Afghanistan: main airports
Afghanistan has three airports with active flight connections: Kabul International Airport in the capital, Herat Airport in the west of the country near the Iranian border, and Mazar-i-Sharif Airport in the north.
Since 2021 the country has been governed by the Taliban, an authority not recognized by the international community, and any travel to Afghanistan is today categorically advised against by most Western governments due to the extremely high security risk. Anyone who still needs to transit through one of these airports for professional, diplomatic or humanitarian reasons should do so exclusively through organizations with dedicated security protocols.
Afghanistan: recommended activities
Afghanistan: visa and entry requirements
Afghanistan requires a visa for most nationalities. Since 2021 the country has been governed by the Taliban, an authority not recognized by the international community: diplomatic and consular procedures are consequently extremely limited, inconsistent and subject to sudden changes without notice.
Many Western countries do not have a fully operational diplomatic presence able to guarantee ordinary consular assistance in the country.
Afghanistan: safety
Any travel to Afghanistan is today categorically advised against by most Western governments, due to the extremely high level of risk linked to political instability, the presence of active armed groups and a concrete risk of attacks, even in the capital Kabul.
Anyone who still has to travel for professional, humanitarian or diplomatic reasons should do so exclusively through organizations with dedicated security protocols, not as an independent tourist.
Afghanistan: health situation
Afghanistan's healthcare system is severely compromised by decades of conflict and has very limited resources, especially outside Kabul. It is not realistic to rely on ordinary travel insurance for a safe medical evacuation if needed.
For anyone who still needs to travel there, specific vaccinations (hepatitis A and B, typhoid, polio) are generally recommended, to be arranged well in advance at a travel medicine clinic.
Afghanistan: currency, payments and connectivity
The currency is the afghani (AFN). The economy is largely cash-based: card acceptance is very limited even in the capital.
There are no reliable transport apps comparable to Western ones; getting around requires careful planning with trusted local contacts.
For local connectivity, the main operators (Roshan, MTN Afghanistan, Afghan Wireless) offer prepaid SIM cards, but network coverage and reliability remain limited in many areas.
