Metro

The Алматы Metro stands out as a modern and architecturally impressive rapid transit system in Kazakhstan’s largest city. Officially opened in 2011 after years of construction beginning in the late Soviet era, it currently features one line with 11 stations stretching about 13.4 kilometers. Each station showcases unique decorative themes that reflect local culture and history, making the metro not only a transport solution but also a cultural attraction in itself. The metro operates daily from early morning until midnight, with trains running every 8 to 15 minutes depending on the time and day, offering a fast and efficient way to navigate through Алматы’s busy urban core.

Although the Алматы Metro is relatively young and small compared to systems in larger cities, it is technologically advanced. The trains are modern four-car sets manufactured by Hyundai Rotem, equipped with air conditioning and autopilot features. The fare system is fully electronic, using contactless smart cards and tokens, and recently even integrates the city’s Onay transport card and contactless bank cards. Important: you only have to tap in, on your way out you can simply walk through the gates. Despite having only one line, the metro effectively serves tens of thousands of passengers daily, helping alleviate Алматы’s crowded surface transport, though wider public transport challenges remain in the city.

Looking ahead, ambitious plans aim to expand the metro significantly into a ring line involving about 50 kilometers of track and 28 stations, with many of them on existing railway lines upgraded for metro use. This expansion would dramatically increase passenger capacity and coverage, potentially serving half of Алматы’s public transport users. Such development would link key railway stations and neighborhoods, making the metro more integral to the city’s transit network while leveraging existing infrastructure to reduce costs. However, such a project will take years to complete, keeping the current single line as the backbone of Алматы’s metro transport for the near future.

Metro
Алматы
Kazakhstan