Baku

Introduction

Baku, Azerbaijan's capital, and the largest city in the Caucasus, lies on Caspian Sea. During the Soviet era, it was a seaside vacation destination and popular for its spas. The picturesque Old City (icheri shekher), the new boomtown and the Soviet-built town make up Baku. The cobbled streets, narrow alleys and ancient buildings of the UNESCO World Heritage listed Old City are the undoubted highlight for visitors to Baku.

Sights and Activities

• The Old City is a must for any visitor to the city.
• The Palace of the Shirvanshahs is the highlight of the Old City. Location: Old City. ☎ +994 12 492-1073, fax: +994 12 437-1246, e-mail: [email protected] daily 10.00-19.00 (April-October), 10:00-18:00 (November-March). The medieval palace of the Shirvan Shahs is the highlight of the Old City and a must see for any tourist in Baku. The complex contains the main building of the palace, Divanhane, the burial-vaults, the shah's mosque with a minaret, Seyid Yahya Bakuvi's mausoleum, a portal in the east - Murad's gate, a reservoir and the remnants of the bath-house. - The main building of the complex was started in 1411 by Shirvanshah Sheykh Ibrahim I. The two-storey building of the palace numbers about 50 different dimensions and outlines of the constructions connected with 3 narrow winding staircases. The big lancet portal directly leads from the courtyard to the second floor, into a high octahedral lodging covered with a cupola. A small, also an octagonal vestibule, located behind it, connects it with the rest of the lodgings in the palace. - Divankhana is a small stone pavilion. It is situated inside a small courtyard surrounded by a gallery-arcade on three sides. The Divankhana pavilion consists of an octahedral hall covered with a stone cupola both inside and outside. The well-proportioned high portal of the main entrance is decorated with an ornament and Arabic inscription. The ornament pictures the interlacing fig and vine leaves. The portal is also decorated with two medallions inside of which there are inscriptions in Kufic Arabic. - The Mausoleum of the Shirvanshahs is of a rectangular shape and crowned with a hexahedral cupola which is decorated from outside with multi-radial stars. The inscription on the entrance doorway indicates the purpose of the building, "Khalilullah I, the greatest Soltan, Great Shirvanshah, the namesake of the divine prophet, the defender of the religion ordered to construct this light burial-vault for his mother and son in 839" (1435–1436). On two drop-shaped medallions in the flannel parts of the portal there are inscriptions with the architect's name - Memar Ali (architect Ali). - The Palace Mosque (1430s) is situated in the lower court of the complex. The laconicism of its prismatic volumes, completed with two slightly pointed cupolas, is shaded by a well-proportioned vertical line of the minaret rising above in the north-eastern corner of the building. There are 2 chapels for prayers in the mosque: a hall of a large size for men and a hall of a small size for women, also a couple of small subsidiary rooms. There is an inscription laid under the stalactite belt of the minaret which reads, "The greatest Soltan Khalilullah I ordered to build this minaret. May Allah exalt the days of his governing and reign. The year of 845" (1441–1442). - Seyid Yahya Bakuvi's Mausoleum is situated in the southern part of the complex. Seyid Yahya Bakuvi was a royal scholar in the court of Shirvanshah Khalilullah. The Mausoleum is of an octahedral shape and covered with an octahedral marquee. It consists of ground and underground parts. The upper part of the Mausoleum served to perform the cult rites, and the lower one housed the sepulchral vault. There are three small lancet windows with a stone bar - shabaka on the southern, eastern and western verges of the Mausoleum. - The Shirvanshahs' Palace complex also includes the portal of Eastern Gates, the so-called "Sultan Murad's Gate" (1585). It was built within the walls of the citadel rather later than all the other constructions of the complex during Ottoman occupation of 1585-1603rd century. The gates were named by them in honor of Sultan Murad III. - The Palace Bath-house is situated on the lowest terrace of the complex. It was discovered in 1939 and dates to 17th century. The archaeological excavations exposed a big bath-house consisting of 26 rooms. On the basis of the surviving remains of the walls of the bath-house one can say that its rooms used to be covered with cupolas and the light penetrated through the openings in the cupolas. The bath-house was semi-underground for keeping the heat in winter and the cool in summer. Foreigners 10 manat, locals 2 manat, 2 manat to take photos.
• Saray mosque (Palatial mosque, Shahs-khans mosque, Azerbaijani: Saray məscidi, Russian: Дворцовая мечеть). - Plan of the mosque is rectangular. There is a small hall, small prayer room for women and serving rooms. The northern portal, rotated to a burial vault of Shirvanshahs is more solemn than the eastern one. The latter, which was coming down to underground exit, was intended for habitants of the palace. - Interior. Two tier windowed prayer room is covered with cupola with spherical sails. Mihrab is located in the southern end of the palace. Cupola area over one a tier women prayer room ceding to cupola of the hall with its dimensions and replacing its outlines. Aperture of the mosque’s portal is clearly described on severe background of prismatic volume, ended with two cupolas with slightly sharpening calottes. - Minaret. Trunk of the minaret is surrounded by an inscription, a ligature of which has a date of 845 (1441/42). Details of sherefe’s stalactites are subtly modeled.
• The Maiden's Tower (Guz Qalasi) was built somewhere between the 7th and 12th century AD. It is a mystery what exactly its purpose was. Location: Old City. Daily 10:00am–7:00pm. This mysterious and eccentric tower was built somewhere between the 7th and 12th centuries and may have served as a fire beacon, defensive fortification, astronomical observatory, or Zoroastrian temple. - The tower, which is Baku's most distinguished landmark, described as the "most majestic and mysterious monument of Baku, the Gyz Galasy", built on solid rock foundation, demonstrates right on the coast line, a fusion of Arabic, Persian and Ottoman influences. It was constructed alongside a natural oil well. It is a cylindrical eight story structure that rises to a height of 29.5 metres with a base diameter of 16.5 metres. The internal space available in the tower is said to be adequate to accommodate 200 people. A long solid projection to the main tower faces east, which is oriented towards sunrise pointing to the equinoxes, which has led to the conclusion that it was built as an astronomical tower; while the buttress faces east, the door access to the tower faces southeast. Each floor of the tower has a shallow vaulted roof, "a stone cupola" that has a central opening. The thickness of the walls varies from 5 m at the base tapering cylindrically to 3.2-4.2 metres at the top floors. All floors are connected by staircase which abuts the circular wall and are lighted by narrow windows or niches which flare inward. The structure built in stone masonry exhibits varying finished surfaces, which is inlaid with local grey limestone. The alternate courses of stone laid in gypsum plaster gives a black and white banded effect. The northwestern part of the tower retains the original surface finish. There is also a beak-like projection, a buttress, curved in shape, made in masonry. The earliest stonework has square corners. - A detailed examination of the construction features of the tower by archaeologists suggests that the stone masonry, both on its interior and exterior surfaces, is diamond shaped and is seen at the top as well as at the bottom of the tower wall. The diamond shaped cut seen as a decorative feature, particularly on the outer face of the west side wall, is ornate at the top and plain at the bottom of the wall; a subtle feature noted throughout the tower suggests that it was built as one monolith unit at one period. However, the recent renovations are stated to be crude. - Water Well: Another notable structure seen in the tower is a water well of 0.7 m diameter, which is 21 m deep (its depth is up to the aquifer) that has been discovered at the second floor of the tower. It has an entrance also at the ground level which was discovered by Archaeologist Abbas Islamov during a recent study of the tower. This well has been interpreted as rainwater harvesting structure and the water is said to be clean and fresh (though close to the sea). The ceramic pipe (30 cm in diameter) plumbing seen running down from the niches of the tower into the well was meant as a supply source. Since the ancient plumbing system is said to be in its original form, it needs to be cleaned and its layout ascertained by further studies to describe the drainage network that was originally built as part of the tower. The ceramics of the plumbing system and the silt deposited in them could also help to fix the age of the tower by using thermo-luminescence technique. - Also seen in the tower, between the 2nd floor and the 7th floor, is a gutter of semicircular shape at every floor. It is made of ceramic pipes fitted one above another and joined by lime mortar. The pipes are presumably produced with the potter's wheel technique. They are 20–25 cm in diameter with 2.2 cm thick walls and each segment is 40–45 cm long. Similar gutters are seen from the ground floor up to the foundation level but with the four cornered ceramic pipes of 22 cm× 18 cm size, which run outside through the wall. Foreigners 10 manat, locals 2 manat.
• Muhammad Mosque (Siniggala Mosque, Мечеть Мухаммада) (West 60 metres from Cuma Mosque). This is the mosque built in the 11th century in Icheri Sheher, Baku. The mosque is also known as Siniggala, for the name of its minaret – Siniggala (“damaged tower”). The mosque acquired its second name in 1723, when military squadron of Russian army, consisting of 15 warships and led by Admiral Matyushkin approached the city from seaside and demanded its surrender. Russian warships began to bomb the city after refusal. One of the shells hit in the minaret of Muhammad Mosque and damaged it. At that time blew stormy wind and took the Russian ships away to the sea. Population of the city interpreted it as a divine scourge sent to the occupants. From that time till the middle of the 19th century minaret of the mosque wasn’t reconstructed and was the symbol of persistence and courage of defendants of the tower. - It is the first building in Azerbaijan, which is related to Islam and dated for its architectural ligature. - According to Arabic inscription which was saved in front of doorway of northern wall of the mosque, it was built by ustad-rais Muhammad the son of Abu Bakr in 471 of Hijra (1078/79). It means that the architect was not only a master-ustad, but also a rais-head of artificers’ corporation. - A Minaret adjoins new mosque, which was constructed on the basis of the older one’s plan. Trunk of the minaret is strong and slightly thinning. It is constructed from carefully drafted stone. Coarse and flat stalactites of tabling retain sherefe – muezzin’s balcony enclosed by stone plates. A ribbed dome completes the trunk of minaret. Narrow winding stairs are winded within the trunk. Ligature with Koranic inscription was traced under the tabling with archaic kufi alphabet.

