Torugart pass crossing Q&A

[JONO5K1]

The bus route is completely active. The border is busy. Don't believe the propaganda. Its a fully open and functioning border for everybody to use. No issues at all.

[arynan]

The bus route is completely active. The border is busy. Don't believe the propaganda. Its a fully open and functioning border for everybody to use. No issues at all.

Can you cross with visa free?

[Lorijn]

We (French and Dutch couple) have crossed this pass on the 13th of May 2025. It seems the bus from Bishkek is still going, but the phone number posted last year on this forum is outdated. The following numbers were given to us but we haven’t been in touch with the bus ourselves since we decided to go another route (private car + hitchhiking).

We started the journey at 9h from Naryn. We had asked Elias from Visit Naryn travel agency to drive us to the border and stop at Tash Rabat on the way for sightseeing. Elias has a border permit and called the military to see whether he could take us. We paid him 8500 som. The road had gotten a lot less good over the last 3 months apparently - quite bumpy. At the border, we had to show our passports four times on the Kirgiz side. 1) advance post quite some kms before (we met a French couple that came from China here - so journey also possible in other direction!) 2) beginning of the barbed wire fence around the border complex. 3) actual border control agent. 4) end of the barbed wire fence after border control. Everyone was surprised to see us but friendly.

The last border agent asked a trucker to bring us to the Chinese side, 7 kms away. He drove us the first 4 kms, until the first Chinese outpost. They asked for passport and purpose of visit, and then drove us ~20 mins to the border building in a military vehicle. At the border building, we had to show our passport many times. Different supervisors were called. One accompanied us first to the border police, where we had to unpack our bags completely. Then, filling out entrance slip, which the supervisor redid for us (unsure why). Then, border agent (purpose of visit, fingerprints, stamp). Then, customs, which made us unpack our bags again and confiscated our fresh veg and pumpkin seed snacks (we were allowed to eat them but not bring them into China). By this time, everyone was more mellow - the border agent even wanted some pictures with his « first foreigners stamped into China ». A border agent asked a Chinese professor driving his campervan across to drop us into Kashgar. Apart from him, we’ve only seen trucks using this border. We arrived at 21h Kirgiz time in our hotel.

[JONO5K1]

Hi,

Great to hear you guys crossed the border, and I hope the travel was fun

I do, however, need to comment on this for prospective travellers. You do not need a border permit for the Torugart...

Firstly, for those places in Kyrgyzstan for which a permit is indeed required (Enilchek/Ko-Su for example), the permits are actually FREE in Bishkek at the ministry...you just have to translate the forms from Russian and fill out your respective details. Tour agencies do offer the service, though for around $40.00. 8,500som is absolute robbery (if this is what you paid?), and you were therefore completely scammed.

Please clarify if I have misunderstood, as it's important for future travellers to know the correct process.

Best,
J

[DamiaanReijnaers]

We (French and Dutch couple) have crossed this pass on the 13th of May 2025. It seems the bus from Bishkek is still going, but the phone number posted last year on this forum is outdated. The following numbers were given to us but we haven’t been in touch with the bus ourselves since we decided to go another route (private car + hitchhiking).

We started the journey at 9h from Naryn. We had asked Elias from Visit Naryn travel agency to drive us to the border and stop at Tash Rabat on the way for sightseeing. Elias has a border permit and called the military to see whether he could take us. We paid him 8500 som. The road had gotten a lot less good over the last 3 months apparently - quite bumpy. At the border, we had to show our passports four times on the Kirgiz side. 1) advance post quite some kms before (we met a French couple that came from China here - so journey also possible in other direction!) 2) beginning of the barbed wire fence around the border complex. 3) actual border control agent. 4) end of the barbed wire fence after border control. Everyone was surprised to see us but friendly.

The last border agent asked a trucker to bring us to the Chinese side, 7 kms away. He drove us the first 4 kms, until the first Chinese outpost. They asked for passport and purpose of visit, and then drove us ~20 mins to the border building in a military vehicle. At the border building, we had to show our passport many times. Different supervisors were called. One accompanied us first to the border police, where we had to unpack our bags completely. Then, filling out entrance slip, which the supervisor redid for us (unsure why). Then, border agent (purpose of visit, fingerprints, stamp). Then, customs, which made us unpack our bags again and confiscated our fresh veg and pumpkin seed snacks (we were allowed to eat them but not bring them into China). By this time, everyone was more mellow - the border agent even wanted some pictures with his « first foreigners stamped into China ». A border agent asked a Chinese professor driving his campervan across to drop us into Kashgar. Apart from him, we’ve only seen trucks using this border. We arrived at 21h Kirgiz time in our hotel.

