Talas

Talas is a modern town of the Talas Province in the Bishkek and the Northwest region of Kyrgyzstan with a population of about 30,000.

Understand

Talas was founded in 1877 by East Slavs.

After the fall of the Soviet union, Talas has suffered from being cut of from the main transport route into Kyrgyzstan. Nevertheless, still much transport is carried out by going into Kazakhstan and then back into Kyrgyzstan coming from Bishkek. Some marshrutkas take this route.

Get in

Timetable of urban buses (Sept 2018)

By bus

• 1 Long distance bus station. For Bishkek and Toktogul. (updated Mar 2019)
• 2 Urban bus station (автоъекет). For Manas Ordo and other close-by destinations. Timetable see picture to the right. (updated Mar 2019)

From Bishkek it takes about 5½ hr and costs 350 som. A few marshrutkas per day from the Western Bus Station in Bishkek.

If you get into Talas from the east, and you want to remain in the center, get off the bus early. Otherwise you end up in the far west of the town.

By taxi

• 3 Taxi Station. from/to Bishkek or Toktogul (updated Mar 2019)

Get around

The town stretches very far out and might not be easily be explored on foot, depending on where your hotel is located. The walking distance between the western bus station and the central bazaar is 4-5 km.

See

• 1 Manas Ordo (Манас Ордо) (About 15 km east of Talas. Catch a mashrutka from near the bazaar in Talas for 20 som.). This is probably the reason why you came to Talas. A historical park and museum built around the Manas's Kümböz mausoleum (built around 1334). Foreigner/local: 200 som / 30 som. (updated Sep 2018)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Talant (Талант) (Marshrutkas from the urban bus station, 08:20-17:20 hourly, 20 som. They return return 09:10-18:10, every hour.). Cheap but not overly luxurious. Toilet seats are missing, but shower is warm. Check out several rooms, some might be better than others. 300-400 som pp. (updated Sep 2018)

Go next

• Kyzyl-Oy – A village popular with foreign tourists, has beautiful orange mountains around it and a mountain valley for hiking and yurt stay. Also gateway to the eastern regions of Kyrgyzstan.
• Toktogul – A nice and picturesque water reservoir and convenient hub/stop between Bishkek and Osh. A 4WD can bring you down southwest from Kyzyl-Oy.
• Sary-Chelek Nature Reserve – One of the highlights of Kyrgyzstan with a beautiful lake, excellent hiking, diverse flora and fauna, picturesque mountains and much more. On the way between Toktogul and Jalal-Abad.