ASTANA – The light rail transit (LRT) system is set to begin operations on May 16-17 in the Kazakh capital, according to the City Transportation Systems (CTS). The service will run daily and is expected to carry up to 45,000 passengers during its initial phase.
CTS Chairman Assylbek Duisebayev said the LRT will operate from 06:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily. Full testing of trains and core technical systems has been completed. The 22.4-kilometer line includes 18 stations, connecting key locations such as the international airport, Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, the Botanical Garden, Abu Dhabi Plaza, the National Museum, and Nurly Zhol railway station.
Of the stations, 11 are at ground level, and seven are elevated. Each four-car train can carry up to 600 passengers and was manufactured in China for Astana’s climatic conditions. The fare is set at 200 tenge (US$0,43). Passenger transport cards are already available to apply for.
Authorities estimate initial daily ridership at 25,000 to 45,000 passengers. Stations will not include shops or cafés; only vending machines will be installed for drinks and snacks. Officials said the decision was made to ensure safety and maintain unobstructed passenger flow.
The project cost remains at $1.8 billion, approved in 2016. While technical specifications and train design were updated, the overall budget was unchanged. CTS noted that the LRT is not expected to be profitable, emphasizing its role as a public transport system rather than a commercial project.
The LRT project was first proposed in the mid-2000s as part of efforts to modernize Astana’s transport network. A project company was established in 2011, but progress remained limited for several years due to cost concerns and repeated redesigns. Construction began in 2017 following agreements with Chinese contractors, but was suspended in 2019 amid financial challenges.
Work resumed in 2023, leading to the project’s completion.