Most visitors to Tajikistan come for the mountains: trekking in the Fann Mountains and around the Seven Lakes near Penjikent, or the long overland journey on the Pamir Highway through Gorno-Badakhshan, often continuing to Kyrgyzstan. Dushanbe, the capital, is the usual starting point, and Khujand in the north lies on the way to Uzbekistan. Tajikistan is outside the EU's Roam Like at Home area, so roaming with a European SIM is charged at your operator's own rates.
Key facts for Tajikistan
- EU roaming: not covered by Roam Like at Home
- Local networks: ZET-Mobile, TT Mobile (depending on the plan)
- Emergency numbers: police 102; ambulance 103; fire 101 (from a mobile)
- Embassies: in Dushanbe
The Afghan border and Gorno-Badakhshan
The Pamir Highway runs for long stretches beside the Panj river, which forms the border with Afghanistan, and armed clashes can break out there without warning: in November 2025, five Chinese nationals were killed in two cross-border attacks, and in August 2026 a local resident was killed by a stray bullet in Darvoz. The US advises travellers to reconsider travel to the Afghan border and to Gorno-Badakhshan, where there is also a risk of civil unrest in Khorog, and some roads around Khorog and Rushan are closed. You need a GBAO permit for the region, which you can request together with the e-visa, and border guards may ask to see it. Never walk off-road: there are marked and unmarked minefields.
Dushanbe
Coverage is good in Dushanbe and Khujand. Occasional muggings and petty crime target foreigners in the capital, and pickpocketing is common in markets and on public transport, so avoid unofficial taxis, especially at night. Terrorist attacks could be indiscriminate, and a plot against Nowruz celebrations was disrupted in March 2024. There have been cases of harassment by officials at Dushanbe airport, so ask your hotel to check your documents before you travel.
Mountains, roads and the weather
Away from the towns, mobile coverage is extremely limited, so download maps, tell someone your route and never trek alone; mountain rescue is limited and run by volunteers. Avalanches, landslides and rockfalls are a real risk, earthquakes are most likely in Gorno-Badakhshan, and snow can fall at altitude even in summer. The Pamir Highway is open but not fully repaired, petrol stations are rare outside towns and there are no breakdown services. Drivers face zero tolerance of alcohol, and the tunnel on the Dushanbe–Khujand road is dangerous in winter because of ice.
Laws to know
Possessing drugs can mean a long prison sentence. It is illegal to photograph or fly a drone near anything related to the military or security, and you may be asked not to photograph government buildings. You must carry your passport or a notarised copy at all times, and posting content online that disrespects religion, culture or national symbols is illegal. Same-sex relations are not illegal, but attitudes are conservative, and visitors should be especially considerate during Ramadan.
Paying
The currency is the somoni. Larger supermarkets and restaurants in Dushanbe take cards, and some cash machines work with foreign cards, but international banking is limited, so carry enough cash, especially for the mountains.
Getting connected
A travel eSIM set up before you fly connects when you land in Dushanbe, and your home SIM stays available for texts and bank codes. An Asia plan also covers Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, useful if you continue along the Pamir Highway or into the Fergana Valley.
Tajik SIM cards from Tcell, MegaFon or ZET-Mobile are sold in Dushanbe, and you need your passport to register one.
Consular protection: who to call in Tajikistan
- From a mobile, call 102 for the police, 103 for an ambulance and 101 for the fire service; from a landline, dial 02, 03 or 01. Operators may not speak English, and the tourist police answer on 0202.
- Embassies are in Dushanbe. The Telcomia app shows yours, with address and phone.
- If you are an EU citizen and your country is not represented in Tajikistan, the embassy of any other EU country must give you the same help it would give its own nationals (Article 23 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU).
- The app has emergency phrases in Russian, which most people understand, ready to show on screen.
Tajikistan travel-safety page →
Questions travellers ask about Tajikistan
Does my EU plan work in Tajikistan?
No. Tajikistan is outside Roam Like at Home, so your operator charges its own roaming rates.
Will I have signal on the Pamir Highway?
Only in and around the towns, such as Khorog and Murghab. Download maps and offline translations before you leave Dushanbe.
Which networks does a Telcomia eSIM use in Tajikistan?
ZET-Mobile on most plans and TT Mobile on some, with 4G, and 5G on some plans where available.
What are the emergency numbers?
102 for the police, 103 for an ambulance and 101 for the fire service, from a mobile.
The short version
Install the eSIM before departure, get the GBAO permit with your e-visa, stay on the road along the Afghan border, carry cash for the mountains, and save 102 and 103.
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