From the airport to the city centre Kyrgyzstan

The country has just one international airport, at Bishkek(www.airport.kg). Since Aeroflot is no longer authorized to fly to Europe, and all Kyrgyz airlines are also banned from flying to Europe, Turkish Airlines, and its low-cost subsidiary Pegasus, has become the best option for reaching Kyrgyzstan, via Istanbul. The average price of a round trip from Paris to Bishkek ranges from €500 to €800.

Locally, you'll find flights to Urumqi in China (China Southern).

Apart from international routes, Manas airport in Bishkek serves Osh daily. Neighboring countries are also served regularly: Tashkent with Uzbekistan Airways, Dushanbe with Tajik Air or Almaty with Air Astana. Many airlines have a representative office in Bishkek, most of them located on Sovietskaya. The airport is about 30 minutes from downtown by cab or marchrutka, and twice that by bus. Minibuses no. 153 leave from the intersection of Osh and Chuy Prospekt.
At Manas airport you'll find a café, several currency exchange offices (open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.), an ATM that accepts Visa cards (but only issues soms) and offices selling SIM cards for cell phones.

Arrival by train Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan's mountainous terrain is poorly served by the rail network. A single domestic line crosses the country from east to west via Bishkek: it stops at Balykchy on the shores of Lake Issyk Kul, and goes as far as Kazakhstan if you take it westwards. From there, there are connections to Moscow (visa required) and on to Europe. Moscow, the only international destination, connects with Bishkek three or four times a week.

Public transport Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyzstan is a very mountainous country, and the only road that is truly passable all year round (at the cost of incessant roadworks) is the one linking Bishkek to Osh. China is working to improve many other roads, in particular the one linking Bishkek to Kashgar via Torugart, and the one linking Osh to Kochkor via Kazarman. These roads are used by many cabs and a few minibuses, but buses are unable to climb the hills. You'll need to budget accordingly for shared cabs or car rentals.

With a driver Kyrgyzstan

This is the best, if most expensive, way to discover the country. Most agencies in Bishkek are able to provide chauffeur-driven 4x4 cars at rates ranging from €120 to €160 per day, with rates varying greatly according to the distance to be covered, the length of stay and the difficulty of the tour. It's a lot of money, but it allows you to be truly autonomous and not have to worry about luggage or recovery during the hikes, since the driver can wait for you or join you wherever you wish.

By car Kyrgyzstan

You can rent a car and drive your own vehicle in Kyrgyzstan if you have an international driving license. But beware: Kyrgyz people have a very personal view of the rules of the road, and you'll have to pay more attention to the road than to the scenery!

Accessibility Kyrgyzstan

The country is not really suited to people with reduced mobility. Some agencies offer vehicles equipped for this purpose, but the difficulty of the journeys, the altitude and the state of the roads make the trip a little tedious.