Kazakhstan - Central Asia - page 130

8 Getting¨Around
AIR
A good network of domestic lights links cities
all around Kazakhstan and fares are reasonable.
The main airlines are the international-standard
Air Astana (KC; www.airastana.com), and
SCAT (DV; www.scat.kz), which like all other
Kazakhstani airlines except Air Astana, has been
banned from lying to EU countries because it
does not meet internationally accepted safety
requirements.
Airlines ofer various fares on each route and
we have quoted the lowest ones commonly
available within about a month before departure,
typically 15,000T (US$100) to 30,000T. Closer
to departure, you might pay up to double.
Tickets are sold by abundant travel agencies
and aviakassy (air-ticket oices) in cities. Air
Astana and SCAT also issue e-tickets online,
payable with international credit cards - though
the SCAT website is in Russian only.
BUS, MINIBUS & MARSHRUTKA
With a few exceptions such as the busy Shym-
kent-Almaty and Astana-Karaganda routes,
intercity bus services are poor and getting
worse, with less frequent departures in increas-
ingly aged buses from ramshackle bus stations.
Nevertheless buses are an option for trips of
up to ive or six hours - generally a bit faster
than trains and with fares similar to platskartny
(3rd-class) on trains - typically around 500T
per 100km. For longer trips trains are generally
more comfortable.
many short and medium-length routes (up
to three or four hours) are now covered more
frequently by modern, relatively comfortable
minibuses (and a few marshrutkas - less com-
fortable, Russian-built, combi-type vehicles).
These generally cost about 50% more than
buses and go quicker.
CAR & MOTORCYCLE
Traic police and poor roads (in that order) are
the main hazards of driving in Kazakhstan. main
intercity roads may have bad, potholed stretch-
es but are mostly in decent condition. Huge
infrastructure projects are massively improving
some major trunk routes.
Traic police may stop motorists just to check
their papers, and have a reputation for inding
irregularities that they may then overlook if
bribed. go very slowly past any parked police
vehicle or police observation post. The blood-
alcohol limit is zero. Don't run red lights and do

stick to speed limits (usually 50km/hr in cities
and 90km/hr outside them).
You should carry an International Driving
Permit as well as your home-country licence.
For many trips it is easier, and no more expen-
sive, to take a taxi or tour than to rent a self-drive
car, but there are self-drive options if that suits
your needs best. Europcar (www.europcar.com)
has rental oices in Almaty and Astana. You can
also rent through local agencies or travel agen-
cies. Short-term self-drive rates start at around
7500T (US$50) per day. Renters must normally
be aged 25 or older and have held their licence
at least one year (three years with some irms).
Check the small print very carefully: some com-
panies, for example, don't allow vehicles to be
taken out of the local oblast (region).
TAXI
For many intercity, trips taxis ofer a much faster
alternative to buses and minibuses. They're
generally found waiting outside bus and train
stations and you can either rent the whole cab or
share it with three other passengers at a quarter
of the price (about double the corresponding
bus fare). Sharing may involve some time waiting
around for other passengers to materialise.
TRAIN
Trains serve all cities and many smaller places.
They're a good way to experience Kazakhstan's
terrain, vast size and people. Except for small
local trains, tickets are best bought in advance.
Station ticket queues can be slow, but all cities
also have downtown train-booking oices, called
Zheleznodorozhnaya Kassa (Russian) or Temir
Zhol Kassasy (Kazakh), where you can buy tick-
ets more conveniently at a small commission.
Always take your passport when buying tickets.
Trains are generally slower than road travel
but for longer intercity trips are the only option
other than lying. Fares in platskartny (3rd-class
open-bunk carriages) are similar to bus fares.
Kupeyny (2nd-class four-person couchettes)
costs about 50% more - typically 300T to 400T
per hour of travel. We have quoted kupeyny
fares, unless stated otherwise.
Timetable information is available in English
at www.poezda.net (with fares in Russian rou-
bles) and in Russian and Kazakh at temirzholy.
kz and epay.railways.kz. This last company
has an online booking facility that accepts
international credit cards but is still only in
Russian and Kazakh (users collect tickets from
machines or ticket counters at stations).