.
Karakol -> Almaty: From Karakol you can hitchhike or take a taxi to the border. On the Kazakh side, there is no public transport, but people will be willing to give a lift if you can wait for them. The border guards can call their taxi friends in Kegen. Camping or staying in a yurt with locals is an option if you get stuck near the border – there are also accommodation options in Kegen.
Kegen -> Khorgos (China border): hitchhike or bargain for a ride to Shonzhy with a taxi driver in Kegen. From Shonzhy, there are shared taxis to Zharkent. From Zharkent, you need to be lucky to quickly find another hitched ride or shared taxi to Khorgos.
Aisha Bibi – Chongkapka
Border crossing between Taraz and Talas. Updates posted here. Money exchange is available at the border. There is a small restaurant on the Kyrgyz side if you are hungry.
KAZ -> KG: In Taraz, take bus #33 to the border, or a taxi. On the other side, transport options are low. 200 som for a taxi to Talas is reasonable.
KG -> KAZ: Taxis to and from Talas are 200 som. They leave from Talas on the north side of the bazaar, look for a bunch of guys yelling “tamozhnia” (таможня). The trip is about 1.5-2 hours, depending on the driver. The Lenin head and sculptures at the Kirovka dam are the highlight on the road. There is a bus that goes to Taraz from the border.
Pretty easy to get a taxi or marshrutka, might have to wait for it to fill up of course. It seems like early in the morning is the best time to get a ride out.
Other border crossings
Ak-Tilek / Karasu: With the reconstruction of the Korday border finished, Ak-Tilek, near Kant, has now become limited to bilateral commercial truck traffic – no foreigners, no cars or pedestrians. This might change as it seems construction has moved to this border post.
News is welcome in the Ak-Tilek forum thread.
Alatau: A hiking path from Almaty to Lake Issyk-Kul. This was once one of the top hiking trails in the Soviet Union, but at the moment this border post cannot be crossed by foreigners, or even locals.
Kenbulun & Sartobe: New since 2017, both of these crossings near Tokmok were bilateral border crossings at first, but they seemed to have converted to international border crossings in 2022. Reports welcome.
Sypatai Batyr (Chaldybar): Border crossing on the most direct road between Bishkek and Taraz, between the villages of Merke (KAZ) and Kara-Baltynin (KG). Bishkek – Tashkent buses cross here. Money exchange is available and a small cafe. Updates here.
Kyrgyzstan – China border crossings
When attempting to cross the high altitude borders between Kyrgyzstan and China, make sure that you have checked the weather. Double-check that there is no holiday on either side of the border. Crossing on a Friday into China is tricky: if you get held up, you might be stuck for 2 more days. There is little fuel, food or spare parts in these areas. And, the Chinese border operates on Beijing time.
There are 2 passes open to foreigners over the Tien Shan mountains from Kyrgyzstan to China. Both take an effort – however, in 2024, governments on both sides have improved connectivity and your options have increased.
The Irkeshtam Pass is the most used option since the Torugart Pass used to require a Chinese guide and a special permit.
However, since 2024, no guides or permits are required anymore and the Torugart Pass has become a viable (and very scenic) alternative.
Also in 2024, a new pass opened up: Bedel Pass. It seems this one is just for Kyrgyz and Chinese passport holders for now – we’re tracking news in the Bedel Pass forum thread.
Kyrgyzstan – Tajikistan border crossings
Scams
Quite a few scams are being pulled by Tajik border guards. They can ask for a fee for the health declaration and customs forms coming into Tajikistan.
There is no longer an immigration card upon entering Tajikistan, and thus one scam less to watch out for. Cyclists will be asked on exiting where their import document is for the bicycle – you do not need one, of course. Just smile and pretend that it’s all a joke, but don’t pay the bribe. Stand your ground.
Batken – Isfara
Easy crossing between the villages of Guliston and Kyzyl-Bel. Updates in this forum post. Uzbek exclaves are no longer a problem, Kyrgyzstan has built good new roads around them. In Tajikistan, however, the road on to Khujand passes briefly again through Kyrgyzstan. This can’t be avoided, but there are no checks. Find out more about enclaves.
Taj -> KG: Marshrutkas run from Khujand to Isfara (2h, 10 somoni). Shared taxis run from Isfara to Batken (1h including border formalities, 10 somoni). Shared taxis run from Batken to Osh (3-4 hours, 600 som/seat).
