eSIM for Uzbekistan

Viasimo's Uzbekistan eSIM starts at $1.29 for 500 MB over 7 days, running on Beeline with 5G where available. Plans last 1 to 180 days, arrive by email in minutes and install from your phone's settings, with no app.

Works everywhere in Uzbekistan

Andijan Region
Bukhara
Fergana
Jizzakh Region
Karakalpakstan
Namangan
Navoiy Region

Select your planIn stock

Duration

Quantity

Unlimited data · 3 Days$8.00

Unlimited data · 3 Days ×1

$8.00

Going to more than one country? See regional plans

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Dial *#06# on your phone. If you see an EID number, your phone takes an eSIM. Most phones sold since 2019 do.

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Network

Which networks does the Uzbekistan eSIM use?

Host networks: Beeline

Your eSIM picks one automatically; you do not choose or switch between them.

Data: 100 MB – 20 GB or unlimited
Validity: 1–180 days
Speed: 4G LTE / 5G
Hotspot / tethering: Supported on most devices
Activation: Automatic on arrival
Speed management: Roughly 2-3 GB per day at full speed, sometimes less depending on the local carrier, then reduced
Top-ups: Add more data from your account, before the plan expires
Text messages (SMS): Data only: use an app for verification codes
Connects via: United Kingdom
Unused validity: 180 days before it must be installed

Setting up Buy, scan the QR code we email you, and switch on the travel line when you land. How it works

Choosing a plan

How much data do you need?

The allowances below are our sizing recommendations, not measurements. The plan beside each one is the cheapest option on this page that covers it.

Recommended data allowances matched to the plans sold for this destination
You are	Plan for	Cheapest plan that covers it
LightMaps, messaging and the occasional lookup	About 1 GB a week	$1.791 GB, 7 days
TypicalMaps, social, photos and some browsing	About 3 to 7 GB a week	$5.995 GB, 30 days
HeavyVideo streaming, video calls and uploads	10 GB a week or more	$10.9910 GB, 30 days
Working or sharingTethering a laptop, calls and cloud sync	20 GB a week or more	$16.00Unlimited, 7 days

Work it out from your own habits

What a week abroad costs

eSIM, local SIM or roaming?

Charged per day

Your carrier roaming

Queue and plastic

A SIM at the airport

$1.29

Viasimo, one bundle

Only the Viasimo figure is a price: it comes from today’s live catalog. The other two rows are directional, not quoted rates.

About this eSIM

Uzbekistan is a country of cities separated by desert, and your phone will feel that structure very clearly. Inside Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva you are on a solid urban network; between them you cross hundreds of kilometres where settlements are far apart and the signal comes and goes with them. A travel eSIM covers the whole route, but the trip works best if you load everything you need while you are still in a city.

Getting online when you land

Do the installation at home, before departure, on a connection you trust. The profile then waits in your settings until you activate it.

Arriving at Tashkent, or at Samarkand or Urgench if you fly domestically, switch the travel profile on and enable data roaming for it. Registration in the cities is straightforward. Give it a minute or two before you start troubleshooting; if it is still searching, an airplane-mode cycle followed by a manual carrier scan will normally sort it.

Keep the home SIM installed with data disabled, so the number that receives your bank codes stays live while everything else runs on the travel profile.

The networks you'll be on

Data here runs through Beeline, on 3G and 4G/LTE. The urban buildout is good, and 4G is what you will spend most of your time on in the four cities every itinerary includes.

Because 3G is a real part of this network rather than a legacy afterthought, leave it enabled. On the long road and rail sections between cities it is frequently the only thing your phone can find, and it is enough for messaging, a map tile and a ticket check even when it will not load a video.

Do not expect the connection to behave the same way inside the historic monuments as it does outside them. The madrasas, mosques and mausoleums you have come to photograph are built of very thick masonry, and reception inside them is often noticeably worse than in the courtyard.

Where coverage holds, and where it thins

Tashkent is the strongest, including its metro, which is worth seeing in its own right for the station architecture. Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva are all well covered across their tourist districts and modern quarters alike, and the Fergana Valley towns in the east are populated enough to be fine.

The Afrosiyob high-speed line between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara runs through open country, and the connection on board is intermittent rather than continuous. Treat a train journey as offline time and download before you board.

Coverage falls away hard in the Kyzylkum desert, on the long haul west towards Nukus and the Aral Sea shoreline at Moynaq, and in the mountains around Chimgan and the Nuratau range where trekking and yurt stays happen. Desert yurt camps are marketed on their remoteness and deliver it. Between towns on the drive to Khiva you can go a long time with nothing at all.

