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The vast territory of Kazakhstan spans across . The population density is low in Kazakhstan, and the centers of industry and agriculture are spread out and remote from world markets.

Railways

Railways provide 68% of all cargo and passenger traffic to over 57% of the country. There are in common carrier service, excluding industrial lines, of which was electrified as of 2021. All railway lines in Kazakhstan are built in gauge. In July 2017, Alstom opened its first locomotive repairing center in Kazakhstan. It is the only repairing center in Central Asia and the Caucasus.

As the Kazakhstani rail system was designed during the Soviet era, rail routes were designed ignoring inter-Soviet borders, based on the needs of Soviet planning. This has caused anomalies, such as the route from Oral to Aktobe passing briefly through Russian territory. It also means that routes might not suit modern-day Kazakhstani needs.

Kazakhstan's developed railway system promotes international and regional trade connecting Asia and Europe. In 2019, the transit of goods through Kazakhstan increased 23% to 664,000 containers.

  • Russia - same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
  • China - break of gauge /;
  • Border station at Druzhba, KZ - Alashankou, CN, connection between the Turkestan–Siberia Railway and the Northern Xinjiang Railway (no electrification on them).
  • Another connection exist from Altynkol railway station near Khorgas to the Jinghe–Yining–Khorgos Railway towards Ürümqi.
  • Kyrgyzstan - same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
  • Uzbekistan - same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system)
  • Turkmenistan - same gauge (former Soviet Union railway system) (railway link opened in 2013, presently for freight)
  • Caspian Sea - railhead

The strategy of transport development in Kazakhstan until 2015 was to build of new electrified and of existing railway stations.

In 2006, a standard gauge rail link from China to Europe was proposed.

In 2007, it was proposed to eliminate break of gauge at Druzhba-Alashankou by converting the Kazakhstan main line to European gauge.

In 2008, BOOT line from Zhetigen to Khorgos on the China border. The line would branch off the existing railway near Shaquanzi.

Maps

  • UN Map
  • reliefweb map

Towns served by rail

Rapid transit and tram systems

thumb|Metro station in Almaty.

Almaty

thumb|200px|Tram in Almaty

There is a small () metro system in Almaty, the former capital and the largest city in the country. Second and third metro lines are planned in the future. The second line would intersect with the first line at Alatau and Zhibek Zholy stations.

In May 2011, the construction of the second phase of the Almaty Metro line 1 began. The general contractor is Almatymetrokurylys. The extension includes five new stations, and will connect the downtown area of Almaty with Kalkaman in the suburbs. Its length will be .

The construction is divided into three phases. The first phase, the addition of the two stations Sairan and Moscow with a length of

Astana

A metro system is currently under construction in Astana , the capital city.

The metro line had been a long time coming and the project was abandoned at one point in 2013, but an agreement was signed on 7 May 2015 for the project to go ahead.

Oskemen

In Oskemen, there is a with 3 operating lines. It was temporarily closed in 2018, but has since been reopened. Opened between 1959 and 1978, the tram is a popular form of transport in Oskemen. At its peak, it had six routes, but in 2018 it had four routes in operation. It had a fleet of 50 working tram cars.

Pavlodar

thumb|200px|Trams in Pavlodar

In Pavlodar, there is an which began service in 1965. , the network has 20 regular and three special routes. The network has a 60% share of the local public transport market. Its fleet of 115 trams are due to be replaced and in 2012, with the city announcing plans to purchase 100 new trams.

Temirtau

thumb|200px|Trams in Temirtau

There are in Temirtau.

Highways

thumb|Al-Farabi street, Almaty, Esentai Tower

Kazakhstan has a road network stretching over , most of which is in need of modernization and repair. It is, however, notable for containing the easterly terminus of European route E40, which contains the most easterly section of the Euroroute network.

  • Total: (2002)
  • Paved: (2002)
  • Unpaved: (2002)

As per the CIA Factbook, as of 2021, Kazakhstan had a total road network of which was made up of paved and unpaved roads.

, there were 3,845,301 registered cars and a total of 4,425,770 units of autotransport.

