Ashgabat

Arriving in Ashgabat

See second part of this section - ‘arriving in Turkmenistan’ - for information on flying into Ashgabat and reaching the city centre.

If you are not being met by someone, you can take a taxi at the airport exit beyond customs control. The taxi to your hotel should cost between $1-5.

Public transport

In Ashgabat there are several means of public transport: bus, trolleybus and marshrutnoe taxi. (Trolley) buses are identified by number or end destination. They are not often used by experts since they offer a rather slow and crowded service during the rush hour. Route maps are scarce.

Marshrutnoe taxis are minibuses that follow set routes anywhere along which they pick up and drop off passengers. Non-Russian or Turkmen speakers will find it difficult to use this type of transport.

Taxi

You can find a taxi on the street or at a special taxi stand. Take the precautions set out previously (see ‘How to get around’).

Hiring a car and driver

If you need a car for the whole day or to go to the airport, you can hire a car (usually with driver). Expect to pay about $15 per day. The Coordinating Unit can make the necessary arrangements upon request, but does not accept any responsibility for non-performance by the driver.

Buying a car

In case you intend to stay for a longer period you may consider to buy a car. Nowadays there are a number of companies in Ashgabat that sell cars and offer after-sales service:

• Tofas (Mir-1, dom 1, Tel 44 33 89/ 44 35 24) sells Turkish ‘Fiats’.
• Renault (14 Kuliev Street, Tel 51 10 35/ 51 10 31).
• Mercedes-Benz.

The Coordinating Unit can issue a supporting letter for the registration formalities. Should you wish to drive yourself, remember to carry drivers license, personal identification papers and vehicle documents at all times as police checks are frequent. Recruting a local driver may offer advantages in the areas of repair & maintenance, refueling, ‘shopping’, etc.

Guides to Ashgabat

There are a number of guides to Central Asia and Turkmenistan that contain a section on Ashgabat. You should buy the guides in Western Europe before you leave since they are not available on the ground:

• Whittell, Giles, Central Asia, the practical handbook, Cadogan, 1993.
• Central Asia, travel survival kit, Lonely Planet, 1995.

Local newspapers sometimes also feature useful information on entertainment and shops.

Hotels

Refer to the first part of this section - ‘Hotel reservation’ - for general information.

Should you need to book into a hotel when you first arrive, or should you need to arrange accommodation for a colleague, the list below may be of some use. It contains the major Ashgabat hotels. Prices quoted are usually rack rates - you may be able to obtain a more reasonable rate if you have a corporate discount arrangement, or if you are planning a long stay. The Tacis Coordinating Unit can issue a letter stating that you are an expert working on a Tacis project and in some hotels you will be given a corporate rate. To obtain a letter, fax your name, contract number and period of your stay to the Tacis Coordinating Unit.

Eating Out

Many of the above listed hotels have their own restaurants which you can eat in also if you are not resident. In addition there is a growing number of local and joint-venture restaurants.

• The ‘Florida’ (8 Gorogly Street, Tel. 51 20 32) is an entertainment complex which includes a British Pub with happy hours at lunch time as well as in the early evening, fast food and a la carte restaurants with set price lunch, brunch and early diner, a Casino and discotheque. Membership card gives 20% discount.
• ‘Ankara’ (Gagarin Street near tunnel, Tel. 24 97 88) and “Istanbul” (Gorogly Street 5 opposite Florida) offer Turkish cuisine at a reasonable price in a simple but pleasant atmosphere.
• ‘Dipservice’ ( 48, Gorogly street, Tel 25 42 60) has a bar, casino and Lebanese restaurant.

Renting an apartment

If you are going to rent an apartment, you are advised to consult the Tacis Coordinating Unit, or rely on word of mouth through trustworthy foreign residents or friends.

If you can read Russian try a paper such as Reklamnyi Vestnik which has advertisements for apartments. If you answer a private advertisement, try and take someone with you, especially if you are not a Turkmen or Russian speaker. Compared with local prices, rents can be high in Ashgabat, and you can pay from US$300 to $800 per month. Houses are more expensive to rent ($1,000 and over).

Shopping

The supply of goods is gradually increasing but still you will not be able to find all the products that you are used to in Western Europe. For household needs, ask your associates or turn to one of the following shops:

• Iranian shops on Alisher Navoi Street 44 and Magtymguly Avenue (corner Alisher Navoi);
• Free shop (behind Karl Marx square);
• Univermag (50 Magtymguly Avenue);
• Trade Center (Mir-1/Turkmenbashi Avenue);
• Airport shops (new Airport);
• Sony shop (19 Chekhov Street);
• Benetton (corner Zhitnikov and Alisher Navoi Streets).
• Yves Rocher, Azadi street opposite Lenin statue.

