How to Get from Bishkek to Kyzart in Kyrgyzstan by Bus (Marshrutka)

This is a mini guide on how to travel from Bishkek to Kyzart Village, the gateway to the beautiful Song Kul Lake in Kyrgyzstan.

Dreaming of a Song Kul adventure? Kyzart Village is the gateway to this stunning alpine lake. This mini-guide details how to reach Kyzart using Kyrgyzstan’s minibus or marshrutka, departing from the capital city of Bishkek.

Bishkek to Kyzart by Minibus (Marshrutka)

You will start your journey in Bishkek at the Western Bus Station.

There are two main options to reach Western Bus Station from your Bishkek accommodation:

• Yandex or Taxi: This is the most convenient option, offering a direct ride. Fares are generally affordable.
• Public Buses: For a budget-friendly alternative, consider buses 35 or 40. While I don’t have the exact stops for these buses, they are known to pass by the Western Bus Station.

Tip: If you’re unfamiliar with the bus routes, opting for a Yandex or taxi might be easier, especially with luggage.

Here’s my experience:

I arrived at Western Bus Station around 9:00 am and asked around where I could take a bus to Kochkor, since that was my original plan. When I was looking for information online, I read that I could take a minibus (marshrutka) from the Western Bus Station to Kochkor and then a taxi from there to Kyzart.

To my surprise, there was no minibus to Kochkor from the Western Bus Station. Someone offered me a taxi ride for 4,000 som, but I said it was too much as I was alone. He then told me I could take a marshrutka to Chayek and just get off in Kochkor.

When I checked the map, I saw that it would also pass Kyzart so I confirmed it with the driver and he said, yes, he could drop me off in Kyzart. Then, I purchased the ticket from the counter (kacca) near the entrance and paid 500 som (around USD5.5) for the ride.

The bus was supposed to depart at 11:00 am but left at 11:30 am. There was a lunch stop at around 2:00 pm then we continued our journey.

After nearly five hours, I arrived in Kyzart, where the driver dropped me off at the arch along the main road. From there, it was a 10-15 minute walk to the village.

PS:

When I arrived at the guesthouse in Kyzart, my host told me that there was a direct minibus (marshrutka) from Bishkek’s Western Bus Terminal to Kyzart but I couldn’t find it when I was there. She said maybe it left early. The bus number is 534 from Bishkek to Kyzart.