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Uzbekistan eSIM: mobile data in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara

How mobile data works on the Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara – Khiva route, where the signal fades, and whether to go with a local SIM, roaming or a travel eSIM.

Published September 23, 2026 · Updated October 1, 2026 · 8 min read · MoreSim editorial team

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Mobile internet in Uzbekistan works reliably for travelers in Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, and fades on the road: between stations on the high-speed train, on the desert stretch to Khiva and in the mountains around Chimgan. The easiest way to get online is a travel eSIM: you install the profile at home as a second line, and it kicks in after you land. A local SIM issued with your passport gives you an Uzbek number, but within a few weeks you’ll have to register the phone’s IMEI.

What is mobile coverage like in Uzbek cities and on the road?

The classic route goes Tashkent, then Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva. In the big cities, coverage is generally stable and 4G is standard. In old neighborhoods with thick walls and narrow lanes, the signal can be weaker indoors, but out on the street and in hotel courtyards you usually have data.

• Tashkent — the capital; coverage is usually even across the city, but it can weaken indoors and in underpasses.
• Samarkand — data generally works fine in the center and around the main monuments.
• Bukhara — there’s signal in the old town, but it can weaken inside madrasas and caravanserais.
• Khiva — Itchan Kala is compact and generally covered, but the road there through the desert has long dead zones.
• The mountains near Tashkent, Chimgan and around — signal is usually fine near the resort area, but can drop out higher up on the trails.

An honest caveat: quality depends on the location, the carrier and network load. No one can promise a steady connection along the whole route — not a local SIM, not roaming, not an eSIM. Plan as if you might lose signal for half an hour, so that when it happens, nothing breaks.

Wi-Fi is common in hotels and cafés, but quality varies: it’s usually better in the lobby than in a far-off room, and in old-town guesthouses the signal can be weak. Plus it stays at the hotel, while you need data most out on the street: at the ticket office, in a taxi, at the bazaar when you need to translate a phrase fast or find the entrance to the right madrasa.

Trains and desert: where does the signal fade in Uzbekistan?

High-speed trains run between Tashkent, Samarkand and Bukhara, and they’re the most convenient way to get around. Mobile data usually works for most of the journey, but between stations there are stretches where the signal weakens or drops out for a few minutes. For video on the train, stick to what you’ve downloaded in advance.

The trip to Khiva is longer, and much of it runs through desert. There are few settlements, which means fewer towers: the signal can disappear for a long time. If you’re traveling with a hired driver, agree on a meeting point in advance rather than by phone on the way.

Local SIM card and IMEI registration in Uzbekistan

Foreigners can generally get a local SIM with a passport at a carrier store or kiosk, including at the airport. It’s a solid option for long trips, if you need a local number or often call Uzbek phones. The downsides are obvious too: a line after landing, paperwork and swapping the card in your phone.

There’s also a catch that tourists don’t always hear about right away. Uzbekistan registers mobile devices by IMEI in the UZIMEI system. According to the carrier Mobiuz, a foreigner with a local SIM can use the phone without registration for 60 days from its first connection, after which an unregistered phone stops getting service; local media in 2026 also cite a 30-day period. Registration comes with a fee and the process has changed, so check it when you buy a SIM. If you don’t buy a local SIM and only use roaming or a travel eSIM, you don’t need to register the phone.

An eSIM takes care of data without a store visit or phone registration. MoreSim plans are mobile data only, with no phone number: you can call over messaging apps where they aren’t restricted, and bank texts come to your home SIM. The profile goes on as a second line, and your home SIM stays in the phone.

Roaming or eSIM in Uzbekistan: which should you choose?

For data on a trip, an eSIM is usually the easier choice, while your home carrier’s roaming is best kept for calls and texts. Roaming may work in Uzbekistan, but every carrier has its own terms: which packages it offers for the country, how much data they include and how usage beyond that is billed. Check them in your carrier’s app before you fly, not after the first charge notification.

Pick a data allowance that fits your own trip rather than the biggest number: the available allowances and validity periods are listed on the Uzbekistan catalog page. Maps, taxis and messaging on the Tashkent – Samarkand – Bukhara route use little, while video and daily stories use a lot more. If you run out before the plan ends, use “Top up data” on the eSIM card in your account or in the bot’s app, if top-ups are available for that plan.

How to get connected on arrival day in Uzbekistan

On arrival day, data comes up within a couple of minutes if you installed the eSIM profile at home.

1. At home, check that your phone supports eSIM — you can do this in the Telegram bot @moresim_bot.
2. Buy a plan on the website or in the bot and pay with Telegram Stars from any country, right in the bot (bank card and SBP payments currently work with cards issued in Russia).
3. The QR code arrives in the chat in about 30 seconds; install the profile over your home Wi-Fi.
4. The plan starts counting on its first connection to a network in your destination, so you can install it in advance.
5. After landing, turn off airplane mode, choose the eSIM for mobile data and turn on data roaming for it: a travel eSIM usually runs on a local carrier’s network as a roaming line, so you won’t get data without it.
6. Turn off mobile data on your home SIM so your data doesn’t go through your home carrier. Keep the line itself on if you’re expecting bank texts; for that, your carrier has to offer roaming in Uzbekistan.

How to make your data last, and what comes next

A few habits make your data last in Uzbekistan, and if you run out, you can top up without a new eSIM.

• Turn off app auto-updates and automatic photo backup on mobile data.
• Download offline maps for every city on your route before you set off.
• Post heavy videos in the evening over hotel Wi-Fi.
• If you run out early, top up without a new eSIM: use “Top up data” on the eSIM card in your account or in the bot’s app, if top-ups are available for that plan.

Many travelers continue on to neighboring countries: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan or Tajikistan. Each needs its own local plan, coverage there is different, and we cover them separately. MoreSim has travel eSIMs for 200+ destinations, so you can install your next profile ahead of time while you’re still in Uzbekistan.

The most common question we get from Uzbekistan: why is there no data after landing? Almost always, data roaming isn’t turned on for the eSIM, or mobile data is still set to the home SIM. Switch those and the network comes up. If not, message us any time — support is available.