Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD) lies about 25 km northeast of central Baku — a 30–40 minute drive — on the Absheron peninsula, and is the main gateway to Azerbaijan. There is no rail link to the airport, so travellers reach the city by road: taxi, ride-hailing app, pre-booked transfer, rental car or the round-the-clock Airport Express bus. Which one suits you depends on your budget, your luggage, the time you land and whether you are staying in Baku or heading on to Gobustan, Gabala or the Caspian coast.
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Your options at a glance
| Destination | Drive time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Central Baku & the Old City | ~35 min | Taxi, ride-hailing, transfer or the H1 bus |
| Sumqayit | ~40 min | Taxi, transfer or intercity bus |
| Gobustan (rock art) | ~1 h | Tour, transfer or car |
| Gabala (mountains) | ~3 h 30 min | Transfer or rental car |
By taxi & ride-hailing
Official taxis wait outside the arrivals hall. Most visitors, though, use the ride-hailing apps Bolt and Uber, which both operate in Baku, show the fare up front and are usually cheaper than a desk taxi — see our guide to ride-hailing at the airport. Whichever you choose, agree the fare or use the app before you set off. The currency is the Azerbaijani manat (₼); carry some cash, as not every driver takes cards. Full detail is in our airport taxis guide.
Private transfer
A pre-booked transfer locks in a fixed price and puts a driver in the arrivals hall waiting for you, often with a name board. It is the calmest choice after a long or late flight — Baku sees many overnight arrivals — or when you are travelling as a family or group, carrying lots of luggage, or heading straight to a specific hotel or on to Gabala. Full detail is on our private transfers page.
Airport Express bus (H1)
The cheapest way into town is the Airport Express bus (H1), which runs 24 hours a day between the airport and the 28 May area in central Baku. You pay a low flat fare with a BakıKart travel card, bought and topped up at the machine by the stop. It is slower and less suited to lots of luggage, but hard to beat on price. See our bus guide for stops and times.
Rental car
Several rental companies keep desks in the terminal. A car is handy for exploring at your own pace — Gobustan's rock carvings and mud volcanoes, the fire sights of the Absheron peninsula (Yanar Dağ and the Ateshgah fire temple), and the mountains around Gabala and Sheki. Remember that Azerbaijan drives on the right, an International Driving Permit is useful, and Baku traffic is busy. See our car rental guide.
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KG Connect Editorial Team · Editorial team
The editorial team at KG Connect researches, writes and reviews this independent guide to Heydar Aliyev International Airport (GYD). We check details against official airport, operator and government sources, show when each page was last reviewed, and correct errors as soon as we learn of them. We do not work for the airport.
Reviewed & updated July 2026 · Disclaimer