Kazakhstan’s Rail Passenger Traffic Exceeds 6 Million in First Half of 2026
Kazakhstan’s national rail carrier transported more than six million passengers during the first six months of 2026, reflecting sustained demand for rail travel across the country.
According to Passenger Transportation, Almaty recorded the highest number of departing passengers at 993,000, followed by Astana with 855,000 and Shymkent with 393,000.
Among the regions, the Aktobe Region registered the highest passenger traffic with 615,000 travelers. It was followed by the Abai Region (413,000), the Karagandy Region (390,000), the Kyzylorda Region (366,000) and the Zhambyl Region (286,000), indicating strong demand for rail services connecting major cities and regional destinations.
To accommodate increased passenger volumes during the summer travel season, the national carrier introduced 15 additional rail services, including four Talgo trains and three suburban routes. Additional trains and carriages were also deployed on routes linking Astana, Almaty, Semei, Oskemen, Kyzylorda and Pavlodar with Dostyk, while capacity was expanded on high-demand services connecting Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Aktobe, Karagandy, Balkhash and Semei.
The company also reported continued use of its digital waiting list service, which allows passengers to purchase tickets released through cancellations. Since the beginning of the year, more than 84,000 seats have been made available through the system, resulting in the sale of over 28,000 tickets.
Photo credit: KTZ
