Question 1

Will my mobile phone work in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan? Should I get a local SIM card?

Daniel · Accepted Answer

Your mobile phone should work in Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan if you enable international roaming, but roaming costs from international carriers can be very expensive.

If you want to stay connected during your trip to Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan, we recommend getting a local SIM card upon arrival for convenience and cost savings. Alternatively, you could get an eSIM like Airalo that offers weekly or monthly data plans.

In Kyrgyzstan, the main mobile operators are Beeline, O!, and MegaCom. They all have good coverage in cities and even decent reach in many rural areas. A tourist SIM with a data package is quite cheap — e.g., $5-$10 for several GB of data and local calls. Your guide can help you purchase and register a SIM in Osh or Bishkek when you start the tour. You’ll need to show your passport. If you stay in Kyrgyzstan longer than 30 days then you’ll need to register your IMEI number with a government database on the IMEI.kg website. The process is inexpensive (around 550som / US$6.30), but it can be a bit difficult to get set up for foreign phones.

In Tajikistan, Babilon or MegaFon are common operators. Khorog and Dushanbe have many shops to get a SIM card. Coverage in the Pamirs is spotty, but you’ll get signal in towns like Murghab and Khorog.

If you prefer not to bother with getting a SIM card, you can still get online from time to time. Many cafes and hotels in cities or bigger towns offer free Wi-Fi.

Note: If your phone is locked to your home carrier, it may not accept a foreign SIM, so ensure your phone is unlocked before buying a SIM card.

Question 2

Will my mobile phone work in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan? Should I get a local SIM card?

Daniel · Accepted Answer

Your mobile phone should work in Kyrgyzstan/Tajikistan if you enable international roaming, but roaming costs from international carriers can be very expensive.

If you want to stay connected during your trip to Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan, we recommend getting a local SIM card upon arrival for convenience and cost savings. Alternatively, you could get an eSIM like Airalo that offers weekly or monthly data plans.

In Kyrgyzstan, the main mobile operators are Beeline, O!, and MegaCom. They all have good coverage in cities and even decent reach in many rural areas. A tourist SIM with a data package is quite cheap — e.g., $5-$10 for several GB of data and local calls. Your guide can help you purchase and register a SIM in Osh or Bishkek when you start the tour. You’ll need to show your passport. If you stay in Kyrgyzstan longer than 30 days then you’ll need to register your IMEI number with a government database on the IMEI.kg website. The process is inexpensive (around 550som / US$6.30), but it can be a bit difficult to get set up for foreign phones.

In Tajikistan, Babilon or MegaFon are common operators. Khorog and Dushanbe have many shops to get a SIM card. Coverage in the Pamirs is spotty, but you’ll get signal in towns like Murghab and Khorog.

If you prefer not to bother with getting a SIM card, you can still get online from time to time. Many cafes and hotels in cities or bigger towns offer free Wi-Fi.

Note: If your phone is locked to your home carrier, it may not accept a foreign SIM, so ensure your phone is unlocked before buying a SIM card.