Tajikistan - Uzbekistan crossing at Panjakent

[kimomydog]

Just crossed from Tajikistan into Uzbekistan (Panjikent to Dushanbe) today, October 1, 2018.
USA passport with visa sticker.
Some Russian, but pretty straightforward with some English signage.
You can take photos (they don't check your phone), but just be discreet about it, especially on the Uzbek side. There's lots of empty space between the several checkpoints with no one around.

OVERALL
Super straightforward, and despite the news of Uzbekistan being strict with bag searches and medications...I didnt experience any of that at all. Simple x-ray machine and metal detector and the usual stamp-out, stamp-in. Everyone was friendly.

DETAILS:
Arrived at the border from the Tajik side around 15:30. There were some locals ahead of me, but the guards at the fenced gate let me through around them. Stay on the right side. Essentially everything on the right side of the road and in the center are places you have to visit. If it's on the left side, ignore the booths as those are for people going to Tajikistan from Uzbekistan.

After the first gate, I stopped at the customs booth on the right side of the road. Simple passport check by a friendly border guard. Stamped me out and then took a photo of me.

I then walked straight to the baggage check point. The guards were just relaxing and seemed to be on break outside the building. They were more interested in asking me about what I thought of Tajikistan (it was great and beautiful!), reviewed my passport very quickly and didn't even look through my bags. I continued through the building.

Then after a while walk, I encountered another metal fenced gate. The guards again were friendly, asked what I thought of Tajikistan, and made sure I had an Uzbekistan visa before I exited their country. I crossed the gate and from there, I was now in Uzbekistan.

Walking further forward, I entered the Uzbek customs building. First I handed them my passport and showed them my visa. No photo was taken that I was aware of. Then I moved to the next room to where the metal detector and airport-style x-ray machine was. There was some commotion between local women trying to bring a new TV set across and the border agents. Nothing serious, but the usual arguments about the general bureaucracy. I placed my stuff in the x-ray machine and walked through the metal detector. The guard told me to collect my stuff and showed me the way out.

Exiting that building, I walk finally to the last metal fence gate in which the last border guard asked to see my passport one last time. He kindly greeted me with a Welcome to Uzbekistan. I caught a car with plenty of drivers to choose from to head to Samarkand.

[Manolo]

Hi
We plan to cross the border from penjikent to samarkhand in a few days.
- is the border 24/7 open or what are the opening hours?
- what if we don't have hotel bookings for uzbekistan? Will that be a problem?
- can we change money at the border?

Thanks a lot!

[Lovetheworld]

You can maybe already change for better rates in Penjikent.
ATMs in Uzbekistan are a bit hard, and usually only gove dollars which you then need to change.
In Samarkand in the left Medrassa on the big square there is an ATM that gives dollars.

Hotel bookings are only relevant for when you apply for visa (in the past)
But also when you exit the country islt is good to have a hotel registration slip once every three days of your stay.

[bocekm]

Taj->Uzb with a car: Took 2.5h in total, no camera/phone/laptop checks, no problems. On the Uzbek side a guy made us pay 7000 UZS for some veterinary stuff. We didn't have UZS so he accepted 10 TJS. That was all we paid on the border.

If you leave exchanging TJS to Samarkand, the official exchange offices won't do that for you. You need to find "black market" guys on bazaar. The exchange rate we got there was not good though (700 vs standard 870).

[ahart25]

I'm hoping to do the opposite of what's posted here -- Cross from Samarkand to Penjikent -- and I just want to make sure things are open and run as smooth as can be expected through that route too. I'll be traveling through Central Asia in May and June 2019.

Also any advice on traveling from Samarkand to the border and crossing the border is appreciated! Thanks!

[Dominik_F]

I'm hoping to do the opposite of what's posted here -- Cross from Samarkand to Penjikent -- and I just want to make sure things are open and run as smooth as can be expected through that route too. I'll be traveling through Central Asia in May and June 2019.

Also any advice on traveling from Samarkand to the border and crossing the border is appreciated! Thanks!

Hello,

I plan to drive from Croatia to 'Stans at the end of July.
Will much appreciate your feedback on this border crossing

Best of luck

[roro]

Hi,

I've done it last summer(2018): no problem, easy.
RR.

[Greg]

I (British national) crossed TJ to UZ with a bicycle mid-March 2019. It couldn't have been easier: "What is your country, birthday, purpose of visit, profession, STAMP" and I was through.

[BritsinCAsia]

Crossed this morning from the Uzbek to the Tajik side (British citizens with printed e-visas).

Although our host in our guesthouse in Samarkand said we would have to walk the last 1km (as per earlier reports), our taxi was able to drive straight up with no checks for the 'special taxi licence' required to drive the last bit. The taxi was booked through our guesthouse for $16.

As a pedestrian, just follow the yellow dashed path on the road.

Leaving Uzbekistan - a cursory glance at our hotel registration slips only because we'd put them inside our passports. One scan of the bags with no further checks.

Entering Tajikistan - an easy walk through, only question was confirming the name on the passport, and a very smiley border guard. No bag scans or checks.

There was a currency exchange office just at the Tajik side of the border (on the left hand side of the road) with a good exchange rate, so ignore the guys trying to change somoni with you on the Uzbek side.

[murg]

Did UZB - TDJ with 2 motorbikes yesterday.

Arrival at Border around 11:10, Border temporarily closed, apparently an Army exercise going on(at least one platoon with AKs & mortars in the Surroundinga)
11:30, Border opens and we where first to enter the area after the passport Check at the barrier.

1) Right Side, First Booth. Handed over vehicle Docs & passport. Had to sign sth. In kyrillic.
2) Right Side, Second Booth. Vehicle Docs again....
3) Enter building in the middle. Eailk through unfunctional Metal Detector after showing passport
4) Hand passport over to officer. Got stamped Out. I Had the Registration Slips clearly visible in my hand, officer didn't want to see them. Same happened to my friend & to a french woman we met there.
5) vehicle Control... Very Short, could have brought anything Out of the country. Friends Bike didn't get checked at all.

Everybody friendly, duration about 45 Minutes

TDJ Immigration

At the Schlagbaum, left Booth on right side. Passport and evisa Control. Both printed & showing the PDF at your phone works.
Few questions. Stamped in.

Ride to main building, parking at the right Close to Containers.
In Main building: one Office with 2 Guys doing the vehicle registration and Tax. One of them spoke fluent english.
Had to wait for about 20 Minutes.
Process took about 30 Minutes for 2 motorbikes. Everything handeritten, No IT.
Received a document that we paid, important to keep for emigration.
Cars are 45$, motorbikes 10$, both valid for 15 days, Had to pay in US$.
No motorbike Control, cars were searched.

Friendly people working there, took about 75 Minutes. I guess If there are lots of vehicles to be taxed it might take much longer.

Money Exchange: after leaving the compound some Guys approached us. The Exchange rate was slightly better than the one my bank's App showed me.

Everything worked well.