The long-awaited opening of Astana’s LRT coincided with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s birthday. About two weeks have passed since the new public transport became available to residents and visitors. But in the first hours of operation, the capital’s main new transit symbol turned into something closer to an attraction. Against this background of novelty and excitement, it is important not to forget that the LRT is first and foremost transport. That means it should be treated accordingly. Whether the LRT will justify itself as part of the transport system, whether it can integrate into the city’s infrastructure, and what questions remain after the launch — these issues are explored in the Orda.kz longread.