Almaty Advances Urban Transport Expansion with LRT and Metro-Airport Link

Almaty’s transport system expansion is gaining momentum, with the city's first light rail transit (LRT) line and second metro line connecting downtown to the airport currently in works.

Almaty is moving forward with a major urban transport expansion (қалалық көлік кеңеюі) [qalalyq kölık keñeiuı], as authorities develop the city’s first light rail transit system alongside a new metro connection to the airport. The initiative reflects broader efforts to modernize public transport infrastructure (қоғамдық көлік инфрақұрылымы) [qoğamdyq kölık infraqūrylymy] and address long-term mobility demands in Kazakhstan’s largest city.

Plans for the second metro line outline a route beginning at Jibek Joly station and extending to Almaty International Airport, forming a direct airport connection (әуежай байланысы) [äuejai baylanysy]. The project includes six underground stations, passing through key areas such as Central Park of Culture and Leisure and major transport corridors, integrating urban and regional movement within a unified transport network (көлік желісі) [kölık jelısı].

According to municipal authorities, a detailed feasibility study (техникалық-экономикалық негіздеме) [tehnikalyq-ekonomïkalyq negızdeme] has already been prepared for the metro extension. The project requires the acquisition of 93 land plots, indicating the scale of land development requirements (жер учаскелерін алу қажеттілігі) [jer uchaskelerin alu qajettılıgı]. However, the precise timeline for construction has not yet been confirmed.

Officials stated that the feasibility study is currently undergoing state expertise review (мемлекеттік сараптама) [memlekettık saraptama]. The final construction schedule will depend on receiving positive approval, which will determine the next phase of implementation and allow authorities to move forward with project execution planning (жобаны іске асыру жоспарлау) [jobany iske asyru josparlau].

Parallel to the metro expansion, the city is also developing its first light rail transit system (жеңіл рельсті көлік) [jeñıl relstı kölık]. The feasibility study for the LRT project has likewise been submitted for state review, indicating coordinated progress across multiple infrastructure initiatives aimed at improving connectivity and reducing congestion.

Authorities emphasized that both the timeline and project cost estimates (жоба құнының бағасы) [joba qunynyñ bağasy] for the initial LRT phase will only be finalized after expert approval. This reflects a cautious approach to large-scale infrastructure investment, ensuring that financial planning aligns with technical feasibility and long-term sustainability.

Together, these projects signal a significant transformation in Almaty’s urban mobility system (қалалық қозғалыс жүйесі) [qalalyq qozğalys jüiesı], with a focus on integrating different modes of transport. By expanding rail-based solutions, the city aims to enhance efficiency, reduce reliance on road transport, and support future population growth through improved transport accessibility (көлік қолжетімділігі) [kölık qoljetımdılıgı].