Safety in Uzbekistan: what overland travellers should know
Our summary of the country advice published by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Viaggiare Sicuri) on 6 September 2026.
Safety
- Official crossings only — To reach Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan or Turkmenistan use only official border posts, and firmly refuse any invitation to cross somewhere that is not officially open: unmarked minefields and antipersonnel mines lie along those stretches, and there are police and court consequences on top of that.
- Afghan border — Travel to the areas immediately along the border with Afghanistan is advised against.
- Closely watched regions — In Surkhandarya, Andijan, Fergana and Namangan the authorities keep tighter surveillance, with intensified checks on the way in and out of those regions and, for foreigners, at hotels.
- Off-itinerary routes — Foreigners can travel freely except in places closed to visitors, so if your route leaves the usual tourist itineraries check beforehand that the area is accessible. Some border stretches are still under bilateral demarcation talks, and crossings have occasionally been shut at short notice during periods of tension, so check the border situation before heading for a neighbouring country.
- Crime and crowded places — Tashkent and the tourist cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Nukus are heavily policed and have so far shown no particular problems, either with public order or with crime against travellers. After the March 2024 Crocus City Hall attack in Moscow the authorities stepped up security at crowded public places, where the ministry asks you to stay alert.
- Earthquakes — Like the rest of the region Uzbekistan is seismically active. The largest recorded earthquake struck Tashkent in 1966.
Before you rely on this
This is our summary of advice written by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Italian travellers, published on 6 September 2026. We summarise in good faith, but we cannot guarantee it is accurate, current or complete, and we take no responsibility for decisions made on the basis of it. Rules change without notice and are applied by officials at the border, not by websites. Always read the original source and the travel advice your own government publishes for Uzbekistan before you travel. GuideMeet has no way of checking whether an individual guide meets any standard mentioned here — ask them directly.
Source: Viaggiare Sicuri — Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, updated 6 September 2026. Last checked by GuideMeet on 2026-09-20.