Uzbekistan low on Fuel!

[bijsterbosch]

Hi,

Just returned from Europe - Stans trip.
Crossed border from Turkmenistan tot Uzbekistan near Nukus to find out out that the country is running out of petrol and diesel.
I guess 1 out of 50 petrol stations sells some limited amount of petrol. Riding a bike 10-15 liters wil be sold. Prices around USD 0,50 in local money.
When almost running dry ask around in villages: in storage barns the barrels of petrol will apear en be sold for around USD 1,- after negotiation.
Mostly 80 octan but the Africa Twin runs O.K. on it.

In Tashkent no shortage.

Border crossing just north of Tashkent tot Kazakh is closed due to recontruction. You will be send to border post of "Yallama' 70 klimoeters back on the road to Samarkand. This is signposted.
Once in Kazakh plenty of petrol!

Regards,

Guido

[Ahe59]

I experienced the same thing, I went to Nukus in May and I was glad to have 10 liters of spare fuel with me when I left kazachstan to oezbekistan across the Ustyurt. In Kungrad I got some fuel in a petrolstation, (A76). After that all gastations are soldout or closed, only on the black market You can get fuel...

In Kiva the same problem and the hotal manager arranged some fuel for me including 10liters spare, in Buchara the situation was better and in Samarkand the fuelstations ar operating normal.

I also took the border in yallama to go from Taskent to Shimkent, there was no choice. The police was very relaxed everywere except near tashkent, mostly asking adkuda and then adkuda wy ... and you can pass.

[colebatch]

Originally Posted by Ahe59

After that all gastations are soldout or closed, only on the black market You can get fuel...

In Kiva the same problem and the hotel manager arranged some fuel for me including 10liters spare,

This is the best way ... if you stay somewhere or stop to eat somewhere, ask your host to get you some. There is a steady black market for smuggled Turkmenistan "Blue Benzine" which is better than the stuff in Uzbekistan.

Bukhara, Samarkand, Tashkent are unlikely to be a problem ... its just the Northwest that gets hardly any petrol.

[Ahe59]

Originally Posted by colebatch

Northwest that gets hardly any petrol.

I think the Karakalpakstan region...

[dnicoletti]

we're currently in tashkent to apply for some visas. by the way, officially, since march 2010 pakistan embassy does not allow to release pak visa to foreigners citizens. we get in UZ from konyeurghenc, turkmenistan to nukus, karakalpakstan province. since we get in we saw plenty of cars waiting at the gas stations for gasoline. we ask for on what about, but nobody could explains us the matter of that. anyway no petrol for them, no petrol for us. we only found it out at the black market, from north 'till samarkand. in khiva area not less than 3000 sum, wich means 1,50 euro, 2500 in samarkand, 1500
nearby guliston, 70 km from tashkent. in tashkent most of gas stations runs regulary. tomorrow we'll try this new experience too.

www.lungastrada.it

[expeditionswest]

We just crossed into Uzbek from the western border. There was no fuel until just west of Samarkand, and for that, we got lucky. Limited fuel in Samarkand. Glad we had 35L extra.

However, the locals have proven industrious, and you CAN find Benzine nearly anywhere, in small quantities (a few liters sitting outside their home) and for a price.

Despite this, the country is worth seeing. Samarkand is a gem. Off to Tajikistan and a shot at the Pamir. . .