The Almaty city administration has clarified the timeline for launching the light rail transit (LRT): the first line is expected to begin operation at the end of 2027. The average speed of the trains has also been announced, reports infohub.kz.
LRT trains will be able to reach speeds of up to 70 km/h. However, given that the distance between stops on the first line will be 700 meters, the average speed will be 30-35 km/h. Despite these relatively modest figures, it's worth noting that the LRT will operate without traffic jams, unlike buses and cars.
The city administration's press service also revealed how many utility lines have already been prepared for the construction of the line. On Tole Bi Street, 269 utility lines need to be relocated, of which 34 have already been completed. Work on Tole Bi began in early June 2026, and this is where the bulk of the work is concentrated.
On Bauyrzhan Momyshuly Street, 39 utility lines are planned to be relocated and reinforced, with four already completed. On Abylai Khan Avenue, 67 utility lines are to be relocated, but work has not yet started.
Earlier, residents of Almaty took to social media to ask why two lanes on Tole Bi Street were closed, yet no workers were visible on weekdays or weekends. Moreover, one section was closed a day before the official start of work, causing additional traffic jams.
Previously, Kursiv LifeStyle wrote about the advantages that Almaty residents find in the traffic jams on Tole Bi Street.