How to Travel from Baku to Sheki in 2026 (& Where to Stop Along the Way)

A complete guide to travelling to Sheki from Baku, with updated transport information, bus times and fares for 2026.

Baku and Sheki are two places in Azerbaijan that end up featuring on most travel itineraries.

Moving between the two cities is relatively easy, with several transport options available depending on your budget and travel style.

With Azerbaijan’s land borders still closed to inbound travellers, the only way to reach Sheki is by land from within Azerbaijan via flight to Baku.

However, foreign passport holders are still permitted to exit Azerbaijan by land, making it possible to organise an itinerary that starts in Baku and finishes in Sheki before crossing the border into Georgia at Mazimchay-Matsimi (AKA Balakan-Lagodekhi).

This travel guide is updated for 2026 and based on my personal experience travelling from Baku to Sheki and onward to Georgia in spring 2023.

• Distance from Baku to Sheki: 358 kilometres (222 miles)
• Baku to Sheki travel time: 4.5-5.5 hours

Option 1: Private transfer to Sheki from Baku

The fastest way to get to Sheki from Baku is with a private vehicle. If you go via the M2, you can reach Sheki in as little as 4.5 hours.

You could do just this and arrange for a taxi to take you directly to Sheki. Or if you have time, there is an option to do some sightseeing along the way.

Essential reading: All the best things to do in Sheki

I recently visited Azerbaijan with my dad and we decided to go down this route. We hired a car and driver for 36 hours to travel from Baku to our accommodation in Sheki, stopping in Qobustan, Shamakhi, Lahic and Gabala along the way.

We chose to spend a night in Gabala to break-up the journey, but you can quite easily do all this within one day and be in Sheki by dinnertime.

We were very happy with our decision – we got to see a lot of the country along the way – things that I completely missed the first time around when I travelled by marshrutka – and having a private driver (who also turned out to be an excellent guide) made the whole process very smooth and enjoyable.

Where to stop between Baku and Sheki

Diri Baba Mausoleum

Located an hour’s drive from Baku in Qobustan (not the mud volcanoes Qobustan, but another one!), this 15th-century mausoleum is absolutely spectacular. It is perched high on a limestone cliff like an eagle’s nest.

It takes about 30 minutes to climb up to the mausoleum and explore several caves set into the cliff. Entrance costs 5 AZN.

Shamakhi Juma Mosque

Constructed in 734, the Juma Mosque in Shamakhi is the oldest mosque in the Caucasus. It is spectacular both in its scale and in the level of detail in the interior decorations.

Lahic

Lahic is famous for its coppersmiths and the craft workshops that line the main street. I personally found Lahic a bit touristy, but it is definitely still worth a visit.

The road up to the mountain town is sealed, but the last section (around 30 minutes driving) is a bit bumpy. It offers spectacular views all the way up.

See my full guide to visiting Lahic for more insights.

Zarnava Hanging Bridge

Located on the road to Lahic, this bridge hangs high over the river gorge and is very picturesque. It costs a couple of AZN to cross back and forth.

Nohur Gol

This lake in Gabala is extremely popular among local families in the summertime. Be warned that it is very touristy, though.

Tufandag Mountain

In wintertime, Tufandag Resort is a popular place for skiing in Azerbaijan. Out of season the cable cars are still running, so you can ride the gondolas all the way to the resort’s highest point.

Yeddi Gozel Waterfall

This beautiful cascade is located just outside Gabala, on the edge of Ismailli State Reserve. The name means ‘Seven Beauties Waterfall’ in reference to the seven separate cascades.

There are quite a few stairs involved, but the way is easy to manage and the scenery is lovely, especially in the early morning before it gets crowded.

The second day of the transfer tour is set aside for Sheki. With the same driver, you visit several notable landmarks including the Lower Caravanserai, the Palace of the Sheki Khan, and the Albanian Church in nearby Kish.

How to book a private transfer to Sheki: Independent transfer with Old City Tours

Plenty of companies offer Baku-Sheki as a multi-day tour. When I was travelling with my dad, we wanted to make it a one-way transfer because we wanted to stay a few extra nights in Sheki before continuing overland to Georgia.

We ended up choosing this Independent multi-day Azerbaijan Tour operated by Old City Tours (formerly known as TES Tour). It was our top choice for several reasons: Firstly, it is private (while the other companies run it as a group tour).

Secondly, it is very flexible. You can choose where to overnight on the first day and where to end the trip (in Sheki or Baku or even at the Georgian border).

Thirdly, it is an independent transfer tour, not a guided tour. We didn’t necessarily want to have a guide – although our driver did turn out to be a great guy who wanted to accompany us everywhere anyway! He spoke excellent English and even made some extra road stops for us.

Another great thing about this tour is that everything is included. All tickets, including the Tufandag cable car and entrance to the Sheki Khan’s Palace, were covered. All we had to pay for was lunch and dinner.

Check prices for the Independent Transfer Tour here on Viator. Departure is at 9am and hotel pick-up is included.

If you are looking for a return transfer to Sheki that starts and ends in Baku, this all-inclusive Shamakhi, Gabala and Sheki tour includes a full day of sightseeing on the way to Sheki (stopping at all the places mentioned above) plus a full day in Sheki. Note that it is a group transfer, and a one-way transfer might not be possible.

Option 2: Baku to Sheki bus or marshrutka

If you’re on a budget or you just want to get from A to B, you can use public transport to travel to Sheki. Ross and I did this on our first trip to the region back in 2017.

There are both marshrutka vans (fixed-route minivans) and coach buses in Azerbaijan that service this popular route.

Travel time is 5-6.5 hours on average depending on the type of vehicle. The road is long, curvy and gets bumpy towards the end. Being squashed like sardines inside a hot marshrutka van is not for everyone. This ride is really only for the adventurous!

Note that there are two roads you can take to reach Sheki from Baku. Most drivers take the M2. There will be one rest stop on the way at a roadside restaurant.

Baku to Sheki bus times & ticket prices

There are five daily coach bus departures from Baku to Sheki:

• 9.50am
• 11.00am
• 2.00pm
• 4.30pm
• 12.20am (overnight bus)

For safety reasons, I strongly encourage you to not travel by road at night. Take one of the earlier buses.

Marshrutka vans are slightly faster than coach buses, taking 4.5 hours on average to reach Sheki compared to the 6.5 hours the bus takes. The downside is that there is less room, and the driver might be more inclined to drive recklessly in a smaller car.

Marshrutka vans depart more frequently than coaches, with half a dozen services throughout the day.

The fare is the same for the bus and the marshrutka: 13.40 AZN per person. Tickets can be purchased online via Biletim.

Bus times and fares are posted on the official Baku International Bus Terminal website – check here for any updates, and double-check in person at the station if possible.

Getting to the bus station in Baku

Buses and vans depart from Baku International Bus Terminal, the main station (avtovagzal) in the city. Contrary to what Google Maps believes, it is not permanently closed. The exact location of the station is pinned here.

The bus terminal is on the purple metro line and adjacent to the Avtovagzal Metro Station. If you are coming from Baku Old City, you will need to change trains three times: First take the red line from Icheresheher to 28 May, then change to the green line and ride to Memar Ajami from where you can transfer to the purple line. 

This is all done underground and is very straightforward – no need to walk long distances or buy multiple tickets as you can transfer on the same single ticket.

When you arrive at Avtovagzal Station, exit the metro towards the International Bus Terminal. Walk through the underpass and you will eventually pop up on the northern side of the terminal. Enter through the glass doors and use the staircases on either side of the building to go all the way up to level three.

Keep following the green signs to ‘Rayon avtobuslarina’ aka regional buses. Eventually you will come to a hall where there are luggage storage lockers (prices range from 1 AZN for up to 3 hours to 5 AZN for 24 hours).

The cash desks are located in the same area. This is where you can buy your tickets and check the bus times. When I was last there, there was an English-speaking staff member who was very helpful.

When you buy your ticket, the staff member will tell you where to go for the bus. Note the TV screens above the ticket desks – these will also tell you the ‘perron’ or position of the bus you want.

Head outside and look for the numbered signs to locate your bus. If in doubt, ask around – people are generally very helpful.

There are snack stands selling packaged foods, water, soft drinks and coffee. There is also a cute diner-restaurant near the bus area – Ross and I ate here once after spending the night at the hotel inside the bus station.

Public toilets are located inside and cost 0.30 AZN.

Shared taxis to Sheki from Baku

It might also be possible to find a shared taxi to Sheki. A shared taxi is just that – you pay per seat and split the cost of the ride with other passengers. They only depart when full, so you might have to wait while the driver gathers four passengers – or else you can pay for the empty seats and leave right away.

Drivers wait outside the front entrance to the International Bus Terminal on the main highway. If you approach them, someone will likely come forward to offer you a ride.

To give you an idea of a fair price, the Bolt app tells me that a taxi from Baku to Sheki costs 100-140 AZN (depending on the time of day I request the trip). Private drivers are likely to charge a little bit more than this, maybe 140-180 AZN. Split between four passengers, this should work out to be 35-45 AZN per person.

Arriving in Sheki

Buses terminate at Sheki Central Bus Station, which is located in the new part of town – around 2.5 kilometres from the Lower Caravanserai. See the exact location of the bus station in Sheki pinned here.

Option 3: Baku to Sheki train

Another option is to take advantage of the overnight train service from Baku to Sheki. This service was temporarily suspended in 2020, but it has since resumed. It takes just over 6 hours to travel between the two cities by rail.

There is one train every day, departing Baku’s 28 May Station at 11.50pm and arriving at Shaki Railway Station at 5.50am the next morning.

There are three types of train ticket available: Standard (16.40 AZN), Standard Plus (26.50 AZN), and Business (70.40 AZN).

Standard class has beds arranged in an open corridor (no private berths). Standard Plus has four-person berths, and Business has two-bed private compartments. All classes include bedding and free WIFI. In Standard Plus, you get a sandwich and a tea, while Business comes with an on-board breakfast and unlimited tea/coffee.

Tickets can be purchased at the station or online in advance through the official Azerbaijan Railways website. When searching for tickets on the website, enter Baku RWS as the departure station.

Trains arrive at Shaki Railway Station, 20-ish kilometres south from the centre of town. See the exact location pinned here. A taxi into Sheki should cost around 5-7 AZN.

Reverse route: Sheki to Baku

Sheki to Baku bus or marshrutka

Marshrutka vans and coaches depart Sheki frequently throughout the day, starting from 6.30am. There is a van every 30-60 minutes until the last service at 6pm.

Coach buses depart Sheki at 8.30am, 11am and 5pm. In addition there is an overnight bus at midnight. Fares are the same (13.40 AZN per person).

To get back to the bus station in Sheki, you can hop on any of the city buses with ‘Avtovagzal’ written on the front (including the 2, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 11). In the centre of town, these buses stop in front of Little City Park, opposite Respublika Bank (pinned here).

Sheki Bus Station is open from 6.30am-5pm and from 9am-midnight daily. The ticket office is located around to the left, at the back of the building near the bus ranks.

Public toilets are on the opposite side of the car park, and there are plenty of shops plus a tea house in the vicinity where you can buy provisions for the ride.

Shared and private taxis to Baku are also available – you should be able to find a driver at the bus station if you ask around.

Sheki to Baku by sleeper train

The overnight train departs Sheki at 12.45am (after midnight) and arrives in Baku at 6.50am. Classes and prices are the same.

Where to stay in Sheki

BOUTIQUE: MinAli Boutique Hotel (⭐ 8.9). Furnished with antique silverware and carpets, this cute boutique hotel harks back to Sheki’s Silk Road days. Be sure to request one of the heritage rooms (I stayed in the bottom-floor room). A generous breakfast is served in the top-floor dining room with panoramic city views.

Check rates & availability

MID RANGE: Macara Sheki City Hotel (⭐ 9.1). One of the best value mid-range hotels in all of Azerbaijan, Macara Sheki has luxe rooms and a great buffet breakfast. Staff are friendly and helpful. The location in the centre is around 30 minutes by foot to the Khan’s Palace. I stayed here recently with my dad.

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HISTORIC: Sheki Karvansaray Hotel. Located inside the historic Upper Caravanserai on Sheki’s main street, this hotel offers basic (but comfortable) guest rooms with ensuite bathrooms inside the former 18th-century trader’s inn. Staying here is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Book by phone or in person.

Get the details here

BUDGET: Central Hostel (⭐ 9.5). This popular hostel in Sheki offers four bright and clean dorms (mixed or single-sex). The central location is convenient to the bus station, and buses up to the palace can be hailed nearby. The adjoining cafe serves the best coffee in Sheki! A great option for budget travellers.

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