Getting around by train Kazakhstan

Two railway stations serve Almaty. Most long distance trains, including international ones (to China or Russia), stop at Almaty I, 9 km north of the city centre, at the end of Seyfullin Street. But the majority of trains have for terminus and departure point Almaty II station, closer to the city centre, at the north end of Abilay Khan Street.

International trains make it possible to travel to Moscow (a train every two days, 3 days driving time) and Urumqi (two to three «Genghis Khan» trains per week, counting 28 hours of journey, 10 hours at the border for the change of wheel trains). It is also here that trains go to Tashkent.

National trains serve virtually every city in the country, but the journey times are always extremely long and often make the bus more convenient. Take 36 hours to reach Oskemen (Kamenogorsk-Kamenogorsk), 15 hours for Tchymkent, 22 hours for Kyzyl-Orda, 16 hours for Turkestan and 20 hours for Astana. The compartments are divided into first and second class, with the last category of spaces in six sleeping areas.

The fast train Talgo linking Almaty to Astana covers the distance not at the speed of the TGV but with 7 hours less than the usual trains and offers a much superior comfort (restaurant and bar, air conditioning, different compartments of compartments). Talgo trains make the connection five times a week, with only one stop (but not always) in Karaganda. Departures from Almaty in the evening.

Tickets for the Almaty II train station are open 24 hours a day for the purchase of tickets.

Located close to the city center, the railway station offers trains to Kyzyl-Orda (then Turkestan and Almaty, with a change at Kyzyl-Orda) to the east, and to towns on the Caspian Sea and in the north-west of the country. To save time, you can also fly to Kyzyl-Orda before taking an overnight train. It's best to buy your tickets in advance.

The bus station is just opposite the railway station. Regular buses to Turkestan (15h drive).

Semey station is located just north of the city center. Semey is served by at least two daily departures to Almaty (usually in the morning). Connections to Astana are less frequent, but a train runs at least every 2 or 3 days. Please note that it is possible to take the train to Ust-Kamenogorsk (Öskemen), but the line passes through Russia and you'll need a Russian visa and a Kazakh double-entry card to make the journey.

The railway station is located 12 km east of the city center, in Mangyshlak. The best way to get there quickly is by cab from the city center. Aktau can be reached by train from Beyneu, a railway junction where the tracks divide towards Atyrau to the north or Nukus and Uzbekistan to the south. This station is often crowded, and you'll have to elbow your way to buy tickets if you haven't had the foresight to do so in advance. It takes almost two days to reach Almaty.

5 km northeast of town center. Trains leave Atyrau daily for Aktobe, from where you can continue on to Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana). Allow 35 hours to reach the Kazakh capital. Trains also run to Beyneu, where you can connect with the south of the country: Aralsk, Turkestan, Chymkent and Almaty. It takes around 48 hours to reach the former Kazakh capital by train. As for international trains, the only cross-border connection is to Moscow, which is served from Atyrau every two or three days.