BORDERS
Kazakhstan border

According to the information received from the Border Service of Kyrgyz Republic 4 of the 12 checkpoints on the Kyrgyz-Kazakh border are open (there are 2 names of each checkpoint: from Kyrgyz/Kazakh sides): Ak-Zhol/Korday (closest to Bishkek on the way from Bishkek to Almaty), chekpoint Kaindy (railway), chekpoint Chaldovar (near Kara-Balta town), chekpoint Chon-Datka (Talas region). At the same time, important checkpoints Ak-Tilek (Chernaya Rechka) and chekpoint Kegen/Korumdu are among the closed. From non-official talks with Border Service officials we have found out that the closed checkpoints are not planned to be opened from the Kazakhstan side.

Therefore, the load of the Ak-Jol/Korday checkpoint has increased significantly and it became more difficult and time consuming to cross the border especially during the rush hours. If you travel to Kazakhstan by own car, passing the border might require from 2 to 6 hours. An option is to use one car until the border and than another one on the Kazakhstan side. For example, such service of Kyrgyz Concept (2 cars instead of one) would cost you - 6,750 som (about USD150), 1000 som more expensive than using one car.

A much faster way to reach Almaty is Bishkek-Almaty flight operated by Air Astana 4 times a week on the board of Fokker. The flight takes 1 hour and costs USD64 one way and USD120 for round trip.

 Uzbekistan border

According to the information from the South Region Border Service, out of all the checkpoints only Dostuk / Dustlik checkpoint (working hours: 8.00am to 8.00pm) operates to allow crossing the citizens of third countries and humanitarian aid in both directions. This information is contradictory and some sources inform that the 3rd country citizens are also not allowed to cross the border. We would recommend to use Tashkent-Bishkek flights as the only guaranteed way.

For the citizens of Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan all the checkpoints are closed from the Uzbekistan side.

Tajikistan border

According to the on-duty guard of the operational quarters of Batken region, only checkpoint Kyzyl-Bil is currently open.
Working hours from 8.00 a.m. till 8.00 p.m.
  
China border

According to the operational headquarters of Batken and Osh regions, both chekpoints Torugart and Irkeshtam are open.
Working hours:  from 8.00 to 18.00

ROAD RECONSTRUCTIONS

According to the information from the Ministry of transport and communications, the reconstruction of Bishkek-Naryn-Torugart road has started. Currently asphalt is being laid on between the 9th and 103rd km (Issyk-Kul bypass road). During the work the road is not being closed. The project is planned to be finished by 2011. The reconstruction on the road from 103 km to 148 km (Boomskoye gorge) will start in August. The motion will not be closed during the summer, but in autumn, periodically, the motion will be closed because of the magnitude of the planned works. This road is planned to be a four-lane (instead of current two lanes). The project is planned to be finished by 2012.

Also the reconstructions of roads Osh - Sary-Tash (to be ready by 2012) and the Tup - Kegen (Issyk-Kul region, to be ready in 2011) are in the process.

In addition, reconstruction works are started on the Pulgon-Burgondu part of the Osh-Batken-Isfana road. This road goes around the Sokh enclave. This project is going to be finished by 2012

Our 24-hour office in Hyatt is there, when your travel requires urgent arrangements. Phone number: +996 312 900 886