I arrived in Taraz, Kazakhstan without any knowledge of how to get to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and online information was completely unavailable. With the help of locals, I managed to figure it out, and I’ll share the details with you!
Public Transport
This is actually the only option, and it’s very simple. First, you need to go to the Taraz Bus Station (location on 2GIS). It’s best to arrive around 12:00 PM-1:00 PM, as the minibus departs once it collects enough passengers. According to the minibus driver, there are departures at 1:00 PM, 3:00 PM, 5:00 PM. The driver also mentioned that sometimes the minibus leaves at 12:00 PM if enough people are gathered quickly.
The minibus goes to the border town of Kordai. The fare for the trip is 3000 tenge.
The minibus will take you directly to the customs checkpoint. It travels through the entire town of Kordai, dropping off passengers along the way at their requested locations. The final stop is at the Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan border checkpoint.
First, you will pass through the Kazakh border, followed by the Kyrgyz border. There are many exchange offices at the border with a much better exchange rate than I found in Taraz.
At the exit of the Kyrgyz border, you will be greeted by persistent taxi drivers offering rides at the prices listed in the Yandex Taxi app. If you walk another 200 meters, you will find minibus #285, which will take you to Jibek Jolu Avenue for just 30 soms. The minibus then turns around and heads back. There was a queue of about 5 of these minibuses. About 150 meters further, you will find a bus stop for bus #34, which travels along Jibek Jolu Avenue (route on 2GIS).
So it’s pretty simple! Go for it!