Markets

You can buy fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, eggs, other food products and flowers at a number of city markets. The quality of produce is usually very good. Two markets near the centre of Ashgabat are:

• Russian Bazar, Gorogly Street 18 is clean and airy. The selection of fruit and vegetables is standard. Meat can be obtained here, though should be bought in the morning as there is no refrigeration.
• Tekke Bazar, Gorogly Street opposite the bus station is also light and open. The selection is good, especially with flowers which are available almost 24 hours per day.

Healthcare

The Coordinating Unit maintains a list of doctors and registers long term experts with the Government Hospital (21 Turkmenbashi Avenue, Tel 39 08 77 (day) 25 57 16 (night)) upon request. Otherwise try one of the following hospitals:

• Semashko (1 Krupskaya Street, Tel 25 44 20).
• Pirogova (Gorogly Street, Tel 29 04 66).

Emergency services

These are the phone numbers to contact the emergency services in Ashgabat:

• Fire 01
• Police 02
• Ambulance 03
• Gas service 04

Hairdressers

There are a number of reasonable hairdressing salons in Ashgabat. For instance:

• ‘Ovadan’, on Zhitnikov opposite Russian bazaar.
• ‘Gul’, on Alisher Navoi between Benetton shop and Mir Cinema.

Some of the major hotels have hair and beauty salons but prices are fairly high. There are several other reputable booths around the city.

Laundry

If you don’t have a washing machine in your apartment, check with one of the main hotels. You can also negotiate with your land or floor lady. Otherwise, the Coordinating Unit maintains a list of people that offer laundry service.

News service

Three times a week at 20h00 Turkmen television broadcast an English language news survey.

‘Turkmenistan News’ is published in English, Russian and Turkmen, and is useful for official information on what is happening in Turkmenistan. For subscriptions call Turkmen Press (24a Neutral Turkmenistan Street, 25 12 21).

‘Focus Central Asia’ is published every other week in Almaty and gives useful information on the countries in the region. For subscriptions write or call either: 166, Zheltoksan, 480091 Almaty, Tel (+7-3272) 63 34 48/ 63 32 66 (fax)) or: 61, Kensington Oval, London SE 11 5SW, Tel (+44-171) 735 97 79/ 582 41 03 (fax)).

‘Labyrinth’ is a Central Asia Quarterly issued by the Central Asia Research Forum at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London with short news on the region as well. For subscriptions write or call: Russell Square, London WC1H 0XG, Tel (+44-171) 323 63 00/ 436 38 44 (fax).

The Economist Intelligence Unit produces a quarterly country report which emphasises economical and business news. For subscriptions call or write: 15, Regent Street, London SW1Y 4LR, Tel (+44-171) 830 10 07/ 830 10 23 (fax).

Worship

Mosques

The main mosques in Ashgabat are the Hezreti-Omar, Abu-Bekir, Azadi, and Aksa mosques.

Russian Orthodox Churches

There is the Saint Nicholas Cathedral and the Saint Alexander Nevsky Church.

Christian Churches.

Evangelical Baptists.

Others

Ba-hai commune.

Recreation and entertainment

Some of the modern hotels have a casino, swimming pool, tennis court, sauna, and work-out facilities. There are discotheques at the Independent, Grand Turkmen and Florida Hotels. Hash House Harriers gather every other Sunday in front of the Ashgabat Hotel, and the Camel Club meets every Wednesday in the Florida pub. Ashgabat has a Russian and Turkmen theatre, an opera and ballet house, a circus and a Hippodrome. Hiking and horse-back riding are available near Ashgabat.

ESKATO-UNEP, 15 Neutral Turkmenistan street, Tel 39 20 39, 25 70 91, organizes excursions of all type.

What to see

• National Museum of History and Ethnography (1 Shevchenko Street);
• Fine Arts Museum (84 Magtymguly Av.);
• Carpet Museum (5 Gorogly Street.).

Other sights in Ashgabat are the Lenin statue in the park behind the Cabinet of Ministers and the new Presidential Palace on Karl Marx Street. Outside Ashgabat are the Underground Lake (1,5 hour by car away), the Firyuza Gorge and the archaeological sites of Nissa and Anau.

Office equipment

Vest Co: tel/fax 35-32-60, mobil 30-82-99, vest@online.tm

Infocom:

computers, sell photocopiers, faxes telephones, modems, etc., with one year guarantee and free servicing. Delivery time up to one or two weeks. A number of shipping companies operate from and to Ashgabat (see ‘Before you leave - shipping services’).

Money

A $Account can be opened at the Vneshekonombank with a company letter that authorises the experts to carry out financial transactions on its behalf. Money transfers take up to 5 days and can be made through corresponding banks including ING Bank (Vienna), Credit Commercial de France (Paris) and Deutsche Bank (Frankfurt). The Vneshekonombank accepts, at a charge, visa & master cards, as well as traveller cheques.