Overview
Almaty is served by a single-line rapid transit metro, the Almaty Metro (Kazakh: Алматы метрополитені, Almaty Metropolitenı; Russian: Алматинский метрополитен). It opened on 1 December 2011 after more than 23 years of construction and was, until the Astana Light Metro opened in 2026, the only metro system in Kazakhstan. The system is compact but fast, clean and cheap, and it is the backbone of quick east–west travel across the city centre.
Riding it end to end is straightforward. You enter the station, put your bags through the security scanner, then buy a ticket at the booth (the "kassa") or tap a contactless card or Onay card at the turnstile. You ride to your station, exit through the gates (dropping your token into the exit turnstile if you used one), and you're out. The metro is open daily from 06:20 to 00:00 and is guarded by police at all times, so it is considered safe. Because there is only one line, there are no interchange stations and no transfer risk.
The network
Almaty's public transport is a mix of a metro line, an extensive bus network, trolleybuses and mainline rail. There is no tram or light-rail service in operation for visitors: the old Almaty tram network was wound down during metro construction and most routes were closed by 2010, and the planned Almaty Light Rail is a future project rather than a running service.
- Almaty Metro (Line 1, the "Red Line") — a single line running roughly east–west, with 11 stations over about 13.4 km. From the eastern terminus the stations are: Raiymbek Batyr (Райымбек батыра / Райымбек), Zhibek Zholy (Жибек Жолы), Almaly (Алмалы), Abay (Абая / Абай), then west beneath Abay Avenue: Baikonur (Байконур / Байқоңыр), Auezov Theater (Театр имени Мухтара Ауэзова / Мұхтар Әуезов атындағы театры), Alatau (Алатау), Sayran (Сайран), Moskva (Москва), Saryarka (Сарыарқа) and Bauyrzhan Momyshuly (Бауыржан Момышұлы), the western terminus opened in 2022. An extension toward Kalkaman is under construction, with longer-term plans for a second line toward the airport.
- Buses — the city has roughly 170 bus routes, and they are the workhorse of the network. Use Yandex Maps for route details and journey planning.
- Trolleybuses — nine trolleybus routes operate, including Trolleybus 5, which starts outside Almaty-2 railway station and runs south up Abylai Khan.
- Suburban and mainline rail — two main stations serve the city. Almaty-2 (north end of downtown, near the Raiymbek Batyr metro station) handles all mainline trains, including services from Astana via Karaganda and from Tashkent. Almaty-1, 4 km northeast toward the airport, also serves trains from the north. Schedules and tickets are available via the Kazakhstan railways website.
- Ferries — there is no ferry service in Almaty; the city is inland and the sources describe none.
Tickets & fares
Fares are low and are approximate — they change, so check locally. The metro fare is a flat 120 tenge per trip regardless of distance (as of 2024–2026). On buses the cash fare is 200 tenge, paid to the driver or conductor on boarding; paying by Onay card or QR code brings the bus fare down to about 120 tenge, which is why locals use the card.
- Metro tokens — disposable yellow smart tokens bought at station ticket counters (cash or card). A token is valid until the end of the current day, and you drop it into the exit turnstile on the way out. Wednesday is "token day", when passengers can bring expired tokens and use them.
- Metro smart cards — reusable contactless cards costing about 100 tenge without balance; the balance can be topped up at cash desks and automated terminals in stations, and the card is valid for three years. These are aimed at frequent travellers rather than visitors.
- Contactless bank cards — since 2016 you can pay at dedicated turnstiles with Mastercard, Visa or UnionPay contactless cards.
- Onay card — the city's stored-value transport card, usable on the metro and on buses/trolleybuses. It is sold for around 800 tenge at "караван" (Caravan) newsstands across the city, and a new card includes 120 tenge — enough for one trip. Top up at Qiwi payment terminals (the interface is in Russian or Kazakh only).
- Onay app — usable only with a Kazakh phone number, and as of 2026 it does not accept foreign bank cards, so it is largely useless for foreigners beyond checking bus times.
- Concessions — children aged 7–15 can get reduced fares (around 60 tenge) on presentation of a birth certificate or proof of age; children under 7 often travel free on the metro.
- Tourist passes — there are no day tickets or similar deals for visitors; for frequent travel, the rechargeable multi-trip smart cards are the option.
From the airport
Almaty International Airport (ALA) lies about 15 km northeast of the city centre, and the metro does not reach it — you connect by bus or taxi.
- Bus 92 — the only bus that stops within the airport precinct, just outside Arrivals. It zigzags through the northern Turksib district to Sayakhat junction, then runs west along Raiymbek Batyr (for Almaty-2 railway station and the metro), on to Abai Boulevard and out to the western suburbs. Occasionally construction works keep it out of the airport, in which case you join it on Mailin Street.
- Buses from Mailin Street — other airport buses leave from the boulevard just outside the airport, about a 10-minute (roughly 400 m) walk from Arrivals. Bus 79 runs to Nazarbayev Avenue, Bus 86 also runs downtown, and Bus 106 bypasses downtown for Sayran inter-city bus station (about 50 minutes).
- Fares and hours — airport buses run from about 05:30 to 23:00, every 30 minutes or better, take around 30 minutes to the centre, and charge the standard bus fare (200 tenge cash, or about 120 tenge with an Onay card).
- Taxis — book at the booth in the arrivals hall, through your accommodation, or via Yandex. Expect around 1,500 tenge to the centre (2024), though official fixed-fare desks quote roughly 4,000–6,000 tenge and ride-hailing apps around 2,000–2,500 tenge. Beware the common scam where a driver claims the quoted fare was per kilometre.
Etiquette & customs
- Queuing — queue politely at ticket windows and turnstiles; pushing in is poorly regarded.
- Security — you must put your bags through a scanner on entering a metro station, before ticketing. Allow a moment for this at busy times.
- Priority seating — it is customary to give up your seat to elderly passengers.
- Rush hour — the metro is busiest on weekday mornings (about 07:30–09:00) and evenings (about 17:30–19:00); avoid these crowds if you are carrying luggage.
- Paying on buses — you don't need exact change, but you'll be unpopular if you offer a large note. Some conductors will ask you to pay by Onay card or app rather than cash.
- Language — signage and announcements are in Kazakh and Russian, with occasional English in tourist areas; younger conductors speak a little English and will point out your stop.
Survival terms
- Metro / subway — метро (metro)
- Ticket — билет (bilet)
- Line — линия (liniya)
- Entrance — кіреберіс (kireberis) / вход (vkhod)
- Exit — шығу (shyghu) / выход (vykhod)
- Transfer — ауысым (auysym) / пересадка (peresadka)
- Single fare — бір жолғы төлем (bir zholgy tölem) / разовая поездка (razovaya poyezdka)
- Day pass — күндік билет (kündik bilet) / дневной билет (dnevnoy bilet)
Buy an Onay card from a Caravan newsstand early in your trip and top it up at a Qiwi terminal, so you can tap through the metro and buses at the cheaper card fare instead of hunting for cash change.