Afghanistan Tajikistan
Afghanistan 
TajikistanLast reviewed July 2026
Crossing the border
Afghanistan and Tajikistan share a land border you can cross by car. Keep your passport, national driving licence and International Driving Permit together, and check opening hours and any toll or vignette requirements before you travel.
Driving rules in Tajikistan
- Drive on the right.
- Zero-tolerance alcohol policy.
- Remote high-altitude roads.
- Carry passport, IDP and permits for the GBAO region.
Once you're driving in Tajikistan
Destination-specific detail sourced from national road authorities, motoring clubs and rental policies — the things that catch cross-border drivers out.
Driving on a foreign licence
Non-residents may drive on a valid foreign licence plus an International Driving Permit for up to three months from entry. An IDP is effectively mandatory because traffic police and rental firms expect a Russian- or Tajik-readable translation of any non-Cyrillic licence.
Tolls & road charges
Tajikistan operates a small number of toll roads, notably the Chinese-built Dushanbe-Chanak (Istaravshan) highway and the Shahriston tunnel route, where cash tolls are collected at booths in somoni; there is no national vignette or electronic system. Foreigners simply pay the attendant in local cash.
Parking in the cities
Parking in Dushanbe is largely informal: central streets and bazaars use uniformed or unofficial attendants who collect a few somoni on the spot, and there are no colour-coded paid zones or apps. Avoid blocking junctions or government-building frontages, where vehicles can be moved or wheel-clamped.
Fines & camera enforcement
Traffic police routinely stop foreign drivers and levy on-the-spot fines for speeding, no seatbelt or phone use; insist on an official receipt as informal cash demands occur. Rental/tour operators typically bill any unpaid fines back to your deposit.
If you have an accident
Call 112 (unified emergency) or 102 for police; reporting an injury crash to the traffic police (GAI) is mandatory and you should not move the vehicles until officers arrive and document the scene. Obtain the police report for any insurance or rental claim.
Driving in the capital
In Dushanbe the wide showpiece Rudaki Avenue is heavily policed, with frequent GAI checkpoints and strict rules against stopping near government buildings and the presidential palace; minor documentation lapses are commonly stopped here.
Sources: caravanistan.com · indyguide.com · driverabroad.com · advantour.com