Events and Festivals

International Baku Jazz Festival

Azerbaijanis love jazz, and every year, Bazu plays host to various concerts put together by musicians and bands from different countries. Jazz artists from Georgia, Israel, USA, Portugal, Italy, Germany, Russia, and Canada come to perform.

Weather

Baku has warm summers and mild winters. Temperatures average around 31 °C from June to September and are still around 10 °C during the December to February winter period. Frost and snow are rare, but rain can fall in every month, though tends to be somewhat higher during October and November.

Getting There

By Plane

Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) is the busiest airport in the Caucasus and is located near Baku. It services flights primarily to destinations in Central Asia, Russia and Eastern Europe. Azerbaijan Airlines, the national airline, has its main hub here. Domestic destinations include Ganja and Nakhchivan City (exclave).

By Train

Overnight trains are available from Russia, Ukraine and Georgia on a regular basis. The train to/from Moscow (51 hours) departs once a week, and there are also connections from Rostov and Kharkiv. Trains running through Russia are operated by Russian Railways.

There is also an overnight train from Tbilisi in neighbouring Georgia leaving daily. The journey lasts 13-14 hours depending on the length of border checks. The train makes a stop-over in Ganja and several smaller towns. It's a comfortable journey because the border checks do not take place in the middle of the night. Tea is available en-route for 1 manat.

