how to get to Baku

By plane: Azerbaijan is well connected with the world thanks to its well-developed six international airports. Baku’s main gateway, Heydar Aliyev International Airport, is situated just 25 km from the city centre, and is served by major airlines including Azerbaijan Airlines (AZAL), Aeroflot, Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways, Emirates, Fly Dubai, among many others.

Based on an analysis of the global situation in connection with the COVID-19 pandemic and in order to prevent the spread of the virus in the country, measures on exiting and entering the territory of the Republic of Azerbaijan by overland means of transport across land borders, excluding cargo transportation, as well as restrictions on international and charter flights, have been extended until 1 July 2023.

By train: Direct links are available to a number of destinations within the CIS. Overnight trains are available from Russia, Georgia and Ukraine on a regular basis, while there is a less regular train from the Belarussian city of Brest that calls at Minsk. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway perfectly connects Azerbaijan and Georgia to Turkish and European railway networks. Passenger services on this route are to be launched soon.

By car: Azerbaijan’s transport infrastructure has enjoyed massive investment in recent years. The country is connected to Russia, Iran and Georgia while the Nakhchivan exclave has direct road links to Turkey and regular bus services all the way to Istanbul. The ‘northern route’ from Baku to Tbilisi can also offer an easy and very picturesque journey between the Azerbaijani and Georgian capitals via the historic cities of Shamakhi and Sheki.

Metro: Only the capital, Baku, has a metro system, which operates between 06:00 and 24:00. Stations, trains and facilities are clean and safe, with trains running every two to three minutes. There are two lines: the Red Line, which goes from Icherisheher to Hezi Aslanov, and the Green Line, which runs from Khatai to Darnagul.

Buses: Buses are an inexpensive way to travel in Baku. Bus schedules are generally available at bus stops. Passengers pay using the prepaid BakiKart, however some older buses still use the old system of paying the driver for the journey when you board.

Taxi: To date, Baku offers 61 licensed taxi service stands across the city. The majority of taxis that wait at street corners do not have meters and many demand around 5 AZN as a minimum fare. However, the metered London-style cabs have very sensible per kilometre rates. For longer rides, you should pre-order a taxi by phone. 

The easiest way to get from the airport to the city centre and the hotels is by taxis situated at the main entrance of the airport. A taxi journey to the city centre should cost no more than 25-30 AZN. Another good option is to use the Airport Express Bus service run by the BakuBus company which goes to the city centre (28 May metro station). These modern and comfortable buses run mainly from 06:00 to 00:00 every 30 minutes.