Before arriving in Uzbekistan, I expected cash to dominate almost everything.
Travel forums made it sound that way. Conversations with other travelers reinforced it. I imagined myself constantly planning around how much cash I had left and where the next reliable withdrawal would happen.
The reality was more balanced.
Cash mattered, but cards worked more often than I expected.
In places like Samarkand, I was surprised by how normal card payments became. I used cards for supermarkets, market purchases, transport records, restaurants, and other everyday expenses. Some of my larger purchases were also card payments.
At the same time, I never reached the point where cash felt optional. Some transport, smaller purchases, local situations, and backup scenarios still needed som in hand.
The best approach was not card-only or cash-only. It was flexibility.
Several travelers advised me to withdraw money inside banks because there might be no transaction charge. I understood the logic and tried it.
That advice did not work well for me.
The ordinary bankomats worked. The bank-counter machines created confusion. That experience taught me something useful: travel advice is often correct for the person giving it, but not always for your own card, bank, or situation.
| Payment pattern | What I saw |
|---|---|
| Card payments | Worked for many supermarkets, market purchases, and larger transactions. |
| Cash payments | Still useful for transport, smaller vendors, and places where card acceptance was uncertain. |
| Commissions | Some card slips showed commission, while some larger bazaar payments showed no visible commission. |
| ATM access | Ordinary bankomats worked well enough for my own needs. |
Bring at least two cards if possible. Use a card where it works, but do not travel without cash.
If an ATM or bank method fails, try another machine before assuming something is wrong with your card. And when someone gives advice about fees or bank counters, ask what card they used. That detail can change everything.
My final approach was simple: use cards for convenience, keep cash for freedom, and do not let transaction optimization become the main activity of the day.
Cash and cards mattered, but the money story is also tied to shopping, movement, and people.
Need a second pair of eyes?
If you are planning a trip and already have a rough route, I can review your itinerary, transport choices, budget assumptions, and practical risks before you book everything. Uzbekistan is where I can currently help most, because I travelled across the country and documented the details closely.
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