• Departure from Tbilisi 19:30, arrival Baku 9:20, 33 lari (plakard), 50 lari (compartment of 4), 86 lari (compartment of 2). (Sep 2017).
• Departure from Baku 21:10, arrival Tbilisi 10:25, 29 manat.

The long-delayed rail link between Georgia and Turkey opened on 30 Oct 2017, initially for freight only. The start date and timetable for passenger trains has not yet been announced.

Domestic trains are very cheap, most journeys cost less than 10 manat which makes it cheaper than staying in a hostel.

By Bus

Buses travel to all major cities and towns in Azerbaijan as well as destinations further away including Tehran, Tblisi and Istanbul. Minibuses and shared taxis also ply the national routes from Baku.

By Boat

Ferries, both cargo and passenger, travel across the Caspian Sea from Baku to Turkmenbashi in Turkmenistan and Aktau in Kazakhstan. Services are erratic though, but the crossing to Turkmenistan is the most popular and reliable. Some ferries go to Russia as well, which is mostly used because as a foreigner, you can't travel overland between the two countries.
Theoretically, ferries also cross the Caspian Sea to Iran, but these are unreliable and infrequent, no schedules exist, they are not comfortable and it's slow. It is adventurous though!

Getting Around

By Car

London taxi cabs have been recently introduced in Baku, and travel fees are 0.70 manat per km. A taxi costs 4-10 manat for trips within the center of Baku. It's important to agree on the price of the fare before beginning the trip or you can expect to be asked to pay far more than you should.

By Public Transport

Buses and minibuses cost 0.20 manat per person and can take you to almost any place within Baku. Destinations are usually posted on the front and the right side of the bus. Newer buses only accept electronic cash. Note, there are some buses which are 0.25 manat, e.g. the one to Bibi Heybət Mosque in the south. Which makes charging disposable electronic cards a challenge. That means if you buy the single use tickets, they might not be sufficient if you just load them with 0.40 manat, thinking of going forth and back once.

The metro goes many places throughout Baku and it costs only 0.20 manat. It is the least expensive way to get around Baku besides walking. Ask a cashier or attendant. You must obtain a Bakı Metropiliten Kart (2 manat refundable deposit) and load it like a normal metro pass. More than one person may use the same card. Alternatively, you can use a Azerbaycan Sosial Kartı like the ones on some Azerbaijani ATM cards. The metro workers will be more than happy to help if spoken to in either Azeri or Russian, and some may understand English. It runs from 6:00am until midnight and gets very crowded in rush hours. Be careful when transferring trains at the transfer stations (28 May and Jafar Jabbarli Cəfər Cabbarlı) as the signage is not easy to spot. There have been reports of people being arrested while taking photographs of the metro station.

The Baku electric train runs through several parts of Baku and the surrounding area including Sumqait. 1 manat.

By Foot

It is possible to get around Fountain Square, the Boulevard, and the old city by foot, but the entire city cannot be covered on foot.

By Bike

Baku is a great town to get around in by bicycle. Except for the up-town, the city, including old town (İçəri Şəhər) and down-town is fairly flat, and though there are some streets that are dangerous to ride, there is almost always a safe, fast route to your destination.

While there are no separate bike lanes on the streets, and cars and cyclists often share narrow streets of Baku, the city is very bike-friendly. While cycling on the street, be very careful watch out for other cyclists, always keep closer to foot-walk side of the street, and show other traffic where you are going (e.g., by holding out your hand) in order to avoid accidents and smoothen the traffic flow.

