Astana has been the capital of Kazakhstan since 1997 (previously it was Almaty) and has a population of 1.43M. From 2019-2022 the city was called Nur-Sultan in honour of the Republic's former president. Over 720 000 passengers use city buses daily Trolleybuses ran from 1983-2008.
In order to improve travel opportunities bus rapid transit lines were opened from 2011 and a 16.4km light rail line was planned for completion by 2013. However construction had not started by 2020, when president Nursultan Nazabayev cancelled the project on cost grounds; despite this some elevated sections were built. After a corruption scandal in 2019 the project stagnated until 2023 when an agreement was implemented with China Railway Group Ltd for a 22.4km standard-gauge automated light metro, a north–south line linking Nursultan Nazabayev International Airport with Astana Nurly Zhou railway station with 11 stations. CRRC Tangshan is producing 19 four-car 60m trains for third rail operation and on 12 June the first of these was craned on top a completed section of viaduct. Test running should start in September with the hope that passenger service between the first eight stations can be inaugurated before the end of 2025.
The first light metro train arrives on Astana rails. (CTS)
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