GETTING THERE
Arriving by plane
According to youremailverifier, Kazakhstan’s national airline Air Astana (KC) (Internet: www.airastana.com) flies four times a week from Frankfurt / M. to Astana and Almaty and from May to September once a week from Hanover via Kostanai to Astana.
Lufthansa (LH) flies non-stop to Astana and Almaty.
Austrian Airlines (OS) flies from Vienna to Almaty (via Istanbul or Frankfurt / M.) And to Astana.
Air Baltic (BT) flies from Berlin to Almaty with a stopover in Riga.
Ukraine International Airlines (PS) offers flights from Frankfurt via Kiev to Almaty.
Flight times
Berlin – Almaty: 8 hours (including a stopover); Frankfurt – Astana. 5 hours 50 minutes; Frankfurt – Almaty: 6 hours 30 minutes; Vienna – Almaty: 10 hours; Zurich – Almaty: 8 hours 35.
Departure fee
No.
Arrival by car
There are good road connections to Russia, the other Central Asian countries and China.
Buses (7 a.m. to 7.25 p.m.) run every 25 minutes from Chimkent to Tashkent (journey time 3 hours). There is also a bus connection between Chimkent and the Kyrgyz capital Bishkek.
Arriving by train
The night train connection Berlin – Astana (with a change in Moscow) is the longest railway line that starts from Germany. The route takes just under 90 hours.
There are international train connections to the Russian Federation, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and China. Trains run several times a week from Almaty to the Chinese city of Urumqi and daily to Moscow (the journey time is 3 days) with connections to all regions of the Russian Federation. The Tashkent-Novosibirsk-Express runs daily via Almaty in both directions. From Almaty there are connections to the Trans-Siberian Railway on the routes to the north and to Chimkent and further to the Russian city of Orenburg in the west. Travelers should be aware of an increased risk when traveling by train in Kazakhstan, violent crimes against Western tourists have increased.
Arrival by ship
The main ports are Aqtau, Atyrau, Oskemen, Pavlodar and Semey. Cargo ships operate on the Caspian Sea to Azerbaijan, the Russian Federation and Iran.
ON THE GO
Traveling by plane
There are flights from Almaty to Astana, Karaganda, Kostanay and other major cities several times a day. Air Astana (KC) offers an extensive route network in Kazakhstan.
Business planes can be chartered.
On the way by car / bus
The road network connects all cities and regional centers. More than 90% of the roads are paved, but the road conditions do not meet Western standards and there is a risk of accidents. The fuel supply is relatively good. If you are entering the country with your own car, this must be noted on the visa.
Bus: Regular bus connections between all major cities.
Taxis are available in all Kazakh cities.
Rental cars, even with a driver, can be found in Almaty, Astana and at airports.
Documentation: international driver’s license.
Note on traveling by road
Warnings are issued against overland journeys by car to the Kazakh-Uzbek border area near Tschimkent. In general, no overland trips should take place at night. If you want to drive a car yourself in Kazakhstan, you should have some knowledge of Russian.
Traveling in the city
Almaty has a bus and trolley bus network.
On the go by train
On 13,400 km of railway line you can get to almost all parts of the country very cheaply. The Talgo-Express high-speed train, the fastest of the Kazakh railways, runs between Almaty and the new capital Astana.
It is advisable to buy tickets in advance and reserve seats. The waiting time at the ticket office can be very long. There are no dining cars. The crime rate on trains has increased.
On the way by ship
In Semipalatinsk you can take a steamboat trip on the Irtysh.
TRAVEL WARNING
Country-specific safety information
On June 5, 2016, gunmen attacked arms shops and a National Guard base in the city of Aktobe, in northwestern Kazakhstan. On July 18, 2016, there was an armed attack on a police station in Almaty, in which several police officers were killed. The terror warning level that was then declared was lifted again in January 2017.
Overland Travel Overland travel after dark is not recommended, especially in southern Kazakhstan.
Crime The usual big city crime has to be expected (theft, robbery, trickery, ransom from alleged police checks). It is recommended not to move unaccompanied at night and not to use “unofficial” taxis. When visiting crowded places, such as bazaars, normal precautions should be taken to keep ID and cash safe, as there is also a potential risk of pickpockets.