Transportation
How to get to Karakol and around town.
Located at the eastern tip of Lake Issyk-Kul, Karakol in Kyrgyzstan is becoming increasingly accessible and faster to reach thanks to ongoing improvements to the scenic lakeside road and a growing number of transport options.
While our mountain setting may feel remote, that’s part of the town's charm. And once you arrive in Karakol, getting around town to visit markets or museums, as well as to nearby day trip natural attractions, is quite simple.
Public Transportation in Kyrgyzstan
Marshrutkas
The most common — and cheapest — way to travel around Kyrgyzstan by public transportation is by marshrutka, which is like a minivan or a small bus that travels a standard route and picks up and drops off passengers along the way. Although marshrutkas usually have some set stops, you can also flag one down on the street in similar way as you would a taxi. Marshrutkas run on popular routes between towns and destinations, as well within towns and cities.
Shared Taxis
A shared taxi is a driver with a car (often unmarked) who is going to a specific location (e.g., city, town, village). Although you will usually find shared taxis at the bus station or main markets, there is no set departure time. A shared taxi driver will leave once his car is filled with passengers (depends on the car, but often four people). The advantage of shared taxis is that they are sometimes a bit faster than marshrutkas since they typically travel a more direct route. The downside is that you may need to wait for a while for the car to fill with passengers.
Shared taxis usually cost slightly more than marshrutkas, and if you get tired of waiting for passengers to show up you can also often offer to pay for the missing passengers so that the driver leaves immediately.
Long-Distance Buses
Large buses run on some of the more major routes between bigger towns and cities within Kyrgyzstan. This can be more comfortable than marshrutkas as there is more space. It is advised to buy tickets in advance for popular routes.
One popular option is GoBus, which runs a year-round night bus and seasonal daytime service from Bishkek to Karakol (and vice versa).
Private Cars & Taxi Hire
Private cars and taxis are available for hire throughout the region. This is a flexible and convenient option for travelers who prefer direct routes, customized stops, or are traveling in a group. Destination Karakol can help arrange trusted, local drivers.
Air Travel
Karakol International Airport (IKG) has recently been renovated and now operates domestic flights, mainly from Bishkek, making it easier and faster to reach Karakol. The airport offers flights to other parts of Kyrgyzstan and has plans for future international routes.
Tamchy Airport (Issyk-Kul International Airport or IKU) near Cholpon-Ata is also close to Karakol (2.5 hours by bus/car) and in the summer has flights from other airports in Kyrgyzstan, including Osh and Bishkek . Manas International Airport (FRU) in Bishkek is Kyrgyzstan's main international airport with year-round international flights from Istanbul, China, India, Dubai, Almaty, Tashkent and many more destinations.
In recent years, several other regional airports across Kyrgyzstan, including those in Naryn, Osh, and Jalal-Abad, have been newly developed or upgraded. While they mostly serve domestic routes, some airports like Osh support international flights.
Some airlines offering domestic flights in Kyrgyzstan include TezJet, SkyFru, Asman Airlines and Avia Traffic. The best local websites to book domestic flights in Kyrgyzstan online with international credit cards are bookit.kg and tickets.kg.
Local Transport in and around Karakol
Walking: Karakol’s small and well-organized layout makes it easy to explore on foot, with most attractions, markets, and restaurants within walking distance.
Bike Rentals: A sustainable and scenic way to explore Karakol’s streets and nearby trails. Learn where to rent bikes here.
Marshrutkas: Karakol's public transport system uses a system of numbered marshrutkas with set routes throughout the town and also to nearby villages and other locations (e.g., Sunday Animal Market). Marshrutkas have a set cost of 20 som/person for local stops. The main hub is the Ak-Tilek bazaar bus station.
Local taxis: Traveling around Karakol by taxi is rather simple and easy. The Yandex Go app is commonly used and ordering rides through the app is easy and inexpensive (Note: some European and North American registered mobile phones might have trouble downloading the app). This avoids the need to negotiate or watch the meter for fear of being cheated.
Getting from the Karakol bus station into town: Take Marshrutka #109 (20 som/person) or take a taxi (from 100 som/car). If you have a lot of gear, a taxi will likely be more comfortable.
