Kokand to Fergana: 90 km via Rishtan or Buvayda

Kokand stands at the western gateway of the Fergana Valley, while Fergana lies closer to its southern edge. The roughly 90 km between them can be covered by two quite different roads. One goes through Rishtan, the town of potters, where blue glazes are still made with techniques that are centuries old. The other runs further north, through Buvayda district, and is usually faster because it passes fewer towns. Here is how to choose between them depending on the purpose of your trip.

The southern road via Rishtan

This is the traditional route that people have used for decades between Kokand and Margilan. It goes through Rishtan and Altyaryk, past orchards, vineyards and irrigation channels, and then reaches Margilan and Fergana.

Advantages of the southern route:

• you can stop in Rishtan and visit one of the family ceramics workshops;
• there are plenty of roadside stalls with bread, fruit and tea;
• it is convenient if you need Margilan first, for the silk factory or the bazaar.

The downsides are heavy traffic through towns, speed limits and traffic lights. Pure driving time is usually 1 hour 40 minutes to 2 hours, and with a stop in Rishtan the trip easily becomes half a day.

The northern road via Buvayda

Further north, closer to the Syr Darya, another road runs through Buvayda and neighbouring rural districts. It carries less traffic and passes fewer villages, so drivers going to Fergana on business often pick it. In good weather it takes an hour and a half or a little less.

Things to know about the northern route:

• the surface can be uneven in places, especially after winter;
• there are fewer filling stations and roadside cafes, so bring water;
• the scenery is simpler: cotton and wheat fields, tree belts and canals.

How to choose

In practice the driver often decides based on roadworks and traffic. If the route matters to you, mention it when booking or before getting in.

Transport

Buses and minibuses

Cars and buses leave Kokand bus station regularly towards Fergana and Margilan. They usually take the southern road and stop in Rishtan. Cheap, but slow.

Train

Kokand and Margilan are connected by rail: trains from Tashkent into the valley pass through both cities. Margilan station also serves Fergana, which is about 20 minutes further by taxi or minibus. Convenient if the timetable fits your plans; check it in advance.

Shared rides

Drivers who are already travelling between the cities post their trips on Yo'ldosh: you see the departure time, price per seat and driver profile, and booking takes a minute. It is cheaper than a private taxi, and you leave at a time that suits you rather than when the car happens to fill up. Trips are listed on the Kokand — Fergana and Fergana — Kokand pages.

Cost

The price of the Kokand — Fergana trip depends on the season, fuel costs and the day of the week. Roughly speaking, a minibus is cheapest, a shared taxi seat costs several times more, and a whole taxi costs about the same as four seats. Check exact figures before you go; they rise before holidays.

What to see at each end

Kokand

The former capital of the Kokand Khanate keeps several important monuments:

• the 19th-century palace of Khudayar Khan with its tiled facade;
• the Juma Mosque, whose veranda rests on nearly a hundred wooden columns;
• the Narbutabey madrasa and the Dakhmai Shakhon necropolis.

You can see all of them in half a day, starting with the palace.

Rishtan

Rishtan ceramics are recognisable by the blue and turquoise tones of the ishkor glaze, traditionally made from the ash of steppe plants. Many workshops let you watch the potter's wheel and kiln at work and buy pieces directly from the master. Ask for fragile purchases to be packed well.

Fergana

A green city with wide streets, parks and boulevards. It is a convenient base for exploring the whole valley: Margilan, the Kumtepa bazaar and the mountains to the south.

Practical tips

1. If Rishtan is your goal, leave in the morning, as workshops are busiest in the first half of the day.
2. In summer a car without air conditioning is hard going after noon, so plan the drive for morning or evening.
3. Carry ceramics inside the car rather than in the boot, and hold them on your lap on rough stretches.
4. There are police posts leaving Kokand and entering Fergana, so keep your passport with you.

The bottom line

There are two roads between Kokand and Fergana: via Rishtan, with ceramics and stops, or via Buvayda, faster and quieter. Without stops, expect an hour and a half to two hours. You can book a seat on the Kokand — Fergana and Fergana — Kokand pages, and all valley routes are collected in the routes section.

Cover photo: Petar Milošević, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons.