InfoHub Logo

The reconstruction of Astana's historic Astana-1 railway station may be completed ahead of schedule. This was announced by Maksat Kaliakparov, Deputy Minister of Industry and Infrastructure Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan, on the sidelines of a government meeting.

Initially, the station was expected to be operational by the end of 2026. However, due to the accelerated pace of construction, the facility is now planned to open in the autumn, before the onset of winter.

A Strategically Important Facility

According to Maksat Kaliakparov, the station is a strategically