THE Kazakhstan city of Almaty has brought forward the opening of its first light rail line by two years to late 2027. Services on the 18.3km line with 23 stops were originally planned to start running in the first quarter of 2029.
Almaty’s mobility department has told local media that preparatory work is already underway, including removal of tracks from the city’s former tram system along Bauyrzhan Momyshuly and Tole Bi streets. Authorities are considering specifying battery propulsion for the fleet of LRVs to eliminate the need for overhead wires.
The LRT project, which was included in Almaty’s Master Plan, that was presented to the public in December 2025, will run along Tole Bi Street to Abylai Khan Avenue, then continue to Almaty-2 railway station. The depot will be located in an industrial area near Momyshuly Street. Land acquisition for the project began in March.
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Detailed features on the development of Kazakhstan’s rail network, including its pivotal position on the Middle Corridor, will appear in the August issue of IRJ.
