Trying to figure out if buses and metros in Azerbaijan take cards or if Ill need small cash. Any recent experiences?
I used urban buses and metro across Azerbaijan and never saw a card reader. Metro tokens were ₼0.30, marshrutkas ₼1-2 in cash. My contactless Visa only worked at touristy cableways, not transit. Cash is king on Azerbaijan public transportation. I recommend pulling enough ₼50-70 in small denominations for daily travel to avoid morning stress.
Took a Bölge bus from Baku to Quba - driver asked for ₼3 in cash and shook his head at my debit card. Back in the city, metro and buses all want cash tokens or exact change. No contactless or card-based public transport payment in Azerbaijan. I spent a few minutes at a kiosk each morning buying tokens with ₼10. Not glamorous, but got me around nicely.
My coworking routine included daily Baku metro rides - they’re cash-only. I used ₼1 tokens every morning. When I took a city bus around Khachmaz, payment required exact ₼0.50 cash - no card or app option. Public transport payment in Azerbaijan is still 100% cash-based. I strongly recommend carrying ₼20 in small bills for a week’s urban travel - it’s practical, quick, and avoids fumbling.
In Baku I tried tapping my Visa on the metro turnstile - no luck. Tokens still rule the system, costing about ₼0.30 each, bought at kiosks with cash. Buses are the same - drivers expect exact manat, around ₼0.50-1 per ride. Cash is essential for public transport in Azerbaijan. I always carried small notes and coins. Outside Baku, minibuses (marshrutkas) take only cash too. No digital ticket apps yet on country-wide routes.