Almaty’s public transportation network consists of buses, trolleybuses, minibuses, and a metro system. Tram services, which had been running since 1937, were discontinued in 2015. The city has dedicated bus lanes, which are a significant help during rush hours, when Almaty’s streets often face long traffic jams. The City Bus mobile app makes navigating routes easy. If you’re staying in the city for more than a day, it’s worth purchasing the «Onay» electronic transport card.
Fares for public transportation in Almaty can be paid using a bank card, cash, or a specialized smart card. Paying with cash is more expensive, so it’s more cost-effective to use a contactless bank card or the smart card. You can purchase this card at the airport, railway stations, Sairan bus station, newsstands, and mobile phone stores. A single-use ticket can be bought from a conductor or driver, but this option costs 1.5 times more than using the card.
Buses are the primary mode of public transportation in Almaty. The city operates 131 bus routes, connecting the central areas with the outskirts and nearby suburban towns. Buses also provide access to attractions located outside the city center, such as the Botanical Garden or the Medeu Gorge. For travelers arriving at the airport, bus route #86 connects the airport to the city center.
Buses operate from 6:00 AM to 11:30 PM, along with trolleybuses.
Trolleybuses
Almaty’s trolleybus system is the only one of its kind in Kazakhstan. There are currently 8 trolleybus routes in operation, but the network is gradually being reduced. Almaty’s trolleybuses link the southern, western, and eastern parts of the city with both railway stations. For example, trolleybuses #5 and #6 run from the Almaty-2 railway station through the city center to the Aksay-2 district. Route #7 runs from Almaty-1 station, passing through the center and continuing to the Botanical Garden.
Metro
The Almaty Metro opened in 2011 and remains the only metro system in Kazakhstan, and the second in Central Asia (the first being in Tashkent). Almaty’s metro consists of a single line, 10.3 kilometers long, with 9 stations. The metro operates from 6:20 AM to midnight. The northernmost station is located near Almaty-2 railway station, following Nazarbayev Avenue and Abai Avenue, reaching the Auezov District. The final station, «Moscow,» is near the Sairan bus station. Trains run every 8 to 13 minutes. Fares for all types of public transport are paid with the contactless «Onay!» card.
Taxis
In Almaty, international and Russian taxi apps such as Uber, Yandex Go, Bolt, Maxim, InDriver, and DiDi are available for use.
Despite no longer being the capital, Almaty hasn’t escaped morning and evening traffic jams, which at times completely block the city center, affecting public transport as well.