Khujand

Khujand is the second largest city in Tajikistan (163,000 inhabitants), in the Ferghana Valley on both banks of the Syr Darya river, known in ancient times as the Jaxartes.
Khujand is an old city, having been founded by Alexander the Great in 329 BCE as Alexandria Eschate (furthest Alexandria). It sits on the historic Silk Road in a strategic position, at the exit of the valley, where it can tax trade and resist invasions. Khujand was a moderately important trading city on that route for centuries.

By plane

• Khujand Airportis an international airport. Often is referred to by its Soviet name - Chkalovsk, formerly known as Leninabad (during the Soviet era). Khujand airport has many flights to Russia.

By bus/taxi

Shared taxis and marshrutkas to Dushanbe, Penjikent, Istaravshan and other southern Tajikistan destinations depart from the central bus station (avtovokzal).
The ride to Dushanbe cost 120 Somoni in a shared taxi (2017).
Marshrutkas and taxis to the Uzbekistan border depart from the northern bus station. Taxi to Oybek post should cost about 50-80 Somoni.
From Osh: it's a bit of a trek but not too difficult. Go to the new bus station (not the Stariy Avtovokzal by the bazaar), officially Oshskiy Avtovokzal. About 45 minutes walk from the bazaar, north. Take a marshrutka for 307 som (yes, 307 exactly) to Batken (the drive is stunning, get a window seat if you can). From there get a shared taxi to the border (50 som, haggle) and then another to Isfara (5 somoni), and then another to Khujand (20-25 somoni, haggle hard. Some of them will try to fleece you for 20 USD).

Taxi should cost not more than 10 Somoni for any destination in town. Taxi to the airport costs about 30 Somoni. There are plenty of marshrutkas as well (1 Somon per ride in 2017). The young people know english quite well. Some even know German.

There is much to see in Khujand. It is also a just a hub for tourists heading to Zeravshan valley, Dushanbe or Uzbekistan. Here are some places to see in town:

• Ismail Somoni monument. This monument is located on the right bank of Syrdarya. It stands on top of a hill surrounded by fountains. There is a color and music show every evening.
• Masjidi Jami mosque and medrese. These buildinds are used for its religion purposes. They are located on bazaar square.
• Panchshanbe Bazaar. Nice Stalin-era building and a good place for shopping local food.
• Ruins of the X century citadel. There is a renovated part which contains a museum about region history. Another small museum about the citadel is within a reconstructed part of the citadel wall. Around the citadel is the park Kamal Khujandi containing 3 music stages with beautiful wooden carvings, a mausoleum-like building with earth from the grave of the poet Kamal Khujandi, springs and the must see museum showing the reconstruction of a house of a rich Tajik from Khujand.
• Independence day monument. A building in form of a stele on the street above the Ismail Somoni monument. (cannot be overlooked from there)
• Theater "Xudƶandi". Interesting Soviet-times building on a beautiful place with springs and restaurants.
• Cultural center Interesting building in an pseudo-ancient (and also bling-bling) style for weddings and any kind of cultural parties of the city. It is located on the left river bank not far away besides the main bridge.

Eat local cheap food.

• Leninabad. Overpriced Soviet-era hotel, yet cheap. Double room with private shower costs 120 somonis for foreigners (100 somoni for citizens of CIS, 80 somoni for tajiks). Lift is not working, so you probably wouldn't live higher than the 4th floor. The left luggage service costs 2 somoni. The hotel is located on right bank of Syrdarya near the river.

There is a Kairakum reservoir on Syrdarya river. To get there you should takt marshrutka #40, #40A near Panchshanbe market (2,5 somoni, 30 minutes). There is a small beach with infrastructure and eateries near dam, and a lot of sandy beaches further. Water is good and warm, though beaches themselves could be dirty.
Dushanbe: There are only shared taxis going from Khujand to Dushanbe. The cost seems to vary between 60 and 120 somoni depending on the time of day, week, waiting time and type of car. The roads have been much improved from 2005, and a 2WD is (May 2019) as good as a 4WD. Drivers do not tend to rip tourists off for this route as the competition is so high. Haggling is possible within about 20 somoni on any given day. The drive takes 4-5 hours depending on whether the drivers stop for lunch, and the views of the Fan Mountains are stunning. Talk of the Anzob tunnel being risky is outdated, the infrastructure in the "tunnel of death" is improved now and its reputation is no longer deserved. That said, cycling or walking through would be a very bad idea.