Power & Connectivity (SIM)

Uzbekistan uses 220V / 50Hz with Type C and Type F sockets (European round pins). Bring a Type C/F adapter; travellers from 100–120V countries need a converter for devices that are not dual-voltage.

The main operators are Beeline, Ucell, Uzmobile and Mobiuz. Prepaid SIMs can be bought at shops and airports, and registration requires your passport. City 4G is good, but signal can be weak in rural areas.

Travel eSIMs are a convenient option: buy one online before arrival and install it in minutes, with no shop visit needed. Local eSIM offerings remain limited, so a travel eSIM or a local prepaid SIM is usually easier.

Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés, while public Wi-Fi is mostly found in city centres. Speeds vary, so a SIM or eSIM helps for reliable access on the go. Use a VPN on public networks for sensitive tasks like banking.

In the past there were reports of restrictions on some social media and messaging services, but access has generally improved in recent years. Most common apps work normally; if you rely on a specific service, it can be worth preparing a VPN just in case.

Handy apps include Yandex Go for ride-hailing, Yandex Maps and 2GIS for navigation, and a translation app for Uzbek and Russian. Local payment apps like Click and Payme are widely used, but they can be hard for foreigners to set up, so carry some cash.

Uzbekistan's country code is +998. App-based calls (WhatsApp, Telegram and similar) are common and often the easiest way to stay in touch. Save numbers in full +998 format so they work from any network.