How to Get to Karakol
There are a number of ways to get to Karakol from the capital city of Bishkek, as well as other areas of Kyrgyzstan. Some routes have enjoyable, scenic drives of the Tian Shan mountains and Lake Issyk-Kul.
By Road
Bishkek to Karakol (400 km, 6-7 hours)
GoBus: This comfortable large bus service is one of the best ways to travel to Karakol. You can book your ticket in advance via the GoBus app (download for Android and Apple phones). A night-bus runs year-round and an additional bus during the day is offered for most of the year.
- Find schedules, prices, and availability on their app. If you cannot purchase a ticket via the app, you can reach out to Destination Karakol to help with booking. Please note that tickets are often sold out several days in advance.
- Public Buses, marshrutkas (=minivans), and shared taxis: If you want to take a big public bus, a marshrutka or a shared taxi, you can go to the Bishkek Bus Station (Alma-Atinskaya Street, 1/1).
- Buses: Find schedules, prices and availability for intercity and international buses on Tezket.kg (website launched in 2025). They usually run in the evenings.
- Marshrutkas: Go to the cashier’s booth on-site (Касса – pronounced ‘Kassa’) and ask for your destination. They will issue a ticket for you that will show the license plate number of the Marshrutka that you will take. To be safe, it’s better to come in the mornings.
- Shared taxis are typically not managed via the bus station but drivers just go there. So if you want to join that, you have to approach drivers on-site directly.
- Apps: Some apps are starting to emerge to find rides. InDrive is becoming more popular but for intercity travels, you will typically find drivers on there who want you to book an entire car. Gettik is another option where you might more easily be able to book just one seat in a car.
Almaty (Kazakhstan) to Karakol (420 km, 7-8 hours)
- Border crossing via Kegen: This is best done by private transport or organized tours. We don't recommend public transportation for this as the border is very remote so you will likely struggle to find a taxi to and from the border.
- If you are interested to go to Almaty, you can approach Destination Karakol and we might be able to group several travelers together to rent a car that can take you all the way to Almaty. We can also organize private transport with one of our trusted providers.
These transport options are subject to change. Please check with the providers in advance to ensure smooth travels.
- Bishkek Bus Station: 1 Kurmanjan Datka Street, Bishkek
- Cholpon Ata Bus Station: 96 Sovetskaya Street
- Bokonbaevo Bus Station: Mambetova Street
- Almaty Bus Station: Sairan Bus Station
By Train and Road
Train buffs might enjoy taking the summer only (June - August) panorama train from Bishkek (Bishkek 2 Railway Station) to Balykchy (Rybachye station or Balykchy beach stop), which is on the western edge of Lake Issyk-Kul. From Balykchy you would need to catch a bus or shared taxi to Karakol, which would be another four hours by road.
The trains from Bishkek to Balykchy take around 4.5 hours and run from 7:40 AM to 12:15 PM. The train runs on the weekends (Friday-Sunday) in June to mid-July and then daily from mid-July to the end of August. You can buy tickets online with Kyrgyz Railways (search for Бишкек-2-Рыбачье). In the reverse direction, the trains depart Balychy at 18:12 and get into Bishkek 2 station at 22:18.Although taking the train may not be the fastest way to get from Bishkek to Karakol, it is certainly one of the prettiest as the train offers wagons with large panoramic windows to take in the stunning scenery.
By Air (Flight)
Karakol International Airport (IKG) recently reopened in December 2024 and now operates flights mainly from Bishkek. The airport also offers domestic flights to other parts of Kyrgyzstan during the high season and has plans for future international routes.
