ASTANA — Kazakhstan will resume and open 15 international air routes this year, including flights to Vienna, Rome, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Riyadh, as part of a broader plan to improve transport connectivity and support tourism, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev said at a Jan. 27 government meeting.
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Currently, 42 domestic routes are in operation, with nine additional domestic routes set to resume, notably to tourist regions. Special attention is being given to airport service quality: the Q-gate system has been implemented at Astana and Almaty airports to reduce passenger processing times and will expand to Shymkent, Aktau, Aktobe, and Atyrau.
As part of a three-year aviation development program, construction of tourist airports in Katon-Karagay, Zaysan, and Kenderli will be completed this year, alongside the restoration of Arkalyk airport. Upgrades are also planned at Pavlodar, Aktau, and Atyrau airports, reported the Transport Ministry’s press service.
The government is also improving rail and road access to popular destinations. The rail fleet will expand by 191 new cars, 13 new routes, and 400,000 additional seats during the summer. Road repairs will cover 5,000 kilometers, including key tourist routes like Zhanaozen-Kenderli and Ust-Kamenogorsk-Katon-Karagay. This year, 50 new roadside facilities are planned to improve travelers’ comfort.