KG -> TAJ: Drivers at the bus station in Batken pretend that there are no marshrutkas going to Isfara, just chartered taxis. This is not true, but the marshrutkas do not depart from the bus station. They leave from somewhere in the town centre, in front of a government building – just ask. It’s 50 som from Batken to the border by taxi.
Detailed instructions collected here.
Kulundu – Ovchi Kalacha
On the Khojand – Isfana road, this is a valid multilateral border crossing. Driving north out of Isfana (N.B. not Isfara), the first border crossing you encounter is actually bilateral only, but keep going a few km and you will find the multilateral border, which is much busier. Do not get confused! Reports collected here.
From Khudjand, marshrutka 92 will take you directly to the border. Cost: 3.50 Somoni. The bus stop is at repelled.torn.evaded (southern side of the road). From the border, shared taxis await to Isfana (150 som/seat)
Kyzylart – Bor Dobo
On the road from Sary Tash to Murgab. The broken windows, repurposed oil tanks, ravaged offices and lack of dress code on the Tajik side are straight out of Mad Max. The Kyrgyz side is normal. The border works 24/7. Make sure that you have checked the weather for this high altitude crossing.
By car, Sary Tash – Bor Dobo takes 45 min. Bor Dobo – Kyzylart: 1 hour. Kyzylart – Karakul: 1 hour.
You will need a GBAO permit to travel the Pamir Highway. If you are coming into Tajikistan visa-free, you can register in Murghab. For details on traveling from Osh to Karakul and Murghab, see Pamir Highway by public transport. Take your precautions if you are traveling over this high pass in wintertime. People have had to be rescued here in the past.
If you have a car, Tajik guards here are some of the worst, inventing all kinds of ‘taxes’. You do NOT need to pay the sanitation fee, nor any kind of road card, road tax, border tax, bicycle import tax, … The only fee you need to pay is the import tax for your car or motorbike. But border guards are so corrupt here, you can bribe your way out of that as well. We’ve even heard of people coming in without a visa through Kyzylart.
The border was closed for a while after the short-lived 2022 border war and you needed a special permit between 2023 and 2025. Permits are no longer needed since summer 2025 and locals can again cross with their car.
Updates, news and questions are gathered in the Bor Dobo forum thread.
Karamyk – Daroot Korgan / Tojvaron
Bilateral border crossing, not open to foreigners. Post your updates here.
Madaniyat – Madaniyat
Open only for Kyrgyz and Tajiks.
Surkh – Khoja Alo
No reports on the status of this border south of Batken and Isfara. All we have is this news report.
Kyrgyzstan – Uzbekistan border crossings
Note that all train travel between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan passes Kazakhstan. Similarly, minibuses from Bishkek to Tashkent pass through Kazakhstan. No need to worry about the Ferghana valley enclaves.
Dostyk/Dustlyk
Main border crossing on the road between Osh and Andijon. Open 24/7, closed for lunch 13.15 to 13.45.
Cars and buses could not cross the border from 1999 onwards, but in 2019 this became possible once again. In short, you can take a minibus between Osh and Andijon (2 hours, leaves every 20 minutes), and we assume direct links between Osh and other cities in Uzbekistan will follow soon. Updates and questions on the buses welcome in this thread.
If you are doing it the old-school way without the cross-border bus: public transport and shared taxis are still available on both sides. You can use your foreigner privilege to skip the queue, otherwise you might be waiting in line for hours. From the Kyrgyz border, minibus #138 heads to the center along Lenin Avenue, while #116 and trolleybus #2 go along the parallel Kurmanjan Datka street. Updates and experiences in this post.
Madaniyat / Izboskan
Also called Manyet or Byurgendyu, Izboskan replaces the closed Uch-Kurgan border. Open for foreigners, BUT only for pedestrians and cyclists, not for cars and motorbikes! Shared taxis run on either side of the border. Border definitely still open at 9pm.
Money exchange on the Uzbek side available, less so on the Kyrgyz side. Updates in the Izboskan forum thread.
UZ -> KG: Taxis to the border in Andijon can be found near the “yongi bazar” (OSM). Taxis available once on the other side. On the Kyrgyz side, there’s a sim card seller just up from the border crossing for sim cards. There’s a bank with a Visa/Mastercard ATM just after the border crossing (41.04604,72.32075 – Gmaps).
Khanabad
Border crossing on the road between Jalal-Abad and Andijon. This border was closed in 2018 but has reopened in 2024. Updates and questions welcome in the Khanabad border crossing forum thread.
Uch-Kurgan
Closed in 2016, opened again in 2017, closed again in 2018, seemingly forever this time. Updates welcome in the Uchkurgan forum topic.