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Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO)

A guide to ASCO passenger ferry routes across the Caspian Sea, including booking, fares, contacts and vessel tracking.

Published

Azerbaijan Caspian Shipping Company (ASCO) carries passengers on some freight sailings from Alat to Kuryk (Kazakhstan) and Turkmenbashi (Turkmenistan). These are not conventional scheduled passenger ferries: arrangements depend on the assigned vessel, cargo operations, weather, port conditions and whether a particular sailing accepts passengers.1

ASCO is not the only operator on the Alat–Turkmenbashi route. The Merchant Marine Fleet of Turkmenistan also operates the passenger-capable Berkarar and Bagtyyar ferries on this corridor. Independent travelers crossing in mid-2025 generally used these Turkmen-operated vessels; reports from July and September said that ASCO ferries were not accepting them as passengers at the time.2 3 This should not be taken to mean that ASCO had withdrawn from passenger transport on the route. ASCO continues to publish passenger fares and ticket-office information for the crossing, and stated in 2026 that its Zarifa Aliyeva operates on the route.1 4 Although ASCO recorded electronic ticket orders between Alat and Turkmenbashi in early 2025, that historical figure does not describe the current booking system.5 Online booking is now limited to the Alat–Kuryk–Alat route.6

Booking and payment

ASCO currently offers online booking only for the Alat–Kuryk–Alat route. The booking is a generic reservation rather than a reservation for a particular departure date or vessel. Before departure, it must be exchanged at the ticket office for the final paper ticket.1 7 8 6

The English booking form has caused direction mistakes on this route. Select the departure port first, then the arrival port, and check that the confirmation shows the intended direction. A January 2025 traveler who accidentally booked Kuryk → Alat instead of Alat → Kuryk contacted ASCO by email and exchanged the reservation at Alat.8 9

ASCO does not offer online booking for Alat–Turkmenbashi. Contact the Turkmenbashi-route ticket office before traveling to Alat port, confirm that an ASCO sailing will accept passengers, and buy the ticket at the office. Do not use an Alat–Kuryk online reservation for this route: tickets are route- and operator-specific.1 6

Online buyers reported paying by card. At the port, the process and accepted currency have varied. In October 2024, travelers received an invoice at the ASCO desk, paid cash in US dollars at the nearby bank, then returned with the receipt. In March 2025, another traveler followed the same sequence and was offered Azerbaijani manat as well as US dollars. ASCO's official information says payment may be made in manat at the Central Bank exchange rate.1 10 11

Recent travelers found that the former passenger ticket office in Baku was no longer operating. Plan to complete the ticket process at Alat rather than looking for the old waterfront office.10 8

ASCO publishes fares by cabin capacity, but travelers using the Alat–Kuryk online system reported that it did not settle the final cabin arrangement.1 7 Ask for the cabin size you want at the ticket office before paying or collecting the final ticket. Some travelers secured a private cabin or paid an upgrade, while others were allocated shared four-berth accommodation; availability and the response from staff varied by sailing.10 11 12 13

As of 3 September 2026, ASCO published one-way Alat–Turkmenbashi fares of USD 60 per person in a two-berth cabin, USD 55 in a four-berth cabin, and USD 50 in a six-berth cabin, with meals included.1 These are ASCO fares; they should not be confused with prices reported on Turkmen-operated vessels.

Obtaining the final ticket

For an Alat–Kuryk or Kuryk–Alat online booking, present the 16-digit code sent by email at the departure-port ticket office and obtain a final ticket showing the vessel name.1 6 Travelers departing from Alat commonly showed the reservation PDF and passport at the small ASCO desk near the port entrance, then received the paper ticket.8 9 14 13

Alat–Turkmenbashi passengers buy their ASCO ticket at the ticket office rather than exchanging an online reservation. Whichever route you take, do not proceed to boarding without the final paper ticket.

Check the route and vessel name immediately. The vessel name is more useful for tracking than watching every ship approaching Alat. Keep the paper ticket and payment receipt accessible; travelers have been asked for them again during boarding or cabin allocation.10

Contacting ASCO

There is no single reliable source for the next passenger departure, so it is worth trying several contacts. ASCO’s passenger ticket offices should be the first point of contact:

  • Alat–Kuryk (Aktau): +994 55 9999 124
  • Alat–Turkmenbashi: +994 55 9999 061
  • ASCO dispatcher: +994 55 9999 094
  • ASCO main office: +994 12 404 37 00
  • Email: contact@asco.az
  • Online: the chat function on the ASCO website

ASCO also lists an Aktau office at +7 7292 500 346.1 The company specifically advises passengers to contact the ticket office before traveling to Alat so that they can arrive closer to the expected vessel time. However, this should not be treated as a confirmed departure time.

