This information may change. Always check the official source.Last verified: August 2026 by Ondřej Kadlec
Driving in Kazakhstan: the three basics
Drives on the
right
The driver sits on the left and overtakes on the left. Roundabouts turn anticlockwise.
Your licence
Licence plus an IDP
Your own licence works with an International Driving Permit beside it. Get the permit at home before you fly - no country issues one for another country's licence.
Motorways
Mixed
Most roads are free and specific crossings, city zones or concession motorways charge. The catch is that several of them have no barrier and expect payment afterwards.
Kazakhstan has a handful of toll roads, enormous distances and zero tolerance for alcohol.
A few tolled highways, distances measured in days, and a zero alcohol limit.
The alcohol limit is zero and the penalties include licence confiscation.
Some sections of the Astana-Almaty and Almaty-Khorgos highways are tolled, paid at plazas or by camera; the rest of the network is free.
The distances are the plan. Almaty to Astana is 1,200 km, Astana to Aktau further still, and internal flights and trains do most of the work.
Fuel is cheap and stations are far apart on the steppe routes; fill up at every opportunity west of Aral.
Winter driving is serious. Blizzards close the intercity roads for days and the police shut them rather than rescue people.
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