By Air
Manas International Airport lies 25 kilometers north of the city. Turkish Airlines and Pegasus fly direct from Istanbul, Aeroflot from Moscow, and regional carriers connect to cities across Central Asia. A taxi from the airport to the city center costs around 800-1,200 KGS and takes 30-40 minutes. Some hotels arrange airport transfers.
By Road
From Almaty (Kazakhstan): Shared taxis and buses run the route in three to four hours via the Korday border crossing. Departures are frequent from the bus station.
From Osh: A grueling 10-12 hour drive over two mountain passes above 3,000 meters. Shared taxis leave daily from the bus station. Domestic flights (around $50, one hour) are a much better option if available.
From Tashkent (Uzbekistan): Buses take 10-12 hours and cross briefly into Kazakh territory.
The main bus station for long-distance departures is on Alma-Atinskaya Street. Note that the old Western Bus Station (zapadni) is no longer operational.