Q: When to Visit Azerbaijan?

The best time to visit Azerbaijan is in autumn from late August to October when the temperature (13 - 26°C) is not too hot in the lowland and not too cold up in the mountains, making it the perfect time to experience the beautiful outdoors of the country. The mid-summer months, from June to early August, can be quite hot in the lowland, with temperatures hovering around 30-35°C due to the nature of the semi-desert landscape the country has. Spring, from April to May, is not as bad, but rainfall tends to occur during this period, which might hinder your ability to travel the country's backcountry efficiently. Winter in Azerbaijan is cold both in the highlands and lowlands. The temperature can be quite extreme, with an average of -5°C in the mountains and 7°C in the lowland area. Therefore, I would recommend avoiding this period if you want to enjoy the outdoors.

Question 1

When to Visit Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

The best time to visit Azerbaijan is in autumn from late August to October when the temperature (13 - 26°C) is not too hot in the lowland and not too cold up in the mountains, making it the perfect time to experience the beautiful outdoors of the country.

The mid-summer months, from June to early August, can be quite hot in the lowland, with temperatures hovering around 30-35°C due to the nature of the semi-desert landscape the country has.

Spring, from April to May, is not as bad, but rainfall tends to occur during this period, which might hinder your ability to travel the country's backcountry efficiently.

Winter in Azerbaijan is cold both in the highlands and lowlands. The temperature can be quite extreme, with an average of -5°C in the mountains and 7°C in the lowland area. Therefore, I would recommend avoiding this period if you want to enjoy the outdoors.

Question 2

How to Get to Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

Azerbaijan has a well-established connection with Istanbul and Ankara, so the best way to get to Azerbaijan is to fly with Turkish Airlines from literally anywhere in the world. You could also fly into Turkey with other airlines and then fly into Azerbaijan with low-cost airlines such as Pegasus Airlines.

From the US, there is no direct flight to Baku, but you can fly via Turkish Airlines to Istanbul or Ankara and transfer to Baku from there.

From within Europe, you should be able to fly directly from the UK via Azerbaijan Airlines, from Paris via Air France, or from Frankfurt via Lufthansa.

From Asia, there is no direct flight from the Far East to Baku, but the region is pretty well-connected via Turkish Airlines. So, you can fly to Baku via Istanbul or Ankara. Other Middle Eastern airlines like Qatar, Emirates, and Etihad Airlines are also great options as well.

To find a cheap flight to Baku, I would recommend that you use Skyscanner or Expedia to look for the cheapest route and schedule so you can compare and pick the best one.

Question 3

How To Get From Tbilisi, Georgia to Baku, Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

If you are already in the Caucasus, you can travel from Tbilisi, Georgia to Baku with an overnight train. It's a long journey, though, taking around 12 hours and on a train that has seen better days.

The train leaves from Tbilisi daily at 8:35 PM, and you will arrive in Baku at 9:00 AM the next day. You will be passing through immigration at around 11 PM, so do not get cozy and ready for the night before then.

The train ticket should cost you around 15 USD (24 AZN) for a 3rd class sleeper (open plan). If you want a 4-person/2-person private compartment, go for a 2nd or 1st class sleeper seat instead, respectively.

Keep in mind that a lot of people take this train every day, so I would recommend you get your ticket a day or two earlier before your departure date.

SCAM to Watch Out: I have received a report that sometimes, an old train lady will come up to your private compartment if there's space left and tell you that a big snoring guy is coming, and she can redirect the guy to another compartment if you give her money. This is often a ruse, so avoid giving her money.

Question 4

How to Get from Baku Airport to the City Center?

Accepted Answer

There is a 24/7 Airport Express bus that will take you from the airport to Baku Central Station and vice versa. The Airport Express runs every 30 minutes from 6 AM to 7 PM. From 7 PM to 9 PM, it runs every 40 minutes, and from 9 PM to 6 AM, it runs every hour.

In order to get on the bus, you will need to get the BakuCard electronic payment, which can be purchased from a machine on the left-hand side of the Terminal Exit in front of the airport, near the bus stop.

From the machine, there are 2 options: a 2-times paper card for the Airport Express and a plastic card that can be topped up and used on the city bus/metros/museums, etc. I would recommend getting the plastic card so you can use it elsewhere in the city.

The plastic card will cost 2 AZN, and then you can add money to it. I would say 5 - 10 AZN should cover everything (city bus will cost 0.3 AZN per trip), including a round trip to the airport via the Airport Express (1.5 AZN per trip).

After you get the card, go on the bus and tap the card on the machine. You should then be able to see how much money is deducted from your card and the remaining balance.

