How do you get to Baku?
Getting There8.4/10Easier to reach than about 80% of cities
- Main airport
- Heydar Aliyev International Airport
Updated September 2026 · Sources cited: blog.wego.com, en.wikipedia.org
Good to know
Good to Know
- Metro is fastest ground transport within city center; no metro connection to airport—use AeroExpress or taxi for airport transfers
- Public transport requires BakıKart (rechargeable smart card, 2 AZN deposit) or QR code payment; both metro and bus use same card system
- Baku traffic can be heavy, especially rush hours (8:30-9:30 AM and 5-8 PM); plan accordingly for airport transfers
- Popular day-trip destinations (Gobustan, Shamakhi, Quba, Gabala) are easily booked via organized tours from city center; some doable by public bus if you plan ahead
- Inter-city train service to Ganja, Qabala, and Balakən available from Baku railway station; suburban railway (Absheron Circular line) connects outer city areas
- Baku Metro runs 06:00-00:00/01:00; plan evening transport carefully; metro serves Old City (Icherisheher), seafront boulevard (Sahil), and central stations
Rail
- Booking
- Visit ticket.ady.az or book at central station
- Central Station
- Baku railway station (Bakı Dəmir Yolu Vağzalı), located in Nesimi district, approximately 3 km northeast from Old City, connected to 28 May metro station
Domestic Routes
- Available
- Baku-Ganja, Baku-Qabala, Baku-Balakən, Absheron Circular line (suburban railway, 91 km commuter service)
International Routes
Tbilisi Georgia
- Type
- Overnight train
- Frequency
- Regular service
- Note
- Only active international route; connections to Russia and Ukraine interrupted
Airport
- Name
- Heydar Aliyev International Airport
- Website
- airport.az
- Airlines
- Multiple international and domestic carriers including Azerbaijan Airlines (national carrier), Turkish Airlines, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways, LOT, airBaltic, Wizz Air, and others
- IATA Code
- GYD
- Icao Code
- UBBB
- Terminals
- 2
- Facilities
- Free Wi-Fi, currency exchange, duty-free shops, medical facilities, prayer room, VIP lounges, baby changing rooms, smoking areas, sleeping pods
- Distance From City Center Km
- 20
- Distance From City Center Miles
- 12
Day Trip Access
- Note
- Most day trips require organized tours or private transport; bus station (Avtovağzal, connected to metro) offers inter-city bus services with published schedules online
Nearby Destinations
Gobustan National Park (Gobustan Rock Art Museum & Mud Volcanoes)
- Transport
- Organized tours or private car; bus station has services to Gobustan
- Distance Km
- ~60 km south via Caspian coast
- Travel Time
- Day trip feasible
Ateshgah Fire Temple (Fire Temple/Zoroastrian Site)
- Transport
- Organized tours or taxi; often combined with Gobustan
- Distance Km
- Within Absheron peninsula
- Travel Time
- Day trip feasible
Yanar Dag (Burning Mountain)
- Transport
- Organized tours; natural gas fires on hillside
- Distance Km
- Within Absheron peninsula
- Travel Time
- Day trip feasible
Quba & Khinaliq Village
- Transport
- Organized tours or private car; Khinaliq accessible via Quba; 5,000-year-old mountain village with Caucasian Albanian heritage
- Distance Km
- ~2 hours by car from city
- Travel Time
- Day trip or overnight stay
Shahdag Mountain Resort
- Transport
- Organized tours; skiing in winter, alpine activities year-round
- Distance Km
- ~3 hours by car
- Travel Time
- Day trip or overnight stay
Ganja
- Transport
- Train (Baku-Ganja line) or organized tours; second-largest city, historical and cultural sites
- Distance Km
- ~4 hours by car
- Travel Time
- Overnight or extended trip
Gabala
- Transport
- Organized tours; charming historical city with mountain resorts and outdoor activities
- Distance Km
- ~217.6 km
- Travel Time
- Day trip or overnight
Lahij (Copper-working Craft Village)
- Transport
- Organized tours or private car; handicrafts and ancient architecture
- Distance Km
- Day trip distance
- Travel Time
- Day trip feasible
Shamakhi
- Transport
- Organized tours available; cultural and historical sites
- Distance Km
- Day trip distance
- Travel Time
- Day trip feasible
Public Transport City
Bus
- Name
- BakuBus
- Note
- Fares vary by route distance. Same BakıKart system as metro. Modern fleet with electric and CNG vehicles
Fare Range
- Amount USD Max
- 0.35
- Amount USD Min
- 0.18
- Currency Local
- AZN
- Amount Local Max
- 0.6
- Amount Local Min
- 0.3
Metro
- Name
- Baku Metro
- Lines
- 3
- Stations
- 27
- Fare Per Ride
- AZN 0.60
- Hours Operation
- 06:00 to 00:00/01:00 daily
- Payment Methods
- BakıKart (rechargeable smart card, 2 AZN deposit), QR code at turnstiles (since December 2023), bank card/digital wallets at some terminals
- Note
- Flat fare regardless of distance. No direct connection to airport; access via AeroExpress to 28 May station
Airport Ground Transport
- Taxi
- Available at airport; various private car rental companies operate including Aznur
Bus
- Fare
- AZN 1.30
- Name
- AeroExpress shuttle
- Frequency
- Every 30 minutes 06:00-19:00, every 40 minutes 19:00-21:00, hourly 21:00-06:00
- Destination
- 28 May transport hub (railway station/metro interchange)
- Duration To Center Minutes
- 35
AI-generated estimateData refreshed September 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this getting there & away research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Baku
Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.