Times listed are based on the schedule at the time of visit.
Day 1
Tokyo Narita 0900 (Asiana Airlines OZ107) > Seoul Incheon 1130
Seoul Incheon 1610 (Asiana Airlines OZ573) > Tashkent 2000
Accommodation: Corner Hotel
Day 1 Tips
・ Ride-hailing app named Yandex Go is essential for traveling in Uzbekistan. It is available at Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, etc. It eliminates rate negotiations with taxi drivers, significantly lowering the travel barrier.
・Tashkent Airport has separate buildings for arrival and departure. I had heard the Yandex pickup point was on the road outside the airport due to access restrictions, but the actual pickup location was at the departure terminal. There were also reports that drop-off point for departure was outside the airport, but similarly, the car went to the departure terminal.
Days 2-4
Tashkent 0840 (Train #710) > Samarkand 1145
・Registan Square
・Shahi Zinda Mausoleums
・Guri-Emir Mausoleum
・Bibi-Khanum Mosque
・Shob Bazaar
Meals:
・Sharof Bobo Oshxonasi (Plov)
・Shokhrukh Nur (Shashlik)
Accommodation: Kok Saroy Plaza Hotel
Samarkand Tips
・Speaking of apps for traveling in Uzbekistan, app of Uzbekistan Railways is an another must. It can be used not just make reservations & payments but also usable as an e-ticket.
・When calling a car by Yandex, there seems to be a custom of sitting in the front passenger seat. However, sitting in the back seat is apparently fine too (at least for foreigners).
Days 5-6
Samarkand 1059 (Train #770) > Bukhara 1242
・Kalan Mosque
・Bolo-Hauz Mosque
・Abdulaziz Khan Madrasah
・Miri-Arab Madrasah
・Taki Bazaar
Meals:
・Old Bukhara
・Restaurant Ayvan
Accommodation: Lyabi House Hotel
Bukhara Tips
・I feel like it might have been better to visit Bukhara first, then go to Samarkand.
Day 7
Bukhara 1655 (Train #709) > Tashkent 2247
Accommodation: Corner Hotel
Day 8
・Hazrati Imam complex
・Farkhad Bazaar
・Hotel Uzbekistan
・Chorsu Bazaar
・Kukeldash Madrasah
・Juma Mosque
Tashkent 21:40 (Asiana Airlines OZ574) > Seoul Incheon 07:55+
Tashkent Tips
・There seems to be inconsistency in converting Cyrillic to Latin script, causing discrepancies between Google Maps and Yandex. I was taken to the wrong place twice.
・To be honest, I did not expect much for Tashkent, but I visited markets and mosques using beautiful subways. It was lively city and enjoyable.
Day 9
Meal: Hwangsaengga (at Incheon Airport)
Seoul Incheon 1545 (Asiana Airlines OZ106) > Tokyo Narita 1825
Incheon Tips
・I had planned to go to Seoul City if it was sunny, but it turned out heavily rained. Instead, I tried to go to Lotte Mart Yeongjong Island branch located near Incheon Airport, but it was closed every other Sunday. In the end, I went to Asiana Airlines lounge and handled company emails during the vacation.
・Since eating lounge food would not feel like I came to Korea, I went to a kalguksu restaurant called Hwangsaengga inside the airport. Apparently, their main store in Seoul was listed in Michelin.
・To differentiate from LCCs, major airlines focus on Seoul/Tokyo route on Gimpo Airport – Haneda Airport, making Incheon Airport – Narita Airport flights extremely limited (though at lower fare). I did not trust 1 hour 5 minutes connection to Narita flight at Incheon, I ended up waiting 8 hours. I could not sleep in the lounge, causing jet lag. I should have flown back from Gimpo to Haneda.