What you'll actually use data for here

Translation is the single most valuable thing. Uzbek appears in both Latin and Cyrillic script depending on where you look, Russian is widely used, and a camera translation app with the relevant offline packs installed will earn its keep at every ticket window and menu.

Ride-hailing apps are how you move around Tashkent and the larger cities, and they remove the entire negotiation that a street taxi involves. Train tickets for the intercity routes are handled online and sell out on popular dates, so having a live connection to book or change one has practical value.

The rest is photography and orientation. Old towns here are compact but disorienting, with several similar looking monuments within a few streets of one another, and a map plus a saved pin does more than a guidebook. Add the usual uploading of an unreasonable number of tile photographs, and a fair amount of looking up which ruler built what, because the history here is dense and every guide assumes you already know it.

Before you fly

Download offline maps of all four main cities plus the highway and rail corridors linking them, and install offline translation for Uzbek and Russian.

Save your hotel addresses in a form a local driver can read, and keep train booking references as screenshots rather than as links you need to load. Install the eSIM profile in advance, confirm the handset is unlocked, and pack a power bank for the long transfers. Summer heat in the desert is severe, and a hot phone in a bag drains far faster than a cool one.

Unlimited runs at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continues slower.

Before you buy

Important to know

This is a data-only eSIM. It carries no calls or SMS on its own number.
Your existing number stays on your primary SIM, so calls and verification texts keep working.
Your phone must support eSIM, and some carrier-locked phones cannot install one.
Signal varies with location, terrain, congestion and your handset. Dense urban areas are consistently better served than remote ones.
5G only works where the host network has deployed it and your phone supports it. Everywhere else it falls back to 4G LTE.
The eSIM selects a host network automatically. You cannot pick or switch between them.
Unlimited plans run at full speed up to a fair-use limit, then continue at a reduced speed. Read the fair usage policy

Looking for more information?

Frequently asked questions

Does an eSIM work in Uzbekistan?

Yes. Your Uzbekistan eSIM connects automatically the moment you arrive, with no roaming fees and nothing to set up at the airport. The host networks it can use are Beeline. Coverage runs on 4G LTE and 5G where the network has rolled it out, and falls back to 4G elsewhere.

Do I get 5G in Uzbekistan?

Yes, where it has been deployed. 5G runs on Beeline in Uzbekistan, and your eSIM uses it automatically on a 5G-capable phone, dropping back to 4G LTE outside covered areas. No country is covered everywhere, so 5G availability varies by location.

Do I need to register my stay in Uzbekistan?

Yes. You must register within three days of arrival, with weekends counting. Hotels normally do it for you; in private homes your host registers you at OVIR or online through Emehmon. Moving to another city for more than three days means registering again. Keep slips and screenshots, because gaps can lead to daily fines or deportation.

Which taxi apps work in Tashkent?

GOV.UK recommends licensed taxis, including those booked through apps such as Yandex and MyTaxi, plus official airport taxis. Unlicensed cars are common and many lack rear seatbelts. You need mobile data to book and meet your driver, and with a data-only eSIM you should use in-app messaging rather than calls.

Can I take photos in the Tashkent metro?

Ask first. GOV.UK says to check before photographing near metro stations, airports, border checkpoints, military barracks, bridges and police stations, and notes that photographing government buildings such as the Palace of Forums can upset the authorities. Drones are largely prohibited without an import licence and flying permission arranged before arrival.

Can I pay by card in Uzbekistan?

In Tashkent and the main cities, often. Elsewhere, international cards are not widely accepted and ATMs that take foreign cards are scarce, so withdraw so'm before travelling to smaller towns. US dollars are easiest to exchange, but booths reject damaged notes and dollars issued before 2013. Use official exchange booths only.

How much data do I need for 7 days in Uzbekistan?

For 7 days in Uzbekistan, Viasimo sells 100 MB for $1.29, 500 MB for $1.29, 1 GB for $1.79, and unlimited data for $16.00. Our sizing recommendation, not a measurement: maps, messaging and the occasional lookup, about 1 GB a week; maps, social, photos and some browsing, about 3 to 7 GB a week. The data calculator on this site works it out from how you actually use your phone.

Installing, keeping your number, topping up and hotspot work the same everywhere: see how it works →

Know before you go

Uzbekistan: what to know before you land

UK visitors can spend 30 days in Uzbekistan without a visa, but every stay must be registered within three days of arrival, by your hotel or through the online Emehmon system for private stays. Outside Tashkent, cash in so'm matters more than cards. Your eSIM uses Beeline, which helps with booking licensed taxis through Yandex or MyTaxi.

