Formula 1 in Baku 2026: Which Roads Are Closed and How to Collect a Rental Car in the Centre

In short. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs from 24 to 26 September 2026. From 01:00 on 20 September to 08:00 on 28 September, the circuit streets and the whole area inside them are closed to cars. Access is only with a residents’ permit or during short windows on 21–23 September — and even then without stopping. So a rental car can’t be delivered to a hotel in the Old City (Icherisheher), on the Boulevard or on Neftchilar Avenue during these days. You’ll need to collect it outside the closed zone or at the airport.

Who this affects

This guide is for anyone planning to rent a car in Baku between 20 and 28 September who:

is staying at a hotel in the Old City, by the Seaside Boulevard or on Neftchilar Avenue;
wanted the car delivered to the city centre;
is coming for Formula 1 and plans to drive on race days.

If you’re collecting the car at the airport or in a residential district and don’t plan to enter the centre, the closures will barely affect you.

What’s closed and for how long

The Baku City Circuit runs through the streets of the historic centre — around the Old City and along the Boulevard. During the race this part of the city becomes a closed zone.

From 21:00 on 19 September the first restriction is already in place: the stretch of Pushkin Street at its junctions with Uzeyir Hajibeyli Street and Neftchilar Avenue. It stays in force until the end of the event.

From 01:00 on 20 September to 08:00 on 28 September all streets on the circuit and the entire area inside it are closed to traffic. Entry and exit are possible only with a Residential Access Permit, issued to residents.

For visitors that means one simple thing: without that permit, you can’t drive into the centre for almost eight days.

Formula 1 Baku 2026: Road Closures and Car Rental in the Centre

When you can drive through

To stop the city grinding to a halt entirely, the organisers open entry and exit points on certain days in the morning and evening.

Date	Morning	Evening
21 September	07:00–09:00	18:00–20:00
22 September	07:00–09:00	18:00–20:00
23 September	07:00–09:00	20:00–22:00
24–26 September, race days	no windows announced	no windows announced
28 September	traffic restored from 08:00

Important: during these windows the roads are open for through traffic only. Stopping, parking, and picking up or dropping off passengers are prohibited except in emergencies. The speed limit is 50 km/h. Public transport and heavy trucks are not allowed into the transit corridors.

Entry and exit points

You can enter:

from Salyan highway towards Neftchilar Avenue and the Azneft roundabout;
from Lermontov Street towards 50th Anniversary of the UN Street and Istiglaliyyat Street;
from Samad Vurgun Street towards Uzeyir Hajibeyli Street and Bulbul Avenue;
from Bulbul Avenue towards Khagani Street and Neftchilar Avenue;
from the Nizami–Pushkin junction towards Khagani Street;
from the Uzeyir Hajibeyli–Pushkin junction towards Bulbul Avenue — a new transit corridor.

You can exit:

from Neftchilar Avenue towards Baku Sea Port, Port Baku Mall and Crescent Mall;
from Istiglaliyyat Street towards Azerbaijan Avenue;
from Neftchilar Avenue towards the Azneft roundabout, Deniz Mall and Salyan highway.

From 20 to 28 September central Baku is closed for Formula 1. Which streets are shut, when you can drive through, and how to collect a rental car if you're staying in the Old City or by the Boulevard.

What this means if you’re renting a car

Delivery to a hotel in the centre isn’t possible. Even during the open windows, stopping in the corridors is prohibited. So handing you the keys at the door of a hotel in the Old City or on the Boulevard physically can’t happen. The meeting point has to be outside the closed zone.

If your hotel is inside the zone, think about where the car will be kept. You won’t be able to drive up to the hotel without a permit, and stopping in the corridors is banned. The car will have to stay outside, and you’ll walk or take the metro in.

On race days, it’s better not to drive into the centre. Traffic police are asking anyone travelling to the capital from the suburbs, other cities and districts to use public transport on 24–26 September. The nearest metro stations to the circuit are Icherisheher, Sahil and 28 May.

Traffic around the zone will get heavier. Flows that normally pass through the centre shift onto bypass streets. If you need to cross the city during the windows, allow extra time. We covered how Baku traffic works in general and where to expect it in a separate piece.

An honest question: do you need a car these days?

If you’re coming for Formula 1, staying in the Old City or by the Boulevard, and don’t plan to leave town, a car between 20 and 28 September may be more of a burden than a help. The centre is easier on foot, and the metro is the most convenient way to the circuit.

A car really does make sense if you’re planning trips out of town — to Gabala, Sheki, Guba, Gobustan or Shahdag. Then it’s logical to collect it outside the centre and head straight off; the closures won’t touch you.

There’s a third option too: start your rental on 28 September, once traffic in the centre is restored, and spend the days after the race exploring Azerbaijan.

How to get your car without hassle

Collect the car at the airport. It’s the most reliable option during the closures, since the airport is far from the closed zone. Karavan Rent A Car in Baku delivers the car straight to the terminal, so you get the keys as soon as you land.

Agree the delivery point in advance. If you need a car in the city, message us before you arrive. We’ll arrange a place and time for delivery outside the closed zone so the handover isn’t derailed by the closures.

Use the offer for Formula 1 guests. Until 1 October 2026 there’s a special deal with code F1BAKU: on rentals of 7 days or more, 10% off, plus airport delivery, extended insurance, a 10 GB SIM card and parking as a gift.

A passport and driving licence are enough to rent — no residence permit needed.

FAQ

When is Formula 1 in Baku in 2026?

The Azerbaijan Grand Prix runs from 24 to 26 September 2026.

How long is central Baku closed?

From 01:00 on 20 September to 08:00 on 28 September. A separate stretch of Pushkin Street has been closed since 21:00 on 19 September.

Can I drive into the Old City?

Only with a residents’ permit or during the windows on 21–23 September, and even then without stopping. For visitors, driving in during these days is practically impossible.

Can a rental car be delivered to my hotel in the centre?

No. Stopping and passenger pick-up are prohibited in the transit corridors, so the handover point must be outside the closed zone or at the airport.

How do I get to the circuit on race days?

By metro. The nearest stations are Icherisheher, Sahil and 28 May.

When will traffic in the centre be restored?

From 08:00 on 28 September.

Summary

From 20 to 28 September, central Baku runs by Formula 1 rules. The key point for anyone renting a car: don’t plan on delivery to a hotel in the Old City or on the Boulevard. Collect the car at the airport or at an agreed point outside the zone, and get around the centre on foot and by metro on race days.

To arrange delivery around the closures, message Karavan Rent A Car in Baku’s official chat on WhatsApp or Telegram: +994-55-455-22-45.