How to Get from Osh to Andijan by bus via Dostuk (2024)

A popular route in Central Asia connects Osh in Kyrgyzstan with Andijan in Uzbekistan through the Dostuk Border Crossing.

These two cities are so close to each other, yet separated by a border. Thankfully, they are very well connected by bus, both convenient and cheap.

Here I will tell you exactly how to get from Osh to Andijan by bus.

Step 1: Go to Osh New Bus Station (Новый автовокзал)

Begin your journey at the New Bus Station in the northern part of Osh. In Russian, it’s called Новый автовокзал, pronounced: “Noviy Avtovokzal”.

Do not mix up the New and the Old Bus Stations.

The Old Bus Station is under the bridge at Alisher Navoy Street. In Russian, it’s called Старый Автовокзал, pronounced: “Stariy Avtovokzal”.

To get to the New Bus Station, you can take Trolleybus #2, Bus #9, or Marshrutkas #116, #119, #138, and #142 from any of the bus stops on Kurmandjan Datka or Lenin Streets.

If that sounds complicated, download the application 2GIS. It works offline with routes and public transport as long as you download the map beforehand.

You pay inside the bus/marshrutka.

Step 2: Take direct bus 777 from Osh to Andijan

Once at the bus station, look for a counter that reads “777”. This is the direct minibus bound for Andijan. It didn’t run for more than 20 years between 1999 and 2021 but has recently been restarted.

The ticket costs 140 KGS / 1.6$. These buses go every hour and take around 2 hours to reach Andijan, excluding the time at the border.

Remember the 1-hour difference between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan (you “earn” an hour when you cross into Uzbekistan).

The direct minibus is convenient as you won’t need to change vehicles. Just have patience after the border and it will come.

Do not give in to pressure from the parasitic taxi drivers and do not trust them when they say the bus is not coming – it most definitely is.

Another Option: Marshrutka to Dostuk, then a shared taxi or a bus to Andijan

This is the old-school way of traveling between Osh and Andijan.

First off, you don’t even need to get off at the New Bus Station as most of the marshrutkas from the Center of Osh go to the Dostuk Border anyway (sometimes spelled Dostyk, or ‘Достук’ in Cyrillic).

Dostuk is so close to Osh, it may as well be considered a neighborhood of the city.

Once at the border, cross on foot and enter Uzbekistan.

IGNORE all the pesky taxi drivers.

They will jump on you like hyenas on a wounded animal and pester you with statements like “Where are you going?“, “Come with me, I’m leaving now!“, “Andijan, 10$, come“, “There’s no bus/marshurtka, only taxi“, and “There are no more marshrutkas today, taxi 20$“.

In my experience, politeness doesn’t work as expected with Central Asian taxi drivers. On the other hand, ignoring them will likely make them stop bothering you quicker.

An Uzbek public bus goes from the border to Andijan and costs only 6.000 UZS (0.5 USD). However, it’s not the most frequent and it may or may not be there when you arrive.

Alternatively, walk further down the street until you see the shared taxis lined up, waiting for passengers. You will probably be approached again – this time you can interact a little, see how many people they already have, ask for the price, etc.

Don’t settle for anything over 300 KGS (3.4$), although you could haggle down to 200 KGS for a seat.

The Experience at the Dostuk Border Crossing

The Dostuk Border Crossing is one of Kyrgyzstan’s busiest. It was renovated recently but remains a bit chaotic.

If you still have any Kyrgyz Som, you can change them just before the border at excellent rates. Learn more about money in Kyrgyzstan and money in Uzbekistan before you go.

Here are a few tips to help you cross Dostuk more easily:

1. Make friends with someone on the bus and walk together through the checkpoints.
2. Queueing is a concept mostly unknown to Central Asian locals. Stand your ground!
3. As a foreigner, you may enjoy a certain level of privilege and be allowed quick passage through the border.
4. Any Russian you speak will massively help you cross the border faster.
5. Do not cross into Uzbekistan with any strong painkillers. Here’s a list of forbidden medications for Uzbekistan;
6. Be prepared to hand over your phone for inspection. Delete any pornographic, propaganda, or sensitive materials you might have on your phone’s storage. Yes, I’m serious.

When I crossed the Dostuk Border my bag wasn’t checked and my medicine baggie wasn’t inspected. This is standard practice though, so be prepared.

My phone was not inspected, although I’ve heard more than a few reports from fellow travelers, whose phones have been.

Three different border officers examined my passport for more than 30 minutes. I asked them why that was and they said “Just checking“. I believe this is because EU passports are frequently forged, so they take extra precautions. Or maybe I looked suspicious, who knows.

Remember to turn your clock 1 hour back and ignore all the taxi drivers!

Arrival in Andijan

Bus 777 stops in front of Andijan Train Station. From there, you can either take a marshrutka to the city center (3000 UZS / 0.25$) or a train to Tashkent.

You’re now officially in the Fergana Valley! It’s an awesome region and very different from the more popular destinations in Uzbekistan like Samarkand and Bukhara.

I suggest you spend 3-4 days to soak in the authentic culture of this intriguing region.

Check out my full guide to the Fergana Valley.

The other way: from Andijan to Osh

If you’re doing the journey the other way, the process is very similar.

Take Bus 777 from in front of Andijan 1 Train Station towards Osh New Bus Station. The ticket costs 15.000 UZS / 1.3$.

Alternatively, take a shared taxi to the border (~30.000 UZS), cross Dostyk Border Crossing on foot, then hop on a local marshrutka (15 KGZ / 0.2$) to Osh City center.

After a few days in Osh, you might decide you want to travel to the capital Bishkek. This is a long and arduous journey and you can read more about traveling between Bishkek and Osh.