Turkmenistan

Asia > 🇹🇲 Turkmenistan

The city by city Car or no Car advice for Turkmenistan can be broken down into three similar questions - do you need a car in Turkmenistan;  is it worth it (based on costs), and ultimately - should you rent one? (a balance of the two).

🚆 🚌⛴️ Do we need to rent a car in Turkmenistan?

These scores are based on the quality of public transport and other travel options. If these are good enough to see the main points of interest, then you don’t need to rent a car.

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💰💶💳 Is it worth hiring a car in Turkmenistan?

These scores reflect the practical factors that affect whether renting a car is convenient, good value, and stress-free.

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🏙️ Main Cities in Turkmenistan

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Travel in Turkmenistan is fascinating, unusual, and extremely controlled, so should you rent a car in Turkmenistan? 🤔🇹🇲 In practice, renting a car to drive yourself is rare and difficult. Paperwork is strict, deposits are high, and road conditions change quickly once you leave the cities. Because of this, most visitors rely on car-and-driver arrangements, which give all the benefits of flexibility without the stress.

Driving and car rental 🚘🛑

Independent car hire is technically possible in Ashgabat, but it’s a slow process and often not worth the effort. Roads in the capital are good, yet the moment you head towards the desert, surfaces shift from smooth asphalt to rough tracks. A local driver who knows the route saves you time, avoids surprises, and greatly reduces hassle.

Getting around without a car 🚌✈️🚕

Cities such as Ashgabat, Mary, and Daşoguz are easy to explore using taxis and buses. For longer journeys, shared taxis, coaches, and domestic flights work well. Shared taxis leave when full, which adds flexibility but also unpredictability. Flights are simple and cheap enough to cut long distances.

The rail network 🚆🌙

Turkmenistan’s trains connect Ashgabat, Mary, Türkmenabat, and Daşoguz. They are slow but comfortable and have a retro charm. However, the network doesn’t reach the big desert sights, so trains are better for relaxed point-to-point travel rather than deep exploration.

Places where a driver really helps 🔥🏜️

• Darvaza Gas Crater (“Door to Hell”) — extremely remote, only safe with an experienced driver.

• Nisa — close to Ashgabat but easiest with pre-arranged transport.

• Kunya-Urgench — reachable by public transport but much faster by car.

Summary — should you rent a car in Turkmenistan? 💬✔️❌

❌ No for self-drive — bureaucracy, road conditions, fuel availability, and restrictions make it impractical.
✔️ Yes for a car + driver — it’s the best way to see the desert, ruins, and remote regions safely and comfortably.
😊 And if you prefer independence, you can still rely on trains, shared taxis, and domestic flights for a rewarding and manageable trip.

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🚗 ✅ ❌ Summary Table

This summary brings together taxis*, how much you really need a car, whether it’s worth it, driver options, local driving rules, and an overall recommendation. *Taxis act as a hybrid between private cars and public transport, so they aren’t counted in the overall public-transport or non-car scores. 🚕  This site is planned for full launch on 1st January 2026. Full terms, advice, FAQs, disclaimer etc to follow.