Eat

• Half Way Inn, 6, 28 May St (Bus 2, 61, 85, 88, 90, 95 to Milli Bank), ☎ +994 12 5980905. International Cuisine 5-10 msnat.
• L’aparte, 51, Istigaliyyet St (ул. Истиглалият) (M Icherisheher SW 0.4km), ☎ +994 12 497-77-79. European and Azeri Cuisine 6-10 manat.
• Lebanese, 12, Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev Street (M 'Sahil' 0.5km West), ☎ +994 12 4937849. Lebanese Cuisine located on fountain square 8 manat.
• Onassis, 3, Inshaatchilar Ave ( İnşaatçılar prospekti) (Near to 'Huseyn Cavid Park' - M 'Elmlar Akademiyasi'), ☎ +994 12 4391734. Greek and International Cuisine 2-7 manat.
• U Dali, 5, Mirza Ibrahimov Street (Bus to 'Şahmat məktəbi' or M 'Nizami' 0.6km N), ☎ +994 12 4949356. Georgian Cuisine 3-6 manat. edit

Lavas/Fasali (Right outside Icherisheher metro, on the left). Two take-away places, one next to the other, run by the same people. Do a wide range of usual Azeri/Turkish take-away food - but good quality, very popular with the locals, expect to queue! 3 manat for a kebab/pancake which will completely fill you up.

Drink

There are many outdoor tea houses (çayxanalar) that serve tea and sweets to people in their own individual nooks. Going to them can be a great way to get a sense of the local culture. If you are adventurous, try challenging a local Bakuvian to a game of backgammon (nard) or dominoes.

There is a good selection of cafés dispersed throughout Baku. Expect to pay Western prices for your coffee.

Although tea houses (çay xanalar) (found throughout Azerbaijan) serve local beer (piva) - draft at 50 qapick/glass or bottles at 70 qapick/bottle or vodka (araq) at 2 manat/bottle, for anything exotic (e.g. tequila, gin, or rum), you will have to go to a normal bar or hotel and pay Western prices there.

