First LRT Cars Put on Rails in Astana

The first cars have been placed on the rails at the starting station (Station 101) of the LRT line near the airport in Astana, Orda.kz reports.

The cars were recently delivered, and two large auto trailers are parked near the general lot. Construction crews are working both beneath and on the rails. According to Akim Zhenis Kasymbek, a test launch of the LRT is planned for the end of 2025.

The 60-meter rolling stock is equipped with a hardware and software system at automation level GOA 4, which enables automatic door operation, acceleration and braking, depot entry and exit, train condition monitoring, and distance control between trains,the press service of City Transportation Systems reported. 

The lifting operation was carried out routinely and is part of the scheduled construction activities for the LRT system. The cars will remain at the station until test runs begin, currently scheduled for September 2025.

The LRT project is designed to develop modern urban transport infrastructure and improve mobility and comfort for residents. The first train placement on rails marks a key milestone in project implementation. We are moving strictly according to schedule, and this fall we will begin testing the LRT systemssaid Asylbek Duisebayev, Chair of the Board of City Transportation Systems. 

The capital’s light rail transit (LRT) project is one of the most controversial and drawn-out infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan. Initially envisioned as a symbol of the “smart city” of the future, it has instead become a concrete symbol of inefficiency and corruption.

Talks about building the LRT in Astana date back to the 2000s, though the project was officially announced in 2011. Its purpose was to ease traffic congestion in the capital, connect remote areas and the airport to the city center, and provide a modern light rail system similar to the Dubai Metro or Malaysian LRT.

Originally, plans included three lines totaling around 40 kilometers. These were later scaled back to a single 22.4-kilometer line with 18 stations, stretching from the airport to the Nurly Jol railway station.

The project was funded by a government-backed loan of more than $1.5 billion from the China Development Bank. The general contractor is Astana LRT LLP, and the construction is being carried out by a consortium that includes China Railway International Group.

Original Author: Ilya Astakhov