For the Kuryk route, there are useful contacts on the Kazakhstan side as well. The passenger-information page of Port Kuryk lists the Aktau ticket agent Ferry Management at +7 771 444 35 11, +7 7292 50 03 46 and ticket@ferry.kz.15

Tracking the assigned vessel

Once the paper ticket gives you a vessel name, check it on ASCO's Ro-Ro and ferry tracker and compare its movement with MarineTraffic. These tools helped several travelers estimate whether their assigned ship was approaching or had reached Alat.7 10 14

Travelers interpreted the tracker statuses as follows:

  • Raid: the vessel is anchored offshore, waiting for a berth.
  • Bridge: the vessel is at the berth, where unloading and loading can still take many hours.

These labels are traveler interpretations, not departure promises. In May 2026, a ship shown at the berth still took about five hours to board passengers and several more hours to sail. In August 2026, wind delayed an assigned vessel after it reached the berth, while other ships in port did not accept passengers on those particular sailings. A ship's presence at Alat therefore says little about passenger acceptance or departure time.14 16

Cabins and facilities

Cabin allocation depends on the vessel, availability and decisions made by the crew on that particular sailing. In October 2024, a couple were initially placed in a four-berth cabin with another passenger and her child; after negotiating, they paid an extra USD 10 per person for a two-berth cabin. On a September 2025 crossing, another couple were initially assigned to share a cabin with an older couple, but arranged with the crew to have a private cabin for an unspecified extra payment. By contrast, solo travelers in June and September 2025 were given cabins to themselves without paying for an upgrade.10 12 9 13

Facilities, bedding and deck access vary by vessel. See the ASCO ships guide for ship-specific descriptions and recent passenger experiences.

Meals and communication

Meal times and food varied between sailings. In October 2024, a couple were given meal windows of 07:30–08:30, 11:30–12:30 and 19:30–20:30; they found the food better than expected.10 A passenger in June 2025 received three meals but found the portions small.9 On 14–16 September 2025, a couple ate breakfast at about 07:30, lunch at 11:30, tea and biscuits at 15:30 and dinner at 19:00; they described the food as poor but edible.12 By contrast, a passenger on 28–29 September found the food good and the portions satisfying.13

How passengers were called for meals also differed. In October 2024, staff knocked on cabin doors when meals were ready.10 On a September 2025 crossing, the cook pounded on cabin doors at breakfast and continued until they were opened.12 In early November 2025, heavy knocking announced breakfast and lunch, but a couple missed dinner: someone opened their door at about 18:00 without explaining why, while the dining-room door showed 19:00, by which time service had ended.17

Communication can be difficult. The couple traveling on 14–16 September 2025 said that crew members mostly shouted instructions in Russian, leaving them unsure what was being said.12 In early November 2025, the silent door opening was easy to mistake for an accidental interruption rather than a dinner call.17

Refunds

For an eligible Alat–Kuryk–Alat online booking, ASCO's official FAQ says that a refund can be requested by sending the PDF ticket and identification to alatkassa@asco.az or through ASCO's website chat. It separately says that a ticket bought at a ticket office can be fully refunded by applying at the office with identification before the vessel departs.1

An August 2026 traveler was instead told that unused online tickets were not refundable and only tickets bought at the port could be reimbursed.16

Sources

  1. https://asco.az/en/pages/66; ASCO passenger fares, ticket-office contacts, ticket collection and refund information; accessed 4 September 2026 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8 ↩9 ↩10

  2. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=65109#p65109; report by Jonas666, 22 July 2025 ↩

  3. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66072#p66072; report by Dusselman, 19 September 2025 ↩

  4. https://asco.az/en/pages/7/28/news/2418; ASCO, 2026 operations of Zarifa Aliyeva on the Alat–Turkmenbashi route; accessed 4 September 2026 ↩

  5. https://asco.az/en/pages/7/28/news/2190; ASCO, electronic passenger ticket sales for January–February 2025; accessed 4 September 2026 ↩

  6. https://cabinet.asco.az/passenger-ticket; ASCO passenger booking interface, currently limited to Alat–Kuryk–Alat; accessed 4 September 2026 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  7. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=61394#p61394; report by Massimilippi, 21 November 2024 ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=62219#p62219; report by Silvan, 27 February 2025, describing a 30 January 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  9. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=64825#p64825; report by Oshquist, 9 July 2025, describing a June 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  10. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=61109#p61109; report by Stanbridge2, 15 October 2024 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  11. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=62598#p62598; report by Alhul, 24 March 2025, describing a March 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2

  12. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66161#p66161; report by silkevejen, 28 September 2025, describing a 14–16 September 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  13. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66183#p66183; report by bristolian_cat, 30 September 2025, describing a 28–29 September 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  14. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=68112#p68112; report by Yann, 16 May 2026, describing a crossing earlier that month ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  15. https://portkuryk.kz/en/contacts; Port Kuryk, passenger information and ticket-agent contacts; accessed 4 September 2026 ↩

  16. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=69732#p69732; report by tr8lina, 30 August 2026 ↩ ↩2

  17. https://caravanistan.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=66739#p66739; report by stempflinger2017, 26 December 2025, describing a November 2025 crossing ↩ ↩2

On this page

Booking and paymentObtaining the final ticketContacting ASCOTracking the assigned vesselCabins and facilitiesMeals and communicationRefundsSources