Transportation in Samarkand

Samarkand's transport mix is simple and cheap. Shared taxis and marshrutkas (minivans) run the main boulevards all day, stopping wherever you wave. They cost a fraction of a private ride and are the quickest way between Registan, the bazaar, and the train station. For comfort, YandexGo works reliably and saves the haggle; flag-down taxis linger outside hotels but often quote "tourist" rates, skip them unless you're in a group and can split the splurge. From Samarkand International, the official taxi desk inside baggage claim sets a fixed moderate fare to the city center. Ignore the freelance drivers who swarm the exit. There's no rail link, and public buses are slow with luggage, so the taxi desk is the sane first move. Once downtown, walking is practical between the historic core sites. Anything farther out is a cheap marshrutka hop or a quick YandexGo ride.