Sleep

• Baku Station Hotel, 28 May Station?. Dorm bed 2.4, single 6, twin 3 manst.
• Caspian Hostel, Asef Zeynalli 29 (Old Town, around the cnr from Meridian Hotel, above Thousand Camels Hostel), ☎ +994 503778444. Great location in the Old Town. 2 dorm rooms and 1 private room. Dorm bed 16 manat.
• Guest House Inn, Harbci St? 17, Icheri Sheher (Baki Soveti metro station), ☎ +994 12 4371262, fax: +994 12 4371263. Check-in: any time, check-out: at noon. This hotel is situated in the center of Old Town in a calm area, 10 minutes on foot to the nearest metro station, very friendly staff. Room with TV, fridge, private bathroom, hot water 60 manat per person.
• Hotel Velotrek (slightly hidden behind the Respublica Velotrek bicycle race course through a tall iron gate on the left hand side. 20 January Metro Station). A few kilometers north of the centre, this budget hotel has clean rooms with TV, private bath and hot water in the mornings. Single 15 manat, double 30 manat.
• Baku City Center Guest House, Nizami küçəsi 78 (not 87) (walk through the hallway from the boulevard, take the stairs to the right up, and the apartment is right at the other end of the open terrace). 50 manat.
• Cheeky Carabao Backpackers Hostel, 171 Tolstoy Street 1st floor. (Next to Face Studio. Easy to miss as the outside of the building is under construction and the sign keeps getting stolen.), ☎ +994 12 596 37 29. Upbeat hostel with lots to do. Ping pong, Wii, movies on the projector etc. Very clean has kitchen, dorms, privates, laundry service. Good location. Dorms sleep 8.
• Araz Hotel, (Y səfərov küç, Сафарова Юсифа) 30, Xatai/montino (From Baku Railway Station 0.5km East), ☎ +994 12 490 5063. About a kilometre from the ferry port. double US$60.
• Altstadt Hotel, Mammedyarov str. 3/2A (Ilyas Efendiyev str.3/2A), Icheri Sheher, AZ1001, Baku (Exit at Icheri Sheher metro, enter the Old Town, walk uphill to the left - and ask. Or use new technology!), ☎ +994 124926402, +994 503260595, +994 506857879, e-mail: [email protected] A "better" two-star hotel, with buffet breakfast, spotless private facilities, A/C, Wi-Fi, colour TV. Offers excursions, helps with visas if necessary. Run by the very friendly Mr. Elmin (Beatles fan) who is always happy to give info and help guests. 50 manat for double/twin.
• Consul Hotel, 92c Hasan Aliyev St (From Metro 'Ganjlik' West 1.2km), ☎ +994 12 498 6095, e-mail: [email protected] This is a hotel option in the Genclik district. Twin 50 manat.
• Days Hotel Baku, Babek Prospect, 21/99, ☎ +994 12 4967400, fax: +994 12 4967500, e-mail: [email protected] 15 minutes’ drive from the Heydar Aliyev International Airport and 10 minutes from the city centre. 102 rooms with WIFI internet access, one international restaurant, one lounge-bar and two conference rooms. 75-105 manat.
• Diplomat Hotel, Suleyman Rahimov St, 185, ☎ +994 12 596-11-27, fax: +994 012 596-11-28, e-mail: [email protected] Located centrally. Credit cards accepted. Double 90 manat.
• Empire Hotel, Xaqani St 49, ☎ +994 125982123, +994 125982128, fax: +994 125982129, e-mail: [email protected]
• Guesthouse Inn, Azadlig Pros. 16/21, ☎ +994 50 626 2173, fax: +994 125 98 21 29, e-mail: [email protected] Located between the Oil Academy and the Landmark, the Guesthouse Inn should not be confused with the Guest House Inn in the old town. 4 Single and 5 Double rooms, all ensuite with air conditioning, fridge, satellite TV, internet access.
• High Park Hotel, 10 B Babek Ave, ☎ +994 12 480 1215, fax: +994 12 480 1216, e-mail: [email protected] US$100.
• Holiday Inn Baku Airport, Heydar Aliyev International Airport (25-min drive from the city centre), ☎ +994 12 437 4949, e-mail: [email protected] Facilities include a kids stay and eat free program, internet access in all rooms, various restaurants, complimentary shuttle to downtown and a spa.
• Hotel Hale Kai, 18 Mirza Ibrahimov St, ☎ +994 12 596 50 56, fax: +994 12 596 50 58, e-mail: [email protected] American boutique hotel, 24 all-suite rooms, free Wi-Fi throughout hotel, breakfast included. 130 manat.
• Park Inn, Azadlig Ave 1, ☎ +994 12 490 6000, fax: +994 12 496 8900, e-mail: [email protected] Fully-equipped business centre, restaurant, bar and coffee shop, five modern conference rooms and an elegant ballroom with a large foyer. Also offers Wi-Fi in all guest rooms, gift shop, free airport shuttle, 24 hour room service, workout room, open parking facilities, 24 hour concierge. 169 manat.
• Rigs Hotel, 27 Gadjibekov St, ☎ +994 12 493 92 41, fax: +994 493 85 28, e-mail: [email protected] 24 rooms.
• Swan Hotel, Rostropovich (Leopold və Mstislav Rostropoviçlər), 17 (off Nizami street), ☎ +994 12 492 0508, fax: +994 12 4923601, e-mail: [email protected] Check-in: 13:00, check-out: noon. Near Icheri Sheher Metro station. Dbl US$75.
• AF Hotel Aqua Park, Novkhana, 1130/33, ☎ +994 12 448-30-30, e-mail: [email protected] Check-in: Noon, check-out: Noon. Remark: There have been complaints with this hotel – please check online reviews. AF Hotel is officially the largest hotel and resort in the Caucasus. This complex houses pools, saunas, salons, water slides, entertainment center, and hotel facilities. From 80 manat for a standard double room up to 500 manat for a presidential.
• Amburan Beach Club, Bilgah, ☎ +994 12 453-86-85, fax: +994 12 453-86-84, e-mail: [email protected] This complex has a 3 swimming pool, fasfood outlets, restaurant with cooks from Azerbaijan and Europe, Disco, Game Hall, Wi-Fi Internet, Water Sports, Beach Volley, Beach Football, Entertainments, Professional Animation Team.
• Bulvar Inn Baku.
• Crescent Beach Hotel, Salyan Hwy, Shikhov, ☎ +994 12 497-47-77, fax: +994 012 497-47-80, e-mail: [email protected] This complex has an indoor and outdoor pool, beach front, bar, and tourism services. High-speed Wi-Fi zone covering 10 hotel buildings, Hotel yard, restaurant, bars and beach. Please contact Hotel reception.
• Excelsior Hotel Baku, 2 Heydar Aliyev Ave, ☎ +994 12 496-8000, fax: +994 12 496-8008, e-mail: [email protected] With a 5 star rating, the Excelsior Hotel is one of the nicest hotels in Baku. The rate per night range from US$250-2,450, but will be converted to manat at the hotel's rate.
• Hyatt Regency Baku, 1 Bakikhanov, ☎ +994 12-496-1234, fax: +994 12-496-1235, e-mail: [email protected] Services include: high-speed internet access, chauffeur-driven limousine rental, hotel shops, Wi-Fi, business center, The Grill, Gourmet Shop, Beluga Bar, Club Oasis Fitness Center, swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, ballroom, 10 meeting rooms, 2 boardrooms, and pre-function and social function space. 270-405 manat.
• Olimpik Hotel, Absheron d, Novxani Settlement, ☎ +994 50 380 9999, fax: +994 12 348 0175, e-mail: [email protected] a 4 star resort 20 kilometres from Baku city centre and 2 km from the northern coast on the Caspian Sea at Absheron peninsula.
• Park Hyatt Baku, 1033 Izmir St, ☎ +994 12 490 1234, e-mail: [email protected] 5-star hotel adjacent to a comprehensive Meeting & Conference Centre. Club lounge for free continental breakfast, evening cocktails and boardroom access.
• Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel, 340 Nizami St, ☎ +994 12 498-2402, fax: +994 12 497-2451, e-mail: [email protected] An all-suite hotel located on the top floor of the ISR Plaza Business Centre with views over the old and new cities. Has a gym, sauna, indoor pool, lounge and business centre.

