How to Use Payment Terminals Around Cities in Tajikistan

How to Use Payment Terminals Around Cities in Tajikistan was originally published in 2026

So there I was in the late evening, long after Megafon had closed for the day, standing in a tiny magazin in Dushanbe, clutching my phone with a SIM fresh out of data, feeling like I was about to launch a satellite because the shopkeeper pointed at a bright blue terminal in the corner.

Welcome to Tajikistan’s ubiquitous payment terminals: the blinking, slightly dusty machines you’ll find tucked into supermarkets, pharmacies, cellphone shops, and sometimes outside in small metal kiosks.

These machines are a lifeline for topping up your Tcell, Megafon, or Babilon-M local SIM card, paying your utilities, or even your internet bills. They’re part of the everyday local rhythm and an important piece of independence for travelers spending extended time here. They look intimidating at first, but honestly, once you get the hang of it, you’ll feel like a local weaving your way through life in Dushanbe, Istaravshan, or Khorog, tapping your phone screen with a plastic card like it’s 2005 and 2025 at the same time.

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Using Payment Terminals in Tajikistan

Finding a Terminal

Payment Terminal, Khorog, Tajikistan, Adventures of Nicole

You’ll find these machines almost everywhere, from larger supermarkets in Dushanbe to small corner shops in the Khorog selling non and Chaka hanging at the door. Many have bright colors and a chunky screen.

Choosing Your Service

Touch the screen (they can be slow, be patient). You’ll see:

Mobile top-up (Tcell, Megafon, Babilon-M, etc.)
Internet services
Utilities (water, gas, electricity)
Government fees
Topping up public bus credits in Dushanbe
Sometimes even airline ticket payments

I mainly used these to keep my Megafon SIM topped up for WhatsApp and online apps while navigating Panjakent’s alleyways.

Input Your Tajik Phone Number

Select your service and carefully type your number. If you’re topping up your phone, enter your mobile number without the country code. Double-check, because if you mess up, there is no going back, and that 20 somoni you fed into the payment terminal is gone.

Insert Cash

Most terminals only accept cash (TJS notes). Bills like 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, or 200 TJS work best. Insert them slowly; sometimes you need to straighten the bill so it doesn’t spit it back out.

A cheeky note: If the machine spits out your note five times, consider it your sign to grab a sambusa while you calm down.

Confirm and Collect Receipt

After inserting your cash, confirm the amount on the screen, then hit “Pay” or the checkmark icon. The machine might print a receipt (most of the time they’re out of receipt tape). Within a few minutes, you should receive an SMS message informing you that the top-up hit your phone, or until your bill is confirmed as paid.

In Khorog, mine usually takes about 5 minutes before the balance shows up, but it always eventually does.

What to Watch Out For

No change given: If you put in 20 TJS for a 15 TJS top-up, you will not get 5 TJS back. The machine will top up the entire 20.
Some machines may charge a 1-4% service fee depending on the service you’re paying for.
Many terminals have Russian or Tajik only, but the icons are intuitive.
Terminals outside may not work during heavy rain or cold nights. Yes, I’ve stood there tapping it like a confused cat at 10 PM in Qurghonteppa.

And that is how to use Tajikistan’s Payment Terminals

Using payment terminals around Tajikistan is part of the travel learning curve here, like getting used to marshrutka haggling or figuring out which leposhka stand is worth the carbs. It saves you from running around finding SIM card offices just to add data.

So don’t be intimidated. It’s a small, practical way to feel at home in Tajikistan’s while exploring those Pamiri towns or Dushanbe’s leafy streets, one somoni at a time.