This article incorporates public domain material from the CIA World Factbook website https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/index.html.
Contents
- Railways
- Railway links with adjacent countries
- Maps
- 2008
- 2007
- 2006
- Almaty
- Astana
- Oskemen
- Pavlodar
- Temirtau
- Highways
- Motorways
- Pipelines
- Waterways and Waterborne Transportation
- Caspian Sea
- On rivers
- Merchant Marine
- Airports
- Airports with paved runways
- Airports with unpaved runways
- Heliports
- Airlines
- Destinations
- Domestic Kazakhstan
- Asia
- Europe
- The New Silk Road
- References
The vast territory of Kazakhstan spans across 2,700,000 km2 (1,000,000 sq mi). The population density is low in Kazakhstan, and the centers of industry and agriculture are spread out and remote from world markets. Therefore, the need for efficient transportation in Kazakhstan is great.
Kazakhstan is committed to regional infrastructure development. According to the Kazakhstan Ambassador to the U.S., Kairat Umarov, Kazakhstan invested $18 billion in construction of airports, highways, and railroads in 2014.
Railways
Total: Railways provide 68% of all cargo and passenger traffic to over 57% of the country. There are 15,333 km (9,527 mi) in common carrier service, excluding industrial lines.
Broad Gauge: 15,333 km (9,527 mi) of 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 27⁄32 in) gauge, 4,000 km (2,500 mi) electrified, in 2012.
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ) is the national railway company.
As the Kazakhstani rail system was designed during the Soviet era, rail routes were designed ignoring intersoviet borders and to the needs of Soviet planning. This has caused anamolies such as the route from Ural'sk to Aktobe now passes briefly through Russian territory. It also means that routes might not suit modern-day Kazakhstani needs.
Railway links with adjacent countries
The strategy of transport development in Kazakhstan until 2015 is to build 1,600 km (990 mi) of new electrified and 2,700 km (1,700 mi) of existing railway stations.
The Khorgos Gateway dry port is one of Kazakhstan's primary dry ports for handling trans-Eurasian trains, which travel more than 9,000 km between China and Europe. The Khorgos Gateway dry port is surrounded by Khorgos Eastern Gate SEZ that officially commenced operations in December 2016.
Maps
2008
2007
2006
Almaty
There is a small 8.56 km (5.32 mi) metro system in Almaty. A second and third metro lines are planned in the future. The second line would intersect with the first line at Alatau and Zhibek Zholy stations.
In May 2011, the construction of the second phase of the Almaty Metro line 1 began. The general contractor is Almatymetrokurylys. Currently more than 300 m (980 ft) of tunnels on the extension project have been excavated. The extension includes five new stations, and will connect the downtown area of Almaty with Kalkaman in the suburbs. Its length will be 8.62 km (5.36 mi).
The construction is divided into 3 phases. The first phase (the current phase) will be the addition of two stations: Sairan and Moscow, a length of 2.7 km (1.7 mi). For more details see: Almaty Metro.
There is still a tram system which opened in 1937. However, with the metro construction, 8 of the 10 lines were closed and now there are only 2 lines. They total 23 km.
Astana
The Astana Metro system is under construction.
It's been a long time coming and the project was abandoned at one point in 2013, but an agreement was signed on 7 May 2015 for the project to go ahead.
Oskemen
The system was opened between 1959 and 1978, and the tram is a popular form of transport in Oskemen/Ust-Kamenogorsk. At its peak it had 6 routes, but now has 4 routes in operation. It has a fleet of 50 working tram cars.
Pavlodar
There is an 86 km (53 mi) tram network, which began service in 1965 with, As of 2012, 20 regular and 3 special routes. The network has a 60% share of the local public transport market. Its fleet of 115 trams are due to be replaced and in 2012, the city announced plans to purchase 100 new trams.
Temirtau
There are 2 tram lines in this city.
