How to reach Naftalan from Moscow, Almaty, Tashkent or Baku, how the visa works, which languages are spoken and whether you need insurance.
Most guests who come to Naftalan arrive from abroad — from Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The journey is not complicated, but a few things are much easier to know in advance.
Which airport to fly into
There are two options, and the difference is the length of the road.
- Ganja International Airport (GNJ) — the closest airport to Naftalan, about 63 km, under an hour by car. There are direct flights from Moscow and from some CIS cities.
- Heydar Aliyev Airport, Baku (GYD) — many more destinations and many more flights, but 320 km from Naftalan, close to four hours by road. Flights from Almaty, Astana, Tashkent and most international cities land here.
Whichever you choose, book the transfer in advance: the driver waits against your flight number and the pickup holds if the flight is late.
From Baku to Naftalan
Three ways: a transfer, your own car or the train. Fast trains run on the Baku–Ganja line and take about 3.5 hours; the nearest railway point to Naftalan is Goran station, and the last leg from there is arranged as a transfer. If you would also like to see Baku, one or two nights in the capital before the course makes an easy itinerary.
Visas
Azerbaijan is visa-free for citizens of a number of countries, and for others there is an electronic visa (ASAN Visa) applied for online. The rules depend on your citizenship and change from time to time, so check an official source for the current position. If you need a booking confirmation from the hotel for the application, we will send you one.
Languages spoken
Reception and the medical block work in Azerbaijani and Russian, and English-speaking guests are looked after too. For Russian-speaking guests this matters in practice: the examination, the description of your complaints and the instructions for each procedure happen directly, without an interpreter.
Travel insurance and medical papers
Travel insurance is not compulsory but it is sensible, particularly if you travel with a chronic condition. Worth bringing: identification, any recent test and scan results, a discharge summary for a chronic condition and a list of the medicines you take regularly. They make building the course faster and safer.
What to do before you book the flight
Send us your complaint and your documents in advance, and our doctors will write back on whether a course suits you and roughly how long it should be. It is the single most useful step to take before you buy a ticket.
