The Astana city administration has proposed raising the fare for public transport in the capital to 150 tenge for cashless payment, a change that could take effect on December 1, 2026, according to infohub.kz.
The new fare is 40 tenge higher than the current one, a rise of roughly 36%.
Officials attribute the increase to growing costs for carriers. According to the administration, diesel fuel has risen in price from 107 to 329 tenge per liter since 2014. Whereas bus drivers then earned an average of 100,000–150,000 tenge, their salaries now start at 700,000 tenge and depend on the class of bus and the work schedule. Spare parts, repairs and the buses themselves have also become more expensive. Over the past three years, carriers have purchased 1,127 new buses for the capital.
"In connection with rising operating costs, the need to ensure the stable operation of public transport, the further renewal of the bus fleet and the development of the route network, it is proposed to set the cashless fare at 150 tenge from December 1," the administration said.
Free travel for existing eligible categories remains in place, according to the administration. These include pensioners, people with disabilities, large families and children under 18 studying in Astana.
No decision on raising the fare has yet been made. If approved, cashless travel will cost 150 tenge from December 1.
Earlier, Kursiv reported that new fares had been introduced for LRT passengers in Astana.