Now Visa-Free: Why Chinese Travelers Are Rediscovering Samarkand in 2026

Stand in the Registan at dusk and the past reaches out to greet you: three towering madrasahs glazed in cobalt and gold, their tilework glowing like embers as the call to prayer drifts across a square that has welcomed Chinese caravans for more than a thousand years. For travelers from China, this is not a foreign land at all — it is the far, luminous end of a road your own ancestors helped build.

And in 2026, that road has never been easier to travel. Since 1 June 2025, ordinary passport holders of China and Uzbekistan cross between the two countries completely visa-free, and the response has been electric — airline bookings between the two nations have surged by more than 360 percent. The Silk Road is open again, and Samarkand is waiting.

Visa-Free Travel to Uzbekistan for Chinese Citizens (乌兹别克斯坦免签)

The reciprocal agreement lets Chinese travelers enter Uzbekistan without a visa for stays of up to 30 days per visit, up to a cumulative 90 days within any 180-day period, for tourism, business and transit. No embassy queues, no paperwork, no waiting — simply book, fly and arrive. For a destination this rich in shared history, the barrier to the Silk Road has essentially disappeared, and 2026 is the first full travel season to enjoy it end to end.

Direct Flights From China to the Heart of the Silk Road

Getting here has never been simpler. Direct flights connect Beijing, Guangzhou and other major Chinese hubs with Tashkent, operated by Uzbekistan Airways, Air China and China Southern Airlines, while seasonal routes link Chinese cities with the region several times a week. From Tashkent, the sleek Afrosiyob high-speed train carries you to Samarkand in a little over two hours, gliding across the steppe toward the domes that once marked the caravans' final triumphant arrival.

Samarkand, Bukhara and a Journey Your Ancestors Would Recognise

This is a land that feels at once foreign and familiar to Chinese visitors. In Samarkand, walk beneath the ribbed dome of the Gur-e-Amir, resting place of Amir Timur, and stand in Ulugh Beg's 15th-century observatory where astronomers charted the same stars watched from Xi'an. In Bukhara — where GoUzbekistan is based — lose yourself in a living museum of 140 protected monuments, trading domes and caravanserais where silk, spice and porcelain once changed hands. In Khiva, the walled city of Ichan-Kala rises from the desert like a mirage preserved in amber.

Why 2026 Is the Year to Go

Uzbekistan is one of the world's fastest-rising destinations, now visa-free or e-visa accessible for citizens of more than 90 countries and repeatedly named among the safest places for independent travel. Spring and autumn bring soft, golden weather ideal for exploring the great squares; summer rewards early risers with cool mornings in the monuments and cool escapes in the mountains. Prices remain gentle, hospitality is legendary, and the crowds have not yet caught up with the beauty.

As a licensed Uzbek tour operator based in Bukhara and operating since 2007, GoUzbekistan crafts seamless journeys for Chinese travelers — Mandarin-friendly guiding, halal and Chinese-conscious dining, comfortable hotels and private transfers, so you savour the Silk Road without a single logistical worry. Create your own custom tour shaped around your dates and dreams, or explore our tours to find the route that calls to you.

Plan your Uzbekistan trip — in your language

中文

2026年，中国与乌兹别克斯坦互免签证，撒马尔罕、布哈拉与希瓦的丝绸之路古城正等待您的到来。北京、广州直飞塔什干，入境无需签证，30天畅游。让 GoUzbekistan 为您定制专属的乌兹别克斯坦旅游行程。定制我的丝绸之路之旅。

العربية

السياحة في أوزبكستان أصبحت أسهل من أي وقت مضى. اكتشف سمرقند وبخارى على طريق الحرير مع رحلات مباشرة وإقامة فاخرة. صمّم رحلتك الخاصة مع GoUzbekistan. أنشئ رحلتك الآن.

Deutsch

Planen Sie Ihre Usbekistan Reise entlang der Seidenstraße: eine Rundreise durch Samarkand, Buchara und Chiwa, voller Geschichte und Gastfreundschaft. Lassen Sie GoUzbekistan Ihre maßgeschneiderte Reise gestalten. Jetzt Reise planen.

Español

Descubre los viajes a Uzbekistán por la Ruta de la Seda: Samarcanda, Bujará y Jiva te esperan con historia, color y una hospitalidad inolvidable. Diseña tu viaje a medida con GoUzbekistan. Crea tu viaje.

Français

Vivez un voyage en Ouzbékistan sur la Route de la Soie : Samarcande, Boukhara et Khiva vous attendent, entre mosaïques azur et accueil chaleureux. Créez votre circuit sur mesure avec GoUzbekistan. Planifiez votre voyage.

Русский

Отправьтесь в туры в Узбекистан по Шёлковому пути: Самарканд, Бухара и Хива ждут вас с их лазурными куполами и знаменитым гостеприимством. Спланируйте индивидуальное путешествие с GoUzbekistan. Создать свой тур.