The Somoni (Tajik: cомонӣ) is the national currency. It is subdivided into 100 diram (Tajik: дирам). Wikivoyage uses the ISO international currency code TJS placed before the amount in all our articles. However, when you’re shopping locally, you may see a variety of notations placed before or after the amount.

Banknotes come in TJS1, 3, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 denominations and you may find TJS0.05, TJS0.10, TJS0.20, TJS0.25, TJS0.25, TJS0.50, TJS1, TJS3 and TJS5 coins in circulation.

There aren’t many ATMs even in Dushanbe, and it’s especially difficult to get money with Maestro/Mastercard. So it might be a good idea to have US dollars or euros with you to change in a bank.

BY MINIVAN OR SHARED TAXI:

Scheduled minivans run between the major cities but otherwise hiring a vehicle or sharing one with other passengers is the only way to travel around the country. Prices are generally per person, not for the vehicle, and divided by the number of passengers.

SUVs can be hired and leave daily from Khujand’s large minibus terminal located just outside the city. Prices are negotiable but should be in the range USD60 per person. Check that the vehicle is fit for long road travel, and inspect the spare tire.

BY PLANE:

As the country is broken into many isolated areas by mountain passes that are closed in winter, travel during this time is by air only, if the planes are flying. Tajik Air and Somon Air operate several daily flights to Khojand (between 35 and 70 minutes, depending on the plane) and Khorog, a thrilling plunge through mountain peaks. This flight does not go if it is windy. Ticket vendors next to the Green Market in Dushanbe can provide a reliable estimate of their timetable. Make sure you arrive early for your flight. Also, passports and visas will be checked on domestic flights, so bring them with you.

BY TRAIN:

Tajik railways have no website. There are two confirmed trains running in Tajikistan: Moscow-Dushanbe (2 per week) and Moscow-Khujand (one weekly) that can be taken locally. Both timetables are accessible through Russian Railways website. There are 2 trains every week (Tuesday and Saturday) from Dushanbe via Qurgonteppa to Kulob (leaves Dushanbe at 8 AM). There are also 2 trains a week from Dushanbe via Qurgonteppa to Shahrtuz. The rolling stock are still the old Soviet ones. The trains are very slow, often only 25 km/h but a good opportunity to meet local people and to enjoy the landscape. It is forbidden to take pictures of train stations and the rolling stock.

EAT:

Food in Tajikistan is a cross between that of Central Asia and that of Afghanistan & Pakistan along with a bit of Russian influence. If you like Russian food, you will probably have a good culinary experience. If you find Russian food bland, you may have a rough time here.

• Plov- The national dish is made with rice, beef or mutton, and carrots. All fried together in vegetable oil or mutton fat in a special qazan (a wok-shaped cauldron) over an open flame. The meat is cubed, the carrots are chopped finely into long strips, and the rice is colored yellow or orange by the frying carrots and the oil. The dish is eaten communally from a single large plate placed at the center of the table. Plov is generally referred to as “osh” in Tajikistan.
• Qurutob is a traditional dish that is still eaten with hands from a communal plate. Vegetables and flaky pastry in a yogurt-type sauce. Before serving the dish is topped with onions fried in oil until golden and other fried vegetables. No meat is added. Qurutob is considered the national dish.
• Laghman- a pasta soup dish served with vegetables and lamb or beef. Try the stir-fried Uyghur varieties available at several restaurants in Dushanbe.
• Sambusa- (baked pastries)
• Shashlik (shish-kebab)- Grilled-on-coal fish, liver, chicken, mutton and beef.
• Tushbera soup- (like ravioli, or pasta with meat in it)
• Ugro soup- (handmade spaghetti soup served with cheese cream and basilic)
• Jiz-biz- (fired freshcut lamb or mutton on its own juice)
• Dolma- (steamed rolls with grape leafs and meat inside, served with sour cream and red pepper)
• Mantu -(steamed dumplings with meat inside, served with sour cream and fried onions)
• Shurbo- (fresh vegetable soup with lamb or beef, served with green onion and basilic)
• Many types of bread like chappoti, kulcha, nan, fatir, qalama, etc.
• Damlama- (like English stew, steamed lamb or beef with vegetables in its own juice)
• Khash- (soup with sheeps’ legs and arms, joints and tendons)
• Melons and watermelons are extremely popular among locals and are very cheap in local markets

Take care with street food and do not eat unwashed vegetables and fruits. It’s best to soak them in distilled water and cook thoroughly.

The national cuisine is becoming more popular in Tajikistan, including dishes such as Shurbo, Oshi Palov, Mantu, and Sambusa.

DRINK:

• Green tea- Tajiks customarily enjoy drinking unsweetened (or sweetened) green tea all throughout the day. Hence, it is the country’s national beverage.
• Compote- A distilled fruit punch.

Sleeping options in Tajikistan include the following:

Hotels In Dushanbe, there are a few large hotels, including the Hyatt Regency and the “Tajikistan” in the central city. Most are ex-Soviet era and tend to be over-priced and in poor condition. There are a couple of newly-built hotels offering western standards of accommodation for around from US$70 to US$220 per room.

MSDSP guesthouses:

The Aga Khan’s Mountain Societies Development Support Programme has a network of guesthouses in places like Kalaikhum and Khorog, offering a good standard of accommodation. Full board is around US$40 per person.

Formal homestays:

The French NGO ACTED is establishing a network of Homestays in the Pamir region, around Murghab. For around US$10 per person per night you get a comfortable bed in a family home. The facilities are basic, i.e. no running water and an outside toilet, but guests can expect comfortable clean rooms, good local food and a very warm welcome.

Independent guesthouses:

In Dushanbe, Khorog, and Murghab there are a small but growing number of independent guesthouses. These are similar in standard and price to the ACTED homestays.

Online accommodation (couchsurfing):

Many cities of Tajikistan offer free accommodation in homestays through the couchsurfing.com

• Traditional Tajik padded coats. Comfortable and perfect for the colder weather in the mountains. The ensemble can be completed with a hat and sash.
• Mercedes Benz (~US$7,000) cars and Land Cruisers from Dushanbe’s Sunday Car Market. Also available: Russian cars, jeeps, minivans and an assortment of other models.
• Vodka. Ruski Standard is the best one by far.
• Rugs and carpets. The good ones are imported from Afghanistan or Uzbekistan.