Azerbaijan operates on a single-entry or multiple-entry e-visa system available through evisa.gov.az, the only official government portal. Processing takes three business days with fees ranging from 20 to 100 USD depending on entry type and processing speed. Citizens of Turkey, Georgia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan enter visa-free for periods ranging from 30 to 90 days. The Nagorno-Karabakh conflict zone remains closed to civilian access with active military restrictions as of 2024. Travel to Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic requires separate consideration as the exclave has no land connection to mainland Azerbaijan through Armenian territory, accessible only by air from Baku or land entry from Iran or Turkey.
The official currency is the Azerbaijani manat, pegged to the US dollar at approximately 1.70 AZN per USD since 2017. Cash withdrawal from ATMs functions reliably in Baku, Ganja, and Sumqayit but becomes inconsistent in smaller cities. Credit cards process at hotels and restaurants in Baku while cash dominates transactions outside the capital. A meal at a mid-range Baku restaurant costs 15-30 AZN. Budget guesthouses in Shaki or Quba charge 30-50 AZN per night while Baku hotels range from 60 AZN for basic accommodations to 300 AZN for international chains. Intercity bus travel between Baku and Ganja costs approximately 7 AZN for the 370-kilometer journey.
Heydar Aliyev International Airport in Baku handles all international connections, located 20 kilometers northeast of the city center. Azerbaijan Airlines operates as the national carrier with direct flights to Istanbul, Dubai, Moscow, London, Frankfurt, Paris, and Tel Aviv. The airport-to-city bus route 116 charges 1.30 AZN while taxis cost 20-30 AZN depending on negotiation. Nakhchivan International Airport provides the only air access to the autonomous republic with daily flights to Baku taking 80 minutes at costs of 60-100 AZN. Land borders function at Red Bridge with Georgia, at several points with Russia in Dagestan including Samur, and with Iran at Astara and Bilasuvar. The Georgian border at Lagodekhi-Balakan sees the highest tourist traffic.
Internal transport relies on a mix of Soviet-era rail and modern highways. The Baku-Tbilisi-Kars railway opened in 2017, connecting Azerbaijan to Georgia and Turkey through a 826-kilometer route, though passenger service remains limited with freight taking priority. Marshrutkas, fixed-route minibuses, connect all major cities with departures when full rather than on fixed schedules. The Baku Metro operates three lines covering 40 stations with a flat fare of 0.30 AZN using the BakiKart contactless card. Ride-hailing through Bolt functions reliably in Baku with trips across the city averaging 5-10 AZN.
Public hospitals in Baku include the Central Clinical Hospital and Republican Hospital, both operating on a mixed payment system where foreign nationals pay cash rates of 50-200 AZN for basic consultations. Private clinics such as YARAT Medical Plaza and German Medical Center charge 100-300 AZN for initial appointments. Pharmacies stock common medications without prescription but availability of specific Western brands proves inconsistent outside Baku. Travel insurance that covers medical evacuation becomes necessary given limited facilities outside the capital.
Azerbaijani serves as the state language, a Turkic language written in Latin script since 1991 after seven decades of Cyrillic use. Russian functions as the common second language with fluency rates above 70 percent among adults over 30 and declining comprehension in younger urban populations. English penetration remains low outside tourism-facing businesses in Baku. Turkish speakers communicate easily as Azerbaijani and Turkish share approximately 85 percent mutual intelligibility. Road signs appear in both Azerbaijani and English on major highways but local signs use Azerbaijani exclusively.
Electrical infrastructure operates on 220 volts at 50 hertz using European-style Type C and Type F plugs with two round pins. Power cuts occur occasionally in rural areas but Baku maintains stable supply. Mobile networks AzercellTelenor, Bakcell, and Nar provide 4G coverage across the Absheron Peninsula and major cities with declining reliability in mountain regions. Tourist SIM cards cost 10-15 AZN including 5-10 GB of data at airport and city center shops requiring passport presentation. Public WiFi functions at hotels and some restaurants in Baku but remains absent in most public spaces outside the capital.