The Airport Express should take around 45 minutes to take you to the 28 May bus stop right in front of Baku Central Station, and from there, you can walk or take a taxi, ideally using Uber or Bolt.

Question 5

How to Get Around Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

There are several ways to get around Azerbaijan, and we are going to use them all with this itinerary. Here are the most common ways to get around Azerbaijan:

Things to Note: Most of the signs on buses, as well as on booking websites, might be in Azerbaijani language. To make your life easier, here are all the city names in Azerbaijani.

Baku: Bakı.
Quba: Quba
Sheki: Şəki
Ganja: Gəncə Ganja: Gəncə
Nakhchivan: Naxçıvan

Trains: This is by far the most convenient and cheap way to get around the city. Azerbaijan has modernized its trains with European-style double-deck train cars, and yet the price is only slightly higher than that of a marshrutka or bus.

That said, they do not run as often as buses, and they often get fully booked quickly. So, if somehow the train isn't available, you can go for marshrutkas or buses instead.

For an official train schedule and online booking, you can visit Azerbaijan Railways' official website here.

Marshrutkas: Marshrutkas are the cheapest way to get around the country. These little Soviet-era minivans run like buses leaving from a bus station (all leave from Baku International Bus Terminal) on schedule, with the cost depending on the city you are going to, and you pay it directly to the driver.

They are not the most comfortable, though, as they often cram a lot of people, bags, and sometimes livestock into the limited seating area. However, they are cheap, go everywhere, and are one of the best ways to see the countryside and experience how the locals actually travel themselves.

Buses: There are also big buses leaving from the Baku International Bus Terminal, but you might have to book a seat in advance as some routes, like Sheki and Ganja, can get packed quite fast.

For an official bus schedule and booking, you can check out the Baku International Bus Terminal Complex official website here.

To get to the bus terminal from Baku city center, you can either call a taxi via Bolt (Android|iOS) or take the metro to Avtovaghzal Station for 0.3 AZN per trip.

Taxi: The most convenient but expensive way is to take a taxi. Within cities like Baku and Ganja, you can use Bolt, a taxi-calling app, which is way cheaper than getting a regular taxi and much more reliable.

To use Bolt in Azerbaijan, you will have to get a local SIM card at the airport and download Bolt (Android|iOS) on your phone. Then, type in your destination, request a ride, and you are on your way.

For traveling to remote places like Khinaliq or around Nakhchivan, your only option is to hire a taxi driver, which may cost from 60-90 AZN for a day, depending on the distance of the location you are going to. You can easily organize these taxi-for-hires through your accommodation.

Question 6

How Much Money Do I Need for Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

With this particular 2-week itinerary, we can roughly calculate the minimum amount of money you will be spending in Azerbaijan as follows:

Accommodation: With a total of 15 nights, you will be paying around 194 USD (330 AZN).

Food: The average meal in Azerbaijan costs around 8 AZN, so you can expect to pay around 360 AZN for 15 days.

Transportation: Including the expensive taxis to remote places, marshrutkas and trains to each city, and a flight to Nakhchivan and back, you can expect to pay around 454.5 AZN for 2 weeks on transportation.

Activities: You can expect to pay around 62 AZN for 2 weeks of activities, not a lot because you are paying most of the cost to the taxi drivers who will be taking you there.

Total Budget for 2 weeks in Azerbaijan: 1206.5 AZN (710 USD)

Question 7

Is it Safe in Azerbaijan?

Accepted Answer

Generally, Azerbaijan is pretty safe to travel around. You might get a little stare here and there, especially if you are a solo female traveler, but that happens mostly in Baku. In all the other places, especially in Nakhchivan, people are just curious to see a foreigner there.

As some of you may know, there is an ongoing conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed area of Nagorno Karabakh. Some attractions I recommend here are near the disputed borders, so you might encounter stricter security in these border areas.

Food can be quite unclean in random restaurants in Quba and Ganja, so be sure to pick a restaurant carefully. My friend and I got food poisoning in Ganja and Quba, respectively, and it is not something you would want to have while you are traveling.

Other than these points, Azerbaijan is very safe, and you can travel the country worry-free.

Start Here

2 Weeks Backpacking Azerbaijan Itinerary

Planning

Explore Baku: 14 Awesome Things to Do & Places to Visit

4 Days in Nakhchivan, Azerbaijan Itinerary

8 Incredible Things to Do in Ganja, Azerbaijan

Top 7 Things to Do in Sheki, Azerbaijan

A Backpacking Travel Guide to Khinaliq and Laza