Emergency: Police 102, ambulance 103, fire 101
Plugs: CF 220V
Currency: Uzbek so'm (UZS)

Main airports

TAS Tashkent International Airport
SKD Samarkand International Airport
BHK Bukhara International Airport
UGC Urgench International Airport

Apps worth having Yandex GoMyTaxiTelegramEmehmonGoogle Maps

Registering within three days: hotels, homestays and Emehmon

Uzbekistan still tracks where foreign visitors sleep. GOV.UK says you must register with the local district office (OVIR) within three days of arrival, and weekends count towards those three days.

Hotels usually register you automatically.
In a private home or rental flat, your host registers you, either at OVIR or online through Emehmon (emehmon.uz).
If you move to another city and stay more than three days, you must register again.
Campers and people staying in tents must register themselves on Emehmon within three days and pay a daily tourist tax online. GOV.UK notes this requires an Uzbek debit card in local currency, which most visitors do not have, so plan campsite stays through a tour operator.

When you leave, you must be able to give a full record of your whereabouts. Gaps or late registration can mean a fine for each day missed and possibly deportation.

This is where your phone helps. Photograph any registration slip a hotel hands you, save confirmation emails or screenshots from homestay hosts, and keep them in one folder, offline. If a guesthouse in Bukhara or Khiva seems unsure about registering you, ask before you unpack, while there is still time to sort it out.

Cash, so'm and official exchange booths outside Tashkent

The Uzbek so'm (UZS) cannot be obtained outside Uzbekistan, so you will change money or withdraw it after you arrive. GOV.UK flags several practical limits:

ATMs that accept international cards are scarce outside the main cities. Withdraw enough in Tashkent, Samarkand or Bukhara before heading to smaller towns, desert yurt camps or the Fergana Valley.
International credit cards are not widely accepted outside Tashkent and the main cities.
US dollars are the easiest foreign currency to change. Exchange booths refuse damaged notes and US dollars issued before 2013.
Use official exchange booths only. Black-market exchange is illegal and heavily penalised.

Customs rules are also strict. Declare cash over US$10,000 and precious metals or gemstones over 65 grams, complete two copies of the customs declaration, and get them stamped. You show one on entry and one on exit, and you cannot leave with more foreign currency than you brought in.

Photograph your stamped declaration as soon as you get it, in case the paper copy is lost. A currency converter app with offline rates also helps when market prices are quoted in so'm, which involve large numbers.

Yandex, MyTaxi and photography in the Tashkent metro

GOV.UK recommends licensed taxis, including official airport taxis and those booked through apps such as Yandex and MyTaxi. Unlicensed cars are still common and many have no rear seatbelts, so you can ask for one that does. Ride-hailing apps need data at pickup, and since your eSIM is data only, message drivers in the app rather than expecting calls.

The camera is the other phone feature to use carefully:

Photographing government buildings, including the Palace of Forums in Tashkent, can upset the authorities.
Check before taking photos near airports, border checkpoints, military barracks, bridges, police stations and metro stations. The Tashkent metro's decorated stations are a famous sight, but ask staff before filming.
Some local bazaars are also sensitive.
Drones are largely prohibited. You need an import licence and permission to fly before you arrive, and violations can lead to fines, prison or confiscation.

GOV.UK also notes that same-sex relationships are illegal in Uzbekistan, so take care with dating apps and location sharing.

For medicines, check Uzbekistan's restricted list before packing: some UK over-the-counter products containing codeine can cause problems. Keep prescriptions as photos on your phone and as paper copies.

Researched October 2026 · 4 sources

gov.uk Uzbekistan travel advice: entry requirements – GOV.UK
gov.uk Uzbekistan travel advice: safety and security – GOV.UK
en.wikipedia.org Mains electricity by country – Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org List of emergency telephone numbers – Wikipedia

7-day itinerary

Seven days in Uzbekistan: Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva

The classic Silk Road route by train, suited to first-time visitors: a day in Tashkent, the Registan and Shah-i-Zinda in Samarkand, two days among the madrasas of Bukhara, and the walled old town of Khiva, with a domestic flight back to the capital.

Length: 7 days
Bases: 4

When to go April to early June and September to October are warm and clear; July and August are very hot, especially in Bukhara and Khiva, and winters are cold with short days; book Afrosiyob train seats early for spring and autumn.

Day 1 Tashkent

Tashkent

Tashkent International Airport is about 20 minutes by licensed taxi or Yandex Go from the centre.

Start at the Khast Imam complex, where a library holds what is said to be one of the oldest surviving Qurans, then walk through the domed Chorsu Bazaar nearby. Ride the Tashkent Metro, with its decorated Soviet-era stations such as Kosmonavtlar. In the afternoon, visit Amir Timur Square and the State Museum of Applied Arts in a restored merchant's house. Remember to have your stay registered within three days.

Signal Beeline 4G is good across Tashkent, with 5G only in limited areas. Ask before photographing in metro stations.
Day 2 Samarkand

Afrosiyob to Samarkand and the Registan

The Afrosiyob takes about two to 2.5 hours from Tashkent to Samarkand; book on the Uzbekistan Railways site or app.

Take the morning Afrosiyob high-speed train to Samarkand. After checking in, walk to Gur-e-Amir, the turquoise-domed mausoleum of Timur. In the late afternoon, go to the Registan, the square framed by three tiled madrasas, Ulugh Beg, Sher-Dor and Tilya-Kori, and stay to see them lit up after dark.

Signal Generally good 4G along the railway, with short gaps in open countryside. Strong coverage in central Samarkand.
Day 3 Samarkand

Samarkand: Shah-i-Zinda and Bibi-Khanym

Go early to Shah-i-Zinda, an avenue of mausoleums covered in blue tilework climbing the hillside. Walk down to the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, built on Timur's orders, and the Siab Bazaar beside it. In the afternoon, visit the remains of Ulugh Beg's 15th-century observatory and the Afrasiyab museum, with murals from the ancient city that stood here before the Mongol conquest.

Signal Good 4G across the old city. Inside the mausoleums and madrasas, signal may weaken.
Day 4 Bukhara

To Bukhara

About 1.5 hours by Afrosiyob from Samarkand to Bukhara.

Take the train to Bukhara. Walk from your guesthouse to Lyabi-Hauz, the old town's tree-shaded pool lined with madrasas. Continue through the domed trading halls to the Kalyan Minaret, which Genghis Khan is said to have spared, and the Kalyan Mosque and Mir-i-Arab Madrasa beside it. Return at dusk, when the minaret is lit and the square fills with families.

Signal Good 4G in Bukhara's old town. The thick-walled trading domes can weaken signal.
Day 5 Bukhara

Bukhara: the Ark and the Samanid Mausoleum

Visit the Ark, the massive fortress of the Emirs of Bukhara, then the Bolo Hauz Mosque opposite with its carved wooden columns. Walk to the Samanid Mausoleum in a park nearby, a 10th-century brick tomb that is one of the oldest buildings in Central Asia. In the afternoon, visit Chor Minor, a small gatehouse with four turrets, and browse the craft workshops of the old town.

Signal Strong 4G across central Bukhara. Withdraw or change so'm here, as cards are less widely accepted in Khiva.
Day 6 Khiva

Across the Kyzylkum to Khiva

About six to seven hours by train from Bukhara to Khiva; some travellers prefer a shared car.

Take the train west across the Kyzylkum desert and along the Amu Darya to Khiva. Settle into the walled inner town, Itchan Kala, a UNESCO site. In the evening, walk the walls near the West Gate and watch the sunset over the Kalta Minor minaret, a squat, tiled tower that was never finished.

Signal Expect long gaps in coverage across the Kyzylkum desert. Download entertainment and offline maps before you leave Bukhara.
Day 7 Tashkent

Khiva and the flight to Tashkent

Urgench airport is about 40 minutes by road from Khiva; flights to Tashkent take about 1.5 hours.

Spend the morning inside Itchan Kala. Climb the Islam Khodja Minaret, the tallest in Khiva, then visit the Juma Mosque with its forest of carved wooden columns and the Tash Hauli Palace, decorated with blue tiles. In the afternoon, drive to Urgench airport for a domestic flight back to Tashkent for your departure.

Signal Good 4G in Khiva and Urgench. Download your boarding pass in advance, as the airport can be busy.

Staying connected on this route

Check that your hotels register your stay; if you stay in a private home, your host must register you through Emehmon within three days.
Install Yandex Go or MyTaxi for licensed taxis, and book Afrosiyob tickets online well ahead.
Download offline maps for the desert train between Bukhara and Khiva, where coverage is patchy.

Itinerary sources · 6

uzbekistan.travel Uzbekistan Travel (national tourism site)
whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Samarkand, Crossroad of Cultures
whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Historic Centre of Bukhara
whc.unesco.org UNESCO: Itchan Kala
gov.uk GOV.UK foreign travel advice: Uzbekistan
gov.uk GOV.UK: Uzbekistan entry requirements (registration)

Where this comes from

Information and verification

Each block below says what was checked and when. Anything we cannot date, we do not claim.

Prices and plans: Every price and allowance on this page is read from the live catalog, not typed in.; Verified October 30, 2026
Host networks: The operator list comes from the network partner that carries this eSIM.; Verified October 30, 2026