Capital: Dushanbe
Time zone: GMT + 5
Telephone services: Country Code: 7 (followed by 3772 for Dushanbe) Outgoing Code: International calls have to go through the operator.
Emergency telephone numbers: Not present
Tourist information: Intourist, Intourist House, 219 Marsh Wall, Isle of Dogs, London E14 9PD Tel: (020) 7538 8600 Fax: (020) 7538 5967
Passport information: 10-year passport valid for at least 6 months prior to departure required by all. Return Ticket required. Requirements may be subject to short-term change. Contact the relevant authority before departure.
Visa information: Visa required by all
Health information: Polio, Typhoid: Vaccination recommended
Malaria: Reports have indicated there may be a risk of malaria near the Southern border in the vivax variety
Other Health Risks: There is a Diphtheria epidemic. Cholera and Rabies also exist. NOTE: Medical advice should be sought before travelling bearing in mind the potential medical risk when travelling in Tajikistan.
Food & drink: Water is untreated and not safe to drink. Avoid dairy products as they are not pasteurised. Fruit and vegetables should be peeled before consumption.
Currency: Rouble Exchange: The preferred hard currency is the US Dollar although others are acceptable. All bills are usually settled in cash. NOTE: The import of local currency is prohibited.
Visa card has limited acceptance in some hotels in the capital. Travellers cheques are not accepted.
ATM availability: Unavailable.
Cost of living: High inflation has resulted in lower prices.
Languages: Tajik. Russian and English (by those involved in tourism) are also spoken.
Weather: Temperatures vary between 12ºC min in the winter to 45ºC max in the summer.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50 Hz.
Post: Mail can take anything between two weeks and two months to reach Western Europe or the USA.
Transport: ROAD: During poor weather conditions the roads are mainly impassable. During the winter the roads from the capital are often closed because of the snow. TAXI: Agree the fare in advance and use the old and new street names, which have been created since independence. Officially marked taxis are safe but sharing with strangers should be avoided. BUS: There are services between the major towns when the roads are open. DOCUMENTATION: IDP and insurance are required.
Special information: EXTREME RISK NOTE: The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all travel to Tajikistan. Outbursts of fighting continue and the potential for terrorist incidents targeted against the Russian military continue to exist. There is no British mission in Tajikistan. British travellers are advised to check local conditions with the German or US Embassies. Do not travel alone or on foot after dark. Be vigilant and dress down. Shorts are rarely seen and if worn by females they are likely to create unwanted attention from the local men. Do not travel out of Dushanbe or Khojand unless with persons from an international organisation.