Getting around · Almaty · Kazakhstan
Getting around Almaty
Public transport, passes, airport connections and when a car makes sense.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: МаратД, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Quick answer
Central Almaty is a walkable grid; remember that south is 'up', towards the mountains, and streets slope noticeably. Ride-hailing apps are cheap and the main way to get around, supplemented by the metro, buses and the mountain lifts. Not in the city, where ride-hailing is cheap.
Key facts
- Main way around
- Ride-hailing
- Airports
- ALA
- Need a car?
- Sometimes
- Travel pass
- Onay transport card
Ways to get around
Ride-hailing
Yandex Go and inDrive are widely used and inexpensive, with fixed fares shown in the app; they are the easiest way to reach Medeu, Kok Tobe and the museums.
Use an app rather than unofficial drivers at the airport and stations.
Metro
A single metro line runs from Raiymbek Batyr in the north to Abay, Sairan and the western districts, under Abylai Khan and Abay avenues, with decorated stations.
Pay with a transport card, contactless bank card or app, depending on what is accepted at the gates.
Bus
An extensive bus and trolleybus network covers the city, and a regular bus runs from the centre up to Medeu, from where the gondola continues to Shymbulak.
Walking
The centre's shaded streets make for pleasant walking, especially around Panfilov Park, the Arbat and the Golden Square; allow for the gentle uphill to the south.
Cable car
Cable cars run from Dostyk Avenue up Kok Tobe and, in the mountains, from Medeu to Shymbulak and on towards Talgar Pass.
Car
Day tours or a car with driver are the practical way to reach Charyn Canyon, Kolsai and Kaindy; roads beyond the city are long and partly unpaved.
Tickets and passes
Onay transport card
A rechargeable card for Almaty's buses and metro, sold at kiosks and metro stations; mobile payment options also exist.
From the airport
Almaty International Airport (ALA) is about 15 km north-east of the centre, roughly 30–40 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing car outside rush hour. City buses also link the airport with the centre.
Do you need a car?
Not in the city, where ride-hailing is cheap. For Charyn Canyon, Kolsai, Kaindy and Altyn-Emel, a tour or private driver is easier than self-driving, as distances are long and some tracks need a 4×4.
Reaching the day trips
| Destination | Travel time | How |
|---|---|---|
| Charyn Canyon | About 3–3.5 hours by car each way | Organised tour or private driver |
| Kolsai Lakes | About 5 hours by car each way | Two-day tour or private driver, often with Charyn |
| Kaindy Lake | About 5 hours by car, last stretch by 4×4 | Tour with 4×4 transfer from Saty |
| Altyn-Emel National Park | About 4 hours by car each way | Organised tour with park permit |
| Tamgaly petroglyphs | About 2.5–3 hours by car each way | Private driver or tour |
| Turgen Gorge | About 1.5 hours by car | Private driver or tour |
Questions travellers ask
+Do you need a car in Almaty?
Not in the city, where ride-hailing is cheap. For Charyn Canyon, Kolsai, Kaindy and Altyn-Emel, a tour or private driver is easier than self-driving, as distances are long and some tracks need a 4×4.
+How do you get from the airport to Almaty?
Almaty International Airport (ALA) is about 15 km north-east of the centre, roughly 30–40 minutes by taxi or ride-hailing car outside rush hour. City buses also link the airport with the centre.
+What is the best way to get around Almaty?
Ride-hailing: Yandex Go and inDrive are widely used and inexpensive, with fixed fares shown in the app; they are the easiest way to reach Medeu, Kok Tobe and the museums.