Mary is a city in Mary Province, Turkmenistan. Most travellers' main reason to visit it is to reach the nearby ruins of the ancient city of Merv.
Turkmenistan Airlines operates two flights per day from Ashgabat. If you are short of time, you can fly from Ashgabat to Mary in the morning, visit Merv, and return to Ashgabat in the same evening. The airport is 5 km out of town on the road to Bairam Ali. A taxi to the city should cost about US$3.50.
Turkmendemiryollari (Turkmenistan Zeleznice) (Ashgabat, phone +993 12 255545, fax 473858) runs trains from Ashgabat to Turkmenabat via Mary. Night trains leave Ashgabat at 18:00 and 20:00 for Mary. They arrive in Mary at 01:15 and 03:15. Kupe (2nd class fare) is 32.5 manat per seat/sleeper (updated August 2018).
Trains to Mary leave Moscow at 07:40 daily, arriving at Mary at 17:00. Train 21 leaves Ashgabat every second day at 22:10, and arrives at Mary at 05:25 next morning. Train 212 leaves Turkmenabat at 04:20 daily, arriving at Mary at 10:23. Train 196 leaves Turkmenabat at 18:00 daily, arriving at Mary at 00:25. Train 22 leaves Turkmenabat at 21:55 daily, arriving at Mary at 02:51.
The railways station is near Hotel Sultan Sanjar.
Take the bus from Mashad bus station to Sarakhs (3½ hours, 6500 rials). The bus will drop you in the center of the village. Walk or take a shared taxi to the Iran-Turkmenistan border crossing. You have to pay a fee US$10 to enter Turkmenistan. Change as little money as possible from the money changers on the Turkmen side of the border. Take a taxi to Mary.
Mary Theatre, 37.589984°, 61.849230°. Performances at 17:00 and 19:00. Theatre close to the river. Show lasted almost 2 hours, a lot of kids in attendance. Two Turkmen entertainers and a couple performing sketches. Funny experience, everything in Turkmen (and one song in Russian). No photos allowed during the performance. Very grandiose building. Tickets could be bought during the day or directly before the performance in the same building (Kassa). 5 manat 2018-08-31
Gyzylgum, 37.582678°, 61.860992°. Very beautifully set restaurant at the river, cheap food and expensive drinks. Wide selection of food (Turkmen, Russian, European). Could be possible to eat vegetarian there. They speak English and have an English menu. 20 manat for a main course, 40 manat for a glass of red wine 2018-08-31
Turkmenistan Airlines operates three flights per day to Ashgabat. If The airport is 5 km out of town on the road to Bairam Ali. A taxi from the city should cost about US$2.
Turkmendemiryollari (Turkmenistan Zeleznice) (Ashgabat, phone +993 12 255545, fax 473858) runs trains from Ashgabat to Turkmenabat via Mary and return.
Trains to Mary leave Ashgabat at 07:40 daily, arriving at Mary at 17:00. Train 21 leaves Ashgabat every second day at 22:10, and arrives at Mary at 05:25 next morning.
Train 212 leaves Turkmenabat at 04:20 daily, arriving at Mary at 10:23. Train 196 leaves Turkmenabat at 18:00 daily, arriving at Mary at 00:25. Train 22 leaves Turkmenabat at 21:55 daily, arriving at Mary at 02:51.
The railway station is near Hotel Sultan Sanjar.
It is a full day drive on a poor quality road from Mary to Ashgabat in a private car.
Primary administrative division