Not sure if I should carry coins for public transport in Kyrgyzstan or if card payments are common. Advice?
I found Kyrgyz transport incredibly cheap. Just 11 KGS for a marshrutka ride across Bishkek, handed straight to the driver. ATMs from DemirBank were reliable for pulling som. While TULPAR exists, I never needed it - small bills worked everywhere. For longer trips, minibuses to Issyk-Kul were also cash-only but affordable. Honestly, it felt simple and authentic, if a bit old-fashioned.
It got annoying when I only had a 500 KGS note and the marshrutka driver refused it. No card option either. I had to get off at Ala-Too Square and find a Kyrgyz Investment Bank ATM to break the note. For tourists, the system feels inconvenient - you always need small cash ready. Until TULPAR is more common, it’s all paper and coins.
I was staying near Ala-Too Square in Bishkek and used marshrutkas daily. Each time, the driver asked for 10-15 KGS in cash. No card reader, no change for large notes. I withdrew cash from an Optima Bank ATM on Chuy Avenue, which worked fine with my Visa. A friend told me about the TULPAR card, but none of my marshrutkas had readers. When I went to Osh Bazaar, cash was the only way in.
In Bishkek, buses, trolleybuses, and marshrutkas are mostly cash-only in Kyrgyz som. Fares are cheap - around 11-15 KGS per ride - and you hand the money directly to the driver or conductor. Some pilot routes use the TULPAR smart card, but it’s not widespread yet. ATMs from DemirBank, Kyrgyz Investment Bank, and Optima Bank are easy to find downtown. Definitely have cash ready in small bills for smooth rides.