Local transport
Old buses operated by Afghan Millie Bus trundle the routes across Kabul, but they are slow with standing room only. Destinations aren’t marked, so shout out where you want to go when the bus stops. If you’re not in a rush, fares cost around 3Afg. A similar network of minibuses also criss-cross the city, usually stopping to pick up passengers at roundabouts and major junctions. Look for the vehicles with a young lad hanging out of the door barking out the destination.

There are over 40, 000 registered yellow taxis in Kabul, forming the bulk of the city’s traffic. Shared taxis run the main roads, linking the districts. If you flag one down you’ll need to know the nearest landmark or major junction to your destination. Most taxi drivers assume that a foreigner will want to hire the whole vehicle, so make this clear when you get in. Shared taxis have a minimum fare of 20Afg.

Finding an empty taxi to hire can sometimes be a challenge, though they’ll often veer towards a walking foreigner. Drivers almost always ask for 100Afg for a fare, although short hops should give you change from 70Afg. Women should be wary of taking taxis alone.
History

The city of Kabul, in east central Afghanistan, is the capital of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, as well as of the Kabul Province. It is located in a valley between the Asmai and Sherdarwaza mountains and at an elevation of about 1800 m (about 5900 ft). One of the highest capital cities in the World, Kabul is also one of the world’s oldest cities with about 3,000 years of history. The city is mentioned in the Rgveda (early Indian scriptures, c. 1500 BC), and was known to Ptolomy, as well as to ancient geographers and mathematicians. Kabul’s historical monuments include the tombs of the city’s major figures, Zahir al-Din Babur’s garden (including his tomb), and the Dar al-Aman Palace.

The population is around 1 million people. The Tajiks of Afghanistan form the predominant population group of Kabul; the Pashtuns are a sizeable and important minority in the city.

The more recent history of Kabul harks to the time of the conqueror Babur (died in 1530), who chose it as his capital in 1504. Between 1504 and 1738, when it was captured by Nadir Shah of Iran, Kabul served as a major center of Mughal culture. After the death of Nadir Shah in 1747, Kabul was included in the newly-recognized independent Afghan state. As such it became the focus of attention of not only the British Raj, but the Qajars of Persia, and Imperial Russia. Each of these rivals was seeking control of Kabul which, in reality, meant control of the Khyber Pass. In the 1776, Kabul became the capital of Afghanistan, displacing the ancient center of Qandahar. During the 19th century, Kabul was occupied twice (1839-1842 and 1879-1880) by British troops. In 1919, after a third war with the British, Kabul finally gained its total independence from the British Crown. After 1940, it began to grow rapidly both as an industrial center and a center for education for the region.

In the 1960s and 1970s, education, especially at the high school level, grew very rapidly so that Kabul University, which had been founded in 1932, was no longer able to cope with the demand. The Afghan government was forced to seek foreign assistance for its expanding educational programs. As a result, a number of Western nations contributed to the makeup of Afghan education at the time. For instance, the United States agreed to develop the University’s Departments of Engineering, Agriculture, and Education, while the French provided funds and personnel for the Departments of Medicine and Law. The Germans took the responsibility for the Departments of Natural Sciences, and the Soviets for the Department of Psychology. Islamic law, a most important aspect of the future developments in Afghanistan, was aided by Egypt.