Getting around Tajikistan takes patience. Roads are poor in the mountains, distances are longer than they look on a map, and weather can close passes at any time of year. That said, there is a functioning network of shared transport and the country is well-traveled by independent visitors.
Shared taxis
The backbone of intercity travel. Shared taxis (usually Soviet-era Ladas or newer Toyota Camrys) depart from central points in each town when full — typically four passengers. You can pay for extra seats if you want to leave sooner or have more space. Fares are cheap by Western standards. Dushanbe to Khujand costs around $10–15 per seat for a 6–8 hour journey via the tunnel.
Marshrutkas
Shared minibuses (marshrutkas) cover urban routes and shorter intercity runs. They are cheaper than shared taxis and slower. Useful within cities and for shorter hops.
Pamir Highway
For the Pamir Highway, most travelers hire a 4WD vehicle with driver in Dushanbe, or arrange to join a shared jeep. The journey from Dushanbe to Khorog takes a minimum of 12–14 hours on the M41, longer with stops. Coming back the same way is one option; crossing into Kyrgyzstan at the Kyzyl-Art pass is another. Some travelers cycle the entire route — it is a bucket-list ride, but physically demanding.
Domestic flights
Tajik Air and Somon Air run flights from Dushanbe to Khujand and Dushanbe to Khorog. The Khorog flight is famously spectacular — and famously unreliable. Don't plan tight connections around it.
Within Dushanbe
Dushanbe is a walkable city for the centre. Taxis are cheap and plentiful; agree on a price before getting in or use the Yandex Go app which works here. City buses and minibuses cover the outer suburbs.
Train
A single train route runs from Dushanbe south to Kurgan-Tyube and onward to Uzbekistan (via Termez), with a connection eventually reaching Khujand — though it involves a transit through Uzbekistan, which requires an Uzbek visa or negotiating at the border. In practice, almost nobody uses trains for domestic travel.