Highways
Kazakhstan has a road network stretching over 96,000 km (60,000 mi), most of which is in need of modernization and repair.
It is stated in the CIA Factbook that Kazakhstan has a total road network of 93,612 km (58,168 mi) which is made up of: paved, 84,100 km (52,300 mi) and unpaved, 9,512 km (5,910 mi) (2008).
As of 2011, there were 3,264,400 registered cars.
As of 2017, there were 3 845 301 registered cars, total 4 425 770 unit of autotransport by information «Казинформ»(Kazinform [1]).
Five international routes pass through Kazakhstan, totaling 23,000 km (14,000 mi). These highways are:
In 2009, the country began the construction of the "Western Europe - Western China" highway, which will be completed by 2013. The total length of the road will be 8,445 km (5,247 mi), of which 2,787 km (1,732 mi) will be in Kazakhstan, (Aktobe, Kyzylorda, South Kazakhstan, Zhambyl and Almaty oblasts). The thickness of the asphalt and concrete pavement will be 80 cm (31 in), and the expected lifespan of the highway will be 25 years, without a major overhaul, and the maximum speed limit 120 km/h (75 mph). The project includes a number of bridges over rivers, road maintenance facilities, bus stop areas, avtopavilony, cattle trails, and electronic signage. Simultaneously with the construction of this highway, roads will be repaired and built in areas along its route.
Motorways
The motorway network in Kazakhstan is rather underdeveloped, mainly due to the low population density in the country, which doesn't require wider roads on long distances. The following are the only existing multi-lane, double carriage roads in Kazakhstan:
Total: 490 km
Pipelines
Condensate, 658 km (409 mi); gas, 12,317 km (7,653 mi); oil, 11,201 km (6,960 mi); refined products, 1,095 km (680 mi); water, 1,465 km (910 mi) (2010)
Waterways and Waterborne Transportation
There are 4,000 km (2,500 mi) of waterways on the Syrdariya (Syr Darya), 80%, and Ertis (Irtysh) rivers, (2010)
Caspian Sea
On rivers
Merchant Marine
Total: 11 vessels By type: cargo 1, petroleum tanker 8, refrigerated cargo 1, specialized tanker 1
Foreign-owned: 3 (Austria 1, Ireland 1, Turkey 1), 2010
Airports
Kazakhstan has a total of 97 airports (2012)However, it is quoted as having a total of 449 airports in (2001)
The large area of the country and the associated long distances makes air travel a very important component in domestic travel.
Airports - with paved runways
total: 64
Airports - with unpaved runways
total: 33
Heliports
Total: 3 (2012)
Airlines
European Commission blacklisted all Kazakh carriers in 2009, with a sole exception of Air Astana. Since then, Kazakhstan was consistently taking measures to modernize and revamp its air safety oversight. Thus, in 2016 the European air safety authorities removed all Kazakh airlines from blacklist and there was “sufficient evidence of compliance” with international standards by Kazakh airlines and the Civil Aviation Committee.
Air Astana - most popular Kazakhstani Air operator
Air Astana (Эйр Астана) is the principal airline and the flag carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan, based in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It operates scheduled domestic and international services on 56 routes from its main hub, Almaty International Airport, and from its 2 secondary hubs, Astana International Airport and Atyrau Airport. It is a joint venture between Kazakhstan’s sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna (51%), and BAE Systems PLC (49%). It was incorporated in October 2001, and started commercial flights on 15 May 2002. At the 2012 World Airline Awards held at Farnborough Airshow in the UK, Air Astana was named the Best Airline in Central Asia & India.
Qazaq Air - New airline Qazaq Air is a new airline in Kazakhstan.
Destinations
Air Astana operates the following destinations (as of April 2009):
Domestic (Kazakhstan)
Asia
Europe
The New Silk Road
Kazakhstan is actively involved in the New Silk Road initiative, which is an infrastructure project expected to significantly accelerate and reduce the cost of goods delivery from China to Europe through Central Asia.