You can use the form below to search for availability (Travellerspoint receives a commission for bookings made through the form)

Keep Connected

Internet

Internet cafes in Azerbaijan are called "internet klubs" and they are found throughout Baku. Some coffee houses provide wireless internet, but they are quite rare in Baku. Recently public wi-fi service was implemented the central areas of the capital. Outside Baku, wifi access becomes more difficult but there's a growing number of places offering it.

Phone

See also: International Telephone Calls

The country calling code to Azerbaijan is: 994. To make an international call from Azerbaijan, the code is: 00

There are three mobile operators: Azercell, Bakcell, Nar Mobile, Azerfon-Vodafone. Azercell is the largest one. To dial an Azercell number you need to dial (050) or (051) and then the number. Only with Azercell can you talk in the metro(subway) in Baku. Nar Mobile is pretty cheap but doesn't work in some regions. For dialing Nar Mobile numbers you need to dial (070) and then the number. Azerfon-Vodafone is new operator have 3G. For dialing Azerfon-Vodafone numbers you need to dial (077) and then the number. Bakcell is ok. It works almost everywhere and is cheaper that Azercell. To dial a Bakcell number you need to dial (055) and then the number. The numbers have a 3 digit code (different for each operator) + 7 digits number.

Post

Azer Post offers services in the country. They are affordable and fairly reliable, yet not very fast. It takes at least a week to most European countries, but (much) more so further afield. Post offices in the capital are usually open from around 8:00-9:00am to late afternoon weekdays, but keep shorter hours in more rural areas. If you want to send a package overseas, use international companies like TNT, DHL, FedEx or UPS, as they are fast, reliable and fairly affordable as well.

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