Great report Lorijn, thank you!

Did you travel without a visa (i.e., obtained a visa on arrival under the recent extension of the programme) through this border?

[arynan]

I too would like to know this

[njorka]

I have crossed over Torugart from Kyrgyzstan to China and back successfully, and it was pretty smooth. Here's how it was:
7:30 I departed from Naryn. I asked one of the truck drivers at the Partner Neft gas station which is just on the outskirts on the way to Torugart. He accepted right away and refused to take any money. But he was insisting that I won't be allowed into China unless someone is waiting for me at the other side, and that the only way in is by bus. This is NOT true, you can easily cross over Torugart just as you can do over most of other border crossings.
9:30 Arrived at the military checkpoint, where I showed my border permit taken at Bishkek TZON. I am not sure whether permit is a must, I have anyway had it, but I assume it might not be necessary if you say that you are going to China. Here, the truck driver went out to pee, the soldier got mad at him and said he must now wait one hour. I politely thanked to my driver, and asked another one (Chinese) to take me and he agreed right away.
10:18 Arrived at the end of the queue at Torugart. Apparently trucks have to wait long here, so I started walking towards the border, then a small car was passing by, I stopped him and he dropped me to the Kyrgyz border complex. I got the Kyrgyz exit stamp and by 10:55 I was at the exit from the Kyrgyz border complex. Here, Kyrgyz soldiers put me on a Chinese truck which drove me few kilometers up to the actual border, where the Chinese arch is (the actual border line). Here I had to wait for a couple of mins till the Chinese border guards called me over. They have quickly checked my passport and asked few basic questions about my trip and previous visits to China. Apparently it was the end of shift for them, and at 13:30 (11:30 Kyrgyz time) they took me down by their vehicle, to the place where passport control is. The ride takes just a couple of mins. The road is under construction and at the moment it is just a muddy road.
14:00 I got the Chinese entry stamp, all smooth. Then the custom guy checked my bag and said that I can ask the truck drivers to take me down. There was a bunch of trucks just out of the building, I had a small chat with them and asked if anyone is willing to take me further. One of them immediately accepted to take me to Tuopa for 500 som. They were all very friendly. I asked them if it will be easy to find a ride on the way back, they said just go to Tuopa customs, there are plenty of trucks, offer them some money and don't worry.
14:30 the driver received the card he was waiting for, and we departed. Now, the road is under constructions, with some parts being really good, and some just a muddy road. He dropped me of at Tuopa customs, where I left the truck and went through customs on foot. At first there was no one in the huge customs building. I went out and asked one of the officers for help. She then called someone, they came, scanned my bag and allowed me to pass. After this second customs inspection there are restaurants where you can have a meal, and then you can get a ride to Kashgar by shared taxi for 40 RMB. I spend some time walking around Tuopa and then took a shared taxi. The taxi was stopped at the checkpoint in Tuopa, and I was asked to leave and show my passport. They kept checking something for about half an hour, and the driver and passengers were kinda mad at me. We finally arrived to Kashgar at 20:00.
Overall it was very easy. Some drivers might refuse to take you because they think it's not allowed, but in fact there's no problem. Good thing is that there are a lot of trucks, and I believe that among them you'll find the one willing to help. I am good in Russian and I also know some basic Chinese and I think the communication helps a lot, just explain them what do you want and that the border guards have no problem with it.

[robinmetral]

For those interested, I saw this Torugart pass report of someone who took the bus from Kashgar to Naryn (September 2024). Spoiler: it took 19 hours.

[JayJayontheroad]

If I cross from china into Kyrgyzstan but haven’t been to Kyrgyzstan before, how do I obtain the necessary border region permit?

[Hotep]

If I cross from china into Kyrgyzstan but haven’t been to Kyrgyzstan before, how do I obtain the necessary border region permit?

If you cross the border you don't need a permit. Just did it three weeks ago