Important note on bus stations in Bishkek: The Western Bus Station that you might find referenced in different travel blogs does not work anymore as of late 2024. Please also do not go to the Eastern Bus Station (Intersection of Jibek Joly – Osmonkula) as this is the terminal for marshrutkas to destinations within or just beyond the eastern suburbs of Bishkek, such as Kant, Tokmok, Kemin, Kegeti, Issyk Ata, or the Korday border crossing. You will not find a marshrutka going to Karakol there.
| From (Location) | Type | When | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishkek (New Bus Station, Kurmanjan Datka 1, Bishkek) | Marshrutka | Ongoing during morning hours | 6-7 hours (due to road construction) | from 500 KGS |
| Shared taxi | Ongoing during morning hours, when vehicle is full | 5-6 hours | 1000-1500 KGS | |
| Night bus | 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00 | 5-6 hours | from 500 KGS | |
| Cholpon Ata (Long Distance Bus Station, 96 Sovetskaya Street) | Marshrutkas | Almost every 30 minutes during the daytime in summer season. | 2 hours | from 200 KGS |
| Shared taxis | Departures throughout the day, when vehicle is full. | 2 hours | from 300-400 KGS | |
| Bokonbaevo / South Shore of Issyk-Kul | Marshrutkas and shared taxis | Throughout the day, but ask at your guest house for regular departure times for that season. | 2 hours | from 200 KGS |
| Almaty, Kyrgyzstan | Bus | In summer, there is daily bus service from Almaty to Cholpon Ata or Tamchy, switching buses at the Kazakh-Kyrgyz border. In Cholpon Ata or Tamchy you can change to a Kyrgyz marshrutka to Karakol. | confirm | confirm |
How to Get from Karakol
Traveling from Karakol to other destinations in Kyrgyzstan, both near and far, is quite easy. There are three main transport hubs in the town — main bus station, south bus station, and main bazaar. Use the chart below to figure out which transport hub gets you to your next destination.
- Main Bus Station: 149 Przhevalskiy Street, Karakol
- Southern Bus Station: Corner of Toktogul / Torgoev streets
- Big Bazaar (Jeti-Oguz Buses): Jamansarieva/Bektenova streets
| To (Location) | Bus Station | Type | When | Duration | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bishkek | Main Bus Station | Marshrutka | Ongoing during the day | 6-7 hours | from 500 KGS |
| Shared taxi | Ongoing during the day, whenever vehicle is full | 5-6 hours | from 1000-1500 KGS | ||
| Night bus | 21:00, 22:00 and 23:00 | 5-6 hours | 500 KGS | ||
| Cholpon Ata | Main Bus Station | Marshrutkas and shared taxis | Regularly throughout the day. | 2 hours | from 300 KGS |
| Naryn (Main Bus Station, Przhevalskiy Street 149, Karakol) | Main Bus Station | Bus (via Kochkor) | 8:50 am (North Shore), 9:10 am (South Shore) | 5-6 hours | from 500 KGS |
| Bokonbaevo, South Shore | Southern Bus Station | Marshrutkas | 12:20; 14:20; 15:20; 16:30 | 2 hours | from 200 KGS |
| Balykchy, South Shore | Southern Bus Station | Marshrutka | 7:50; 8:50; 9:50; 10:50; 11:30; 12:50; 14:50 | 3 hours | from 200 KGS |
| Tamga, South Shore | Southern Bus Station | Marshrutkas | 13:00 pm; 15:00 pm | 1.5 hours | from 100 KGS |
| Barskoon, South Shore (Southern Bus Station, corner of Toktogul and Torgoev streets) | Southern Bus Station | Marshrutkas | 9:20; 12:00; 14:00; 15:00; 16:00; 17:00 | 1.5 hours | from 100 KGS |
| Jyrgalan | Big Bazaar | Marshrutka | 8:30; 1:30; 17:30 | 1 hour | from 100 KGS (Private taxi = from 1,500 KGS/4 people) |
| Ak Suu | Big Bazaar | Marshrutka | Every 10 minutes beginning at 7:20 | 20 min | from 50 KGS/person + 30 KGS/trekking bag |
| Jeti Oguz Village and Resort | Big Bazaar | Marshrutka (Note: If enough passengers want to go to the resort, the bus will stop there. If not, passengers can get off at the village and take a taxi to the resort.) | There is no exact schedule for bus. Share taxis available almost whole day. | 20 min to Jeti Oguz village, 35-40 minutes to Jeti Oguz resort | from 80 KGS to Jeti Oguz village; from 150 KGS to Jeti Oguz resort |
