

Getting to and from Manas International Airport to the city of Bishkek is quite easy. Bishkek has one of the best public transport systems of most cities I’ve been to. Its not exactly the most modern, but its the cheaper and more convenient than almost all fully developed countries.

The airport (FRU) is located ~35 km from downtown Bishkek. If you arrive during the day time, you have two options at the airport – taxi or public bus. Many flights arrive at night leaving a taxi as the only option. A taxi should cost 500 som, but drivers will certainly try for more – potentially 2,000 som. There are many drivers that will come up to you so just bargain hard.

If you come during the day (7:30am-6pm), you can take the public transport and save a bunch of money! They call their “buses” marshrutkas and they’re basically vans that act like buses. You flag them down at bus stops and get on and off like a normal bus, buts its just a large van. From the airport, exit the terminal and cross the small parking lot to the main road. The terminal is very small. Look for the bus stop and try to find #380. It will list the number in the front of the window. It may be waiting there already until it fills up or you may have to wait a little bit for it to come. Ignore the taxi drivers pestering you while you wait. It will come no matter what they tell you. The marshrutka costs 40 som to the city. You ride this marshrutka all the way until it stops near Osh Bazaar. Once at Osh Bazaar, you can find a cheap taxi to your hotel – no more than 150 som maybe 100 if its closer by or use public transport again if you’re familiar with Bishkek or just walk. Bishkek is a very safe city.

To get to the airport, find any marsthrutka to Osh Bazaar written on it and ride it there. Once at Osh Bazaar, you need to go to the corner of Molodaya Guardiya and Chuy which is only one block from Osh Bazaar. Just north of this corner (about 10 meters) on the left side of Molodaya Guardiya (if you’re facing north) is where marsthrutka 380 picks people up. See this info from lonely planet.The marsthurka actually parks on the side of the road and waits until it fills up before heading off on the journey to the airport. The van has a clearly marked “Airport” sign in Russian on the front with the number 360. It was again 40 som and you pay when you get to the airport. The driver lets you put your bags in the back.

Make sure to get a seat in the very back of the van if you can so that way you can sit down all the way to the airport without having to surrender your seat to a babushka. Random people will get on and off the van as it makes it way to the airport that live or work somewhere along the journey it takes out that way.