Khiva - Moynaq - Nukus - Kungrad by public transport

[Rowan35]

Hi everyone,

A couple of days ago we travelled from Khiva to Moynak and back to Nukus by public transport. When trying to research the route we couldn't find much updated information, so thought I'd post our journey in case it's of use to anyone.

For reference, we were quoted $89 for a car and driver to take us from Khiva to Moynak and back in one day (3 people). We thought we could do it cheaper by public transport so gave it a go.

We started around 7:30am from Khiva, getting a minibus outside of the north gate going to Urgench. They fill up really quickly and cost 4000som per person. Took about 30 mins. We got off the bus in the centre of town and walked to 'Avtovokzal RayTsentr' on Maps.me (but you can try to get the minibus to drop you there).

A local told us a bus was coming at 9am to go to Nukus. It arrived late and left around 9.30. The bus cost 25000 per person.

Once in Nukus the bus stopped outside town, by the Nukus shopping complex (clothing centre). It arrived around 12. From there we got a taxi (20000 for 3 people) to the bus station called Zhydeli Baysin. There was a bus waiting with a sign for Moynak in the window. The driver told us it left at 1pm, so we had some time to use the toilet and grab some food. Try and reserve a seat for yourself if you do. But make sure you're back at the bus before 1pm because it can leave if full. The bus left on time and cost 20000 per person.

The bus arrived in Moynak at the south of town at 16:30. The driver told us the bus times for the next day going back to Nukus were 9am and 3pm.

We went to both the state museum and the Aral sea museum. Both were very simple without much information, but there's not much else to do! Both cost 30000 per person. They seem to close at 6pm, but stay open longer if visitors are there. The ship graveyard was the highlight. Sunrise at the graveyard is really nice.

The yurt camp and lighthouse cafe next to the Aral sea museum were closed up, so perhaps too late in the year for them to be open. We ended staying overnight at Hotel Moynak Textil. Very basic but fine for a night (no WiFi). Haggle for a cheaper price.

The next day we got the bus back at 3pm. We arrived back in Nukus around 6pm. We met some people doing it by bus from Nukus all in one day, getting a morning bus from Nukus, spending a couple of hours in Moynak, and then getting the 3pm bus back. I'm not sure what time the bus left Nukus in the morning.

So in total, it cost us around 76000 som, or $7. I hope this helps anyone planning their trip!

[frankyday]

That's fabulous sharing. Thanks a lot!
I will be going there a few days later.

[Justynag]

Thanks a lot for details! I am going tomorrow

[viajesdenicole]

Hello everyone! I am going in May and I´d like to double-check if there is actually a bus (not a shared taxi) from Nukus to Muynaq at 1 pm. I always read there´s only one per day leaving in the morning 8:30 - 9 am and I can´t find any other information confirming it also leaves at 1 pm. If you personally took it on your trip, it would be really helpful. Thanks

[TheNonFlyingDutchman]

I’ll be doing the same in a couple of days, hoping for that 1pm bus info too! Time sounds perfect. Then I can see the modern art museum in the morning

[TheNonFlyingDutchman]

So, about that 1pm bus…

I started at the bazar, where a man helped me to get on minibus 5 to Avtovokzal, a bus terminal on the west side of the city. I arrived around 12.50, and it turned out the bus to Moynak would only leave at 2. Confirmed with the driver and waited inside and around the bus. I waited for an hour, and then heard that the 2pm bus just left and I was sitting in the 3pm bus 🥸. The girls next to me were as surprised as I was. But apparently there’s an hourly bus..? The price is 35.000 som btw.

After this it took over 4 tiresome hours over very bumpy roads. Once I arrived in moynak I had little energy left to see the ships at sundown. I paid a guy 10.000 som to get me to the boats (yeah I overpaid but I couldn’t care less, also we’re talking about 80 eurocents. It was a nice guy).

Today I went back with a shared taxi. Luckily I read a price of 50.000 before, bc the taxi drivers started at 400.000 . Got a ride for 50 in the end. And I have to say: a shared taxi is 100x nicer to travel in than a bus. It took about 2,5h to get back to nukus, instead of the 4h before. Plus a car is so much less bumpy than a bus. I was a milkshake when I arrived in Moynak.

I hope this info helps anyone.

[alwaystouchout]

This is great information thanks! I’m planning on taking the same trip in the middle of June. Do you have the exact location of the places/avtovokzals you used? It’d be helpful to see the precise locations on a map.

[arsenal4mylife]

Hi guys, did it today.
Online says bus from nukus departs at 9, but mine goes at 10:30 and all locals come at last minute, so perhaps there’s a permanent schedule change, not sure. Costs me 20000 for the ticket. Autovokzal is on the west side of city, google map has it correct.

You will be there around 1345 or 1400 you won’t make the return bus with this schedule. It costs three of us 300K for a taxi back to Nukus. Hope it helps

[alwaystouchout]

Hi guys, did it today.
Online says bus from nukus departs at 9, but mine goes at 10:30 and all locals come at last minute, so perhaps there’s a permanent schedule change, not sure. Costs me 20000 for the ticket. Autovokzal is on the west side of city, google map has it correct.

You will be there around 1345 or 1400 you won’t make the return bus with this schedule. It costs three of us 300K for a taxi back to Nukus. Hope it helps

Thanks for the tips, how did you get from Urgench to Nukus?

[arsenal4mylife]

I didn’t. Flew straight from Tashkent to there.
Today share taxi from Nukus to Khiva costed me 150K but I suspect it could be much lower.