City transport and apps
Almaty's metro is clean and frequent, takes a 120 KZT QR ticket, and X-rays your luggage on the way in. Register Yandex Go and link a payment card before you fly - Kazakh networks often fail to deliver the verification SMS to a foreign number.
- Register Yandex Go and link a payment card before you fly. Kazakh networks often fail to deliver the verification SMS to a foreign number.
- Almaty's metro is clean and frequent on a single line through the centre, with a QR-code ticket at 120 KZT.
- Luggage goes through an X-ray scanner on the way into the metro.
- 2GIS is the map app that matters here - it works offline, shows real-time bus arrivals and marks exact building entrances, which Google Maps does not.
- Avtobys is the official Astana transport app, with real-time tracking and QR tickets bought by scanning codes on vehicle windows.
Public transport in both metropolises works at a high level. Almaty has a clean, frequent metro (a single line connecting the center; a QR-code ticket costs 120 KZT) and an extensive bus and trolleybus network. When entering the metro, luggage must go through an X-ray scanner.
Key mobility apps (available for iOS and Android):
- Yandex Go: The dominant ride-hailing platform across Kazakhstan. Requires registration with a phone number and an SMS verification. Travelers are strongly advised to register the account and link a payment card (Visa/Mastercard) while still in their home country, since Kazakh networks may have trouble delivering authorization SMS to foreign SIMs. The service works reliably 24/7.
- 2GIS: The most important map and navigation app for Kazakhstan. It works offline after downloading a specific city's maps (Almaty, Astana). It shows detailed public-transport routes, real-time bus arrivals and exact building entrances, which regular Google Maps does not support.
- Avtobys: The official public-transport app in Astana. It allows real-time bus tracking, route search and buying electronic tickets by scanning QR codes on vehicle windows. Registration is also possible via Telegram.
Apps and platforms
Yandex Go for rides, 2GIS for offline maps and search, Avtobys for public transport fares in Astana, and eQonaq for the arrival registration your host has to file.
- Yandex Go (official site: https://taxi.yandex.kz) - ride-hailing and logistics app.
- 2GIS (official site: https://2gis.kz) - offline map and search system for city navigation.
- eQonaq (official site: https://eqonaq.kz) - state information system for registering foreigners' arrivals.
- Avtobys (official site: https://avtobys.kz) - payment and tracking system for public transport in Astana.
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