In 4 The Long Haul

Baku

  • Accommodation:
    • Passage Boutique Hotel
  • Transport:
    • The city has bus, tram, trolley-bus and underground services
    • Baku is the only city in Azerbaijan with a metro service
    • The old town is served by the Baku Soviet station. Sahil station, near 26 Comissars square, is downtown
    • To use the metro you need to buy a magnetic card and charge it with the amount of trips you wish to take. The card comes in three different types – 24 hours, 72 hours and 7 days
    • Bus, tram and trolley fares are paid in cash to the driver. Red BakuCity buses cost 0.2 manat per ride
    • A funicular railway takes you up to Martyr’s alley (former Kirov park), though this is commonly out of service
    • Most taxis are unmetered and a journey anywhere within the city center will cost 15,000 manats
    • You can also pay for a private car with driver. The minimum charge is approximately €30 a day
    • You can also use shared mini vans – known as marshruts / marshrutki – that can sit 12 people, though most have more with standing room. They have no schedule and only leave when full. The vans drives along a fixed route and stops at any point along that route when flagged down or told to stop. However, there is no official route map
    • Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku is the main point of entry for international tourists. From the airport, bus 116 departs from the airport-parking section every 30 minutes 7am-8pm
  • Things to see:
    • Yanar Dag
    • Azerbaijan Carpet Museum
    • Maiden Tower
    • Old City
    • Baku Ferris Wheel
    • Heydar Aliyev Centre
    • Martyr’s alley
    • Flame Towers
    • Mini Venice
    • Palace of the Shirvanshahs
    • Ateshgah of Baku
    • Bibi-Heybat Mosque
    • Heydar Mosque
    • Freedom Square
    • TV Tower
  • Tips:
    • Remember to check if you need a visa. In January 2017, the ASAN visa portal was launched in Azerbaijan. For a length of stay in the country of up to 30 days, a one-time electronic visa can be obtained and is available within 3 working days after payment and sent directly to the applicant’s e-mail. The fee is $20
    • If you’re travelling further afield, the N38 Baku to Tbilisi, Georgia night train is a great way to travel. You will be asked to show your visa before boarding the train. The journey time is 13h 15min. Ticket prices depend on the carriage class. A first-class ticket costs $26,50 (45 manat). For more information, click here.
    • It’s important to dress appropriately and when visiting mosques to cover your hair if you’re female. Males need to wear trousers
    • Don’t forget to bargain in local markets and in souvenir shops

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