Traveling by road from Baku to Sheki is a straightforward transport option in Azerbaijan. Traveling by bus is always a great way (and relaxing) to see the countryside and to get a glimpse of life outside of the city.
The route from Baku to Sheki is a popular route with locals as well as with travellers heading onwards over the border to Georgia.
The following guide is everything you need to know (and the questions you wanted to ask) about taking a bus from Baku to Sheki, Azerbaijan.
Baku to Sheki by bus
If you’re looking to travel from Baku to Sheki in a budget-friendly and comfortable way, then the bus (coach bus) is a great option. (And one we can recommend).
Note that the coach bus is not to be confused with the marshrutka (minibus). More about taking a marshrutka from Baku to Sheki below.
At the time of writing the coach buses between Baku and Sheki depart twice daily at 10:00am and 2:00pm. (We travelled by bus from Baku to Sheki in June 2023).
We underestimated the time our Bolt would take from the Old City to the Bus Terminal (and we were just running late in general) and arrived after 10:00am. This meant we had the option to travel to Sheki by marshrutka which would depart in the next 30 minutes. Or; to wait for the next coach bus departure at 2:00pm.
The (slightly embarrassing) story of our choice to travel from Baku to Sheki by (coach) bus
THIS is a bit of a story as we initially decided we weren’t in a hurry and sat down in the waiting area (see below). About 20 minutes later the marshrutka was still there. And after staring at it for a while we reckoned it would be fine too. So, we purchased tickets for the marshrutka and headed over to find a seat.
What we didn’t realise was that others had already bagged the seats and so the only four left were the very back bench seat. Now, normally if this was the only option this would be fine. But the day was stifling hot and with no air-conditioning and no room for our bags but on our knees, the allure of the marshrutka getting us there earlier was fading fast…
We climbed back out and went back to the ticket windows (kassa). And much to the amusement of the friendly attendants we changed our tickets for the later coach bus.
Baku to Sheki by Marshrutka
While ‘bus’ can mean many things in Azerbaijan, most commonly locals travel between cities by ‘marshrutka’. These are small vans; most commonly 17-seater Mercedes Sprinters or Ford Transit vans. (And don’t be fooled by the number of seats. This seat number is just a guide, and the reality is these vans usually take at least another five!).
The method for getting a marshrutka from Baku to Sheki is the same as getting a bus.
Marshrutka depart from the Baku Bus Terminal (Avtovagzal) and take around 5.5 hours from Baku to Sheki. (This includes a 30-minute stop halfway at a roadside restaurant).
Tickets for the marshrutka are purchased at the ticket windows (kassa) at the Avtovagzal in Baku.
Note that the journey is faster by marshrutka, but it is definitely worth pointing out (especially for this length of journey) that you do need to get there early and bag a good seat. It isn’t the smoothest of rides by marshrutka. And especially if you end up in the back bench seat behind 17+ other travellers to Sheki…
Marshrutka is a great option for budget-friendly transport. Just be sure to get there early.
Baku Bus Terminal (Baku Avtovagzal)
The Baku Avtovagzal is the capitals largest transport terminal. Once you actually manage to find your way inside past the huge barrier arms and make your way towards the intercity transport level it is best described as organized chaos.
Outside on ground level are the city buses and smaller marshrutka (minibuses) traveling to neighbouring towns and cities from Baku.
Up a level (and past the plethora of shops) is the intercity transport terminal where at one point you can see ticket booths and even electronic departure boards.
Albeit the electronic departure boards don’t mean much as transport by bus in Azerbaijan can mean many things. And the most common time of departure by bus or marshrutka is when the vehicle is full.
There is a large(ish) waiting rooms inside. Although it does have a rather limited number of seats for the proportion of buses scheduled and waiting. And there are kiosks and tea houses and small street-food carts selling various pastries and popcorn.
The Avtovagzal has public toilets which cost 0.30 AZN to use.
Buying a ticket for the Baku to Sheki bus (or marshrutka)
It’s easy to purchase a ticket for a coach bus or marshrutka from Baku to Sheki. Even if with the language barrier we always found people who were happy to help (and/or use Google translate if you get stuck).
A ticket for the coach bus and marshrutka from Baku to Sheki cost the same amount:
- Baku to Sheki by bus: 10.60 AZN
- Baku to Sheki by marshrutka: 10.60 AZN
Fares are standard and the same for locals and tourists.
The journey from Baku to Sheki by bus
Our bus departed only 10 minutes after schedule and with nearly every seat taken. The first few minutes departing the bus terminal have various vendors leap on board with popcorn, ear plugs and USB cords for sale before you depart.
From Baku, most of the journey is steady and relatively smooth traveling along good quality highway. That is except for the last 60 kilometres to Sheki where the road is still under construction (since pre-pandemic) and has not been completed all the way. (It does get quite bumpy in parts).
The total journey time from Baku to Sheki by bus is just over 5 hours including a 30-minute stop halfway at a roadside highway restaurant. Here you can use the bathroom (squat toilets; and BYO toilet paper) and buy refreshments and tea and coffee.
Arriving in Sheki (at the Avtovagzal)
The bus terminal in Sheki (you can practice pronouncing Avtovagzal) is small and beautifully positioned in the foothills of the Caucasus.
As soon as you disembark from your bus or marshrutka there will be taxi drivers on hand (approaching) offering you a fare to your next stop.
We can recommend the friendly small Tubram Hotel. Only a five-minute walk from the Avtovagzal and is the perfect local experience in Sheki.
Sheki is well known as a Silk Road town and due to its size can be explored in 1-2 days. The Tubram Hotel is a good stopping point to explore for a couple of days before heading back to Baku or onwards over the border to Georgia.
Enjoy Sheki!
Where to stay in Baku and Sheki
Here is where we stayed in Baku and Sheki.
- Baku, Azerbaijan – Maajid Hotel
A great location within the Old City walls of Baku! We really enjoyed the friendly staff and a great breakfast included each morning. - Sheki, Azerbaijan – Tubram Hotel
We had a great stay at Tubram! The lovely lady manager is very friendly and welcoming and will send you a message on WhatsApp to check your arrival time. We arrived off the bus from Baku to Sheki and the manager sent instructions and was there waiting for us. We had a beautiful breakfast each morning and the hotel even made a birthday cake for Harry!
Useful links for your travel in Azerbaijan and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family. And ones that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel!
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation. And it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love their flexible cancellation policy!).
- Skyscanner– This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner!
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world. It includes everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
Read more about traveling in Central Asia
- What makes Silk Road flatbreads so fabled?
- Uzbekistan Travel Guide: Everything You Need to Know.
- Border crossing: Karkara, Kyrgyzstan to Kegen, Kazakhstan.
- Kazakhstan: Completing a dream circuit of ‘Stans.
- 5 Reasons we loved Kyrgyzstan (and why you need to visit).
- Kyrgyz’ what? A Complete Travel Guide to Kyrgyzstan.