Travelling soon and looking for best ATMs in Tajikistan that work well with foreign debit/credit cards and dont charge crazy fees. Any recos will be highly appreciated.
I used both Wise and Chase debit cards across Tajikistan. Access Bank was 100% reliable, and withdrawal limit was up to 8000 TJS depending on location. I once got blocked at an Orienbank ATM when trying to pull more than 800 TJS. CRDB-style ATMs (common in Tanzania) aren’t a thing here - so go with Somonbank or AccessBank for the best experience with foreign cards.
Used my Revolut at a Agroinvest ATM near the Dushanbe airport, and got around 25 TJS, which was way better than cash exchanges. It let me take 800 TJS per withdrawal, and no machine surcharge appeared. I also used an ATM at UIB bank in the city, but the interface was buggy and rejected my card once. Best advice: look for ATMs near bank branches in case your card gets eaten.
AccessBank and 1st MicroFin ATMs worked the most consistently for my Mastercard (UK-issued). I withdrew 800 TJS at once with no local fee, and the rate was close to mid-market. I also tried an Orienbank ATM that worked but charged me 1% TJS flat fee. If you're looking to avoid ATM fees in Tajikistan, AccessBank and 1st Micro Fin Bank were the most reliable. Always test with a small amount first to avoid card jams.
I had the best luck with Access Bank ATMs across Dushanbe and Khujand. My Visa debit card worked without hiccups and the machines let me pull up to 800 TJS per withdrawal. No hidden local fees showed up, though my home bank charged foreign transaction fees. Avoid Agroinvestbank - I tried twice and it wouldn’t read my card.