Motorways

The motorway network in Kazakhstan is rather underdeveloped, mainly due to the low population density in the country, which doesn't require wider roads on long distances. There is a total of 490&nbsp;km of motorways. The following are the only existing multi-lane, double carriage roads in Kazakhstan:

  • A1 - Runs from Astana to Shchuchinsk. It further continues as the A1 two-lane highway to Kokshetau. Motorway length: .
  • A2 - Runs from Almaty to a point past Uzynagash. It further continues as the A2 two-lane highway to Shymkent. Motorway length: .
  • A2 - Other four-lane portion runs from Shymkent to Zhibek Zholy, on the border with Uzbekistan. Length: .
  • A3 - Runs from Almaty to Kapshagay. It further continues as the A3 two-lane highway to Oskemen. Motorway length: .

International routes

Five international routes pass through Kazakhstan, totaling . These highways are:

  • M-36 Highway: Almaty – Astana – Kostanay (continues to Chelyabinsk)
  • Almaty – Petropavl to Omsk with the release of
  • M-38 Highway: Almaty - Semey - Pavlodar (continues to Omsk)
  • M-39 Highway: Almaty - Shymkent (continues to Tashkent)
  • M-32 Highway: Shymkent - Aktobe - Oral (continues to Samara)

In 2009, the country began the construction of the Western Europe-Western China highway, which was completed in 2018, linking the Chinese and Russian highway systems and allowing uninterrupted highway road transport from Europe to China. of that highway stretch across Kazakhstan (Aktobe, Kyzylorda, South Kazakhstan, Zhambyl and Almaty oblasts). The thickness of the asphalt and concrete pavement was planned to be , and the expected lifespan of the highway 25 years, without a major overhaul, and the maximum speed limit . The project includes a number of bridges over rivers, road maintenance facilities, bus stop areas, avtopavilony, cattle trails, and electronic signage. Simultaneously with the construction of this highway, roads were repaired and built in areas along its route.

Pipelines

As of 2017, pipelines in Kazakhstan consist of:

  • Condensate:
  • Gas:
  • Oil:
  • Refined products:
  • Water:

Waterways and waterborne transportation

There are of waterways on the Syrdariya (Syr Darya), 80%, and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers, (2010)

Ports and harbours

Caspian Sea

  • Aqtau (Shevchenko) - railhead
  • Atyrau (Gur'yev) - railhead

On rivers

  • Oskemen (Ust-Kamenogorsk)
  • Pavlodar
  • Semey (Semipalatinsk)

Merchant Marine

The merchant marine has a total of 122 vessels , consisting of three general cargo vessels, seven petroleum tankers, and 112 other vessels.

Heliports

Total: 32 (2025)

In December 2021, it was announced that Kazakhstan’s aviation safety record increased to 84%, which is 15% higher than the global average. These statistics were reported from an audit conducted by the ICAO Coordinated Validation Mission.

  • Air Astana - Air Astana (Эйр Астана) is the principal airline and the flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It operates scheduled domestic and international services on 56 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its 2 secondary hubs, Astana International Airport and Atyrau Airport. It is a joint venture between Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna (51%), and BAE Systems PLC (49%). It was incorporated in October 2001, and started commercial flights on 15 May 2002. At the 2012 World Airline Awards held at Farnborough Airshow in the UK, Air Astana was named the Best Airline in Central Asia & India.
  • FlyArystan - low-cost subsidiary of Air Astana
  • SCAT Airlines
  • Sunday Airlines - charter subsidiary of SCAT Airlines
  • Qazaq Air
  • Caspiy
  • Kaz TransAir
  • Sigma Airlines
  • Sunkar Air

The New Silk Road

Kazakhstan is actively involved in the New Silk Road initiative, which is an infrastructure project expected to significantly accelerate and reduce the cost of goods delivery from China to Europe through Central Asia.

  • Kazakhstan, South Korea to set up bus-assembling JV
  • Air Astana website
  • Kazakhstan Railways website in English
  • Almaty airport details
  • Official website for Astana Airport in English
  • Unofficial website for Astana Airport in English

References