Practical traveller information for arriving at Baku and Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD): emergency numbers, currency, language, voltage, time zone, Wi-Fi, tipping, public holidays, and what you can and can’t bring through customs.
Important numbers
- Heydar Aliyev Airport helpdesk: +994 12 497 27 27 (24/7)
- Police: 102
- Medical / ambulance: 103
- Fire: 101
- Universal emergency: 112
- Country code: +994 · Baku city code: 12
- Baku Taxi Service (official airport taxi): 1000
Currency and money
- Currency: Azerbaijani Manat (AZN, symbol ₼)
- Approximate rate: 1 USD ≈ 1.65–1.70 AZN · 1 EUR ≈ 1.85–1.90 AZN (check live before travel)
- Banknotes: 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 AZN
- Cards: Visa and Mastercard widely accepted in Baku, including all hotels, mid-range and premium restaurants, and the airport. American Express less common.
- ATMs at GYD: in both terminals, landside and airside, dispense AZN. International cards work normally; check your bank’s foreign-transaction fees.
- Currency exchange: available in both terminals. Better rates in central Baku — exchange small amounts at the airport, larger amounts at city banks (Kapital Bank, ABB, PASHA Bank).
- Customs: currency over USD 10,000 (or equivalent) must be declared on arrival.
Language
- Official: Azerbaijani (Azərbaycan dili) — Latin script, Turkic family, mutually intelligible with Turkish
- English: widely spoken at the airport, hotels, mid-range and premium restaurants, and tourist sites
- Russian: widely understood, especially by older generations and in business contexts
- Turkish: partly mutually intelligible with Azerbaijani — useful
Useful phrases: Salam (hello) · Sağ ol (thank you) · Bağışlayın (excuse me) · Nə qədər? (how much?)
Time zone
- Azerbaijan Time (AZT) — UTC+4
- No daylight saving — clock stays on UTC+4 all year
- 4 hours ahead of London, 5 hours ahead of New York (in DST), 1 hour ahead of Moscow, 5 hours behind Tokyo
Power and adapters
- Voltage: 220 V
- Frequency: 50 Hz
- Plug types: Type C (Europlug) and Type F (Schuko / two round pins) — same as continental Europe
- UK (Type G) and US (Type A/B) plugs need an adapter; bring a universal travel adapter
- USB charging is available at most airport seating areas in Terminal 1 and at all major hotels
Wi-Fi and connectivity
- Free airport Wi-Fi: network “Baku_Airport” available throughout both terminals
- Mobile networks: Azercell, Bakcell and Nar all offer 4G/5G prepaid SIMs at the airport. Buy at the dedicated kiosks in Terminal 1 arrivals (passport required for registration).
- eSIM (recommended for short trips): activate before you fly via DataMax — works from the moment you land, no kiosk queue.
- Roaming: EU-Azerbaijan roaming is not regulated like intra-EU; expect significant charges from your home carrier.
Tipping
- Restaurants: service charge usually included (check the bill); 5–10% extra appreciated for good service
- Taxis: not expected; round up the fare
- Hotels: 1–2 AZN per bag for porters · 5–10 AZN per night for housekeeping (optional)
- Tour guides: 10–20 AZN per person per day
Public holidays
- 1–2 January — New Year
- 20 January — Martyrs’ Day (memorial)
- 8 March — International Women’s Day
- 20–24 March — Novruz (Persian/Turkic New Year, biggest cultural holiday)
- 9 May — Victory Day
- 28 May — Republic Day
- 15 June — National Salvation Day
- 26 June — Armed Forces Day
- 18 October — Independence Day
- 9 November — Flag Day
- 12 November — Constitution Day
- 17 November — National Revival Day
- 31 December — Day of World Azerbaijanis
- Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan Bayram) — 2 days, dates vary
- Eid al-Adha (Qurban Bayram) — 2 days, dates vary
Health and safety
- Tap water: generally safe in Baku, but bottled water is widely available and inexpensive — most travellers prefer bottled
- General safety: Baku is very safe for tourists, including solo and female travellers; standard urban precautions apply
- Medical care: high-quality private hospitals available (Bona Dea International, Liv Bona Dea, Caspian International Hospital). Travel insurance recommended.
- Pharmacies: “aptek” — many 24-hour locations in central Baku
- Vaccinations: no mandatory vaccinations for entry; routine vaccinations should be up to date
Customs and prohibited items
Standard prohibitions apply: illegal drugs, weapons and ammunition, certain food items (raw meat, dairy from non-EU sources). Currency over USD 10,000 must be declared. Religious literature in large quantities can attract scrutiny. Drones require advance authorisation from the State Civil Aviation Agency.
Cultural notes
- Religion: majority Shia Muslim but Azerbaijan is one of the most secular Muslim-majority countries; alcohol is widely available, dress code is relaxed
- Religious sites (mosques, Bibi-Heybat): dress modestly — shoulders and knees covered; women may want a light scarf
- Greetings: handshake common with men; women often greet with a slight nod or kiss on the cheek with friends
- Photography: generally fine, but ask before photographing people, military or government buildings
- Weekend: Saturday and Sunday (Azerbaijan follows the international weekend, not Friday)