A thread discussing the checkpoint between Andijan (Uzbekistan) and Osh (Kyrgyzstan): Can non-citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan cross here?
Yes, without any problems.
I crossed this checkpoint four times in September. There weren’t many people, and if you mention that you're a tourist, they’ll let you skip the line altogether. When I traveled from Osh to Andijan to visit the bazaar and walk around, both borders took me about 10–15 minutes to pass.
Shared taxis travel to the checkpoint on the Andijan side. On the Osh side, marshrutkas (shared minibusses) run regularly. If you stand with your back to the checkpoint, you’ll find them on the right, about 100 meters away.
Good day! We’re traveling by car. Can tourists cross this checkpoint in their own vehicles?
Yes, you can cross in your own car. I crossed in July with Kazakh license plates and a Kazakh passport.
I crossed this checkpoint last summer, going from Uzbekistan to Kyrgyzstan. The entire process took just 15 minutes.
The Kyrgyz customs side is chaotic on both ends. When entering Uzbekistan, we stood in line for 1.5 hours and thought it was slow. But going back was much worse—crowds surged at the gates, women were shouting, and there was a crush of people. And this was just to get into another enormous line that took at least three to four hours to clear.
We eventually had to ask the border guards to let us through the car windows as tourists, which they kindly did. On the Uzbek side, everything was quick and orderly. In summary, this checkpoint isn’t for the faint of heart.
When did that happen? Six months ago, I crossed with no issues at all. Tourists who don’t look local are often invited to skip the line.
I crossed this checkpoint in September from Andijan to Osh.
Uzbek Side: There are many shops, cafés, and restrooms near the border where you can spend your last Uzbek soms. I didn’t see any official currency exchange offices, but taxi drivers offered small exchanges informally. The border process here is efficient. Entry is through turnstiles with chip scanning, which allows you to skip the line. After the turnstile, there’s a counter where an officer stamps your exit paperwork—no issues there. Customs didn’t ask any questions, and the baggage scanner wasn’t even operational, so you could carry your bags through without a problem.
Kyrgyz Side: The line was significantly longer. The layout of the customs area is strange, with the passport control windows facing the wall, making it difficult to reach the further counters. You have to squeeze through with your bags between people and the wall. Since the line was long and I had a flight to catch, I approached the front of the queue and asked to go through. The border guards didn’t seem to check who was a tourist, but the stamping process was quick and without questions—just a quick glance at the camera.
On the Kyrgyz side, there are plenty of currency exchange counters—at least 20. The exchange rate was uniform but decent. I exchanged the rest of my soms there.
Just outside the customs area, by the gas station, there’s a marshrutka that will take you to the city center for 20 soms.