Getting There & Getting About

International Airports

• Almaty (ALA): 15 km from the city.
• Full list of airports in Kazakhstan with associated airport codes >

Internal Transport

There are a number of internal flights between Astana, Almaty, Kyzylorda, Oral and Aktau. However, travellers should note that maintenance procedures for some aircraft operating domestically may not conform to internationally accepted standards.

There are some regular, cheap rail services linking main centres, although due to an increase in robberies on trains, it may be advisable for foreign visitors to travel by bus between cities. There are also train services from Chimkent to Tashkent (Uzbekistan) and to Novosibirsk (Russian Federation), stopping at destinations in between; passengers should bring their own food and drink for the journey.

Many Kazakhstani roads are in need of repair but the network connects most towns and regional centres. Car hire is available in Almaty and Astana and at the airports.

Regular bus connections link the main cities of Kazakhstan; however, it's important to be aware that bus maintenance is generally poor.