How to get here

From Almaty and Astana (both Kazakhstan)

Almaty and Astana are the hubs of both internal and external flights in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, Almaty is linked to 15 major cities in Kazakhstan by daily running trains and flights to/from regional capitals. You can opt for a long-distance bus however going by train will provide certainly more comfort. External flights are to/from Moscow, St.Petersburg, Beijing, Dubai, Urumchi, Seoul, Vienna, London, Tehran, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Islamabad, Istanbul, Ashgabat, and Tashkent.

The Airport in Shymkent

The airport in Shymkent offers flights to/from Almaty, Astana, Moscow (Domodedovo), Aktau, Atyrau, Baku (Azerbaijan), Yerevan (Armenia)/Rostov (Russia) according to the update schedule until 29.10.2005.

You can also contact tour operators in Shymkent

Train and bus communication

Long-distance trains run to/from Moscow and Urumchi. We advise you to buy tickets 1-2 weeks in advance. Buses run daily to the major towns in Kazakhstan. This is considered to be the cheapest means of transportation as well as good opportunity to see a lot of the country’s landscape. Another option would be hiring a taxi for intercity travel. Joining a car that already has got passengers but not fully packed should ensure that you pay the local price, not “extra” (sometimes double-price) for foreigners.

Around Shymkent and Southern Kazakhstan

The bus #12 runs from/to the airport in Shymkent several times a day. Another option is hiring a taxi ($4) per ride from/to the airport. You have to negotiate!

The fastest and cheapest way to go round in Shymkent is taking marshrutnoye taxi ($0.20 per ride). You can also take a marshrutka to travel around the region. Marshrutkas leave from Ozero or autovokzal several times a day almost to every destination in Southern Kazakhstan.

Hiring a taxis is more expensive ($2-4) depending on the destination within the town, and more expensive for an intercity ride.