Lake Issyk-Kul is one of the most popular summer destinations in Kyrgyzstan and Central Asia. The scenic lake with its crystal-clear water attracts thousands of tourists every year.
You can reach Issyk-Kul from Bishkek in several ways:
— by car: the drive to Cholpon-Ata, one of the most popular resort towns on the lake’s shore, takes about four hours.
— by bus: from the Western Bus Station to Balykchy — buses run daily from 08:50 to 19:00.
— by minibus: from the Western Bus Station to Cholpon-Ata for 300 KGS — $3.5.
— by taxi: to Cholpon-Ata for 3000-5000 KGS — $34-57.
— by plane: to Tamchy, flight time is about 40 minutes.
— by train: from the “Bishkek-2” station to Balykchy.
From June 6 to July 6, trains from Bishkek to Balykchy run three times a week — on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 07:45.
From July 7 to August 31, the train will operate daily. Travel time is about five hours. Ticket prices:
— adults over 10 years old in a standard carriage — 150 KGS — $1.7
— children aged 5-10 in a standard carriage — 73 KGS — $0.8
— adults over 10 years old in a luxury carriage — 500 KGS — $6
— children aged 5-10 in a luxury carriage — 250 KGS — $3
— adults over 10 years old in a VIP carriage — 800 KGS — $9
— children aged 5-10 in a VIP carriage — 400 KGS — $4.5
— VIP cabin for 6 passengers — 6000 KGS — $69.
Children under five travel free of charge without a separate seat.
From Osh, you can reach Cholpon-Ata by car in 14 hours, or Balykchy in 13 hours. Alternatively, you can travel from Osh to Bishkek and then use one of the options listed above. There are several ways to travel from Osh to Bishkek:
— by plane: flight time is 40 minutes
— by bus with a transfer in Jalal-Abad.
Buses from Osh to Jalal-Abad run daily from 08:20 to 18:00 at 30-minute intervals, with a travel time of about 1.5 hours. From Jalal-Abad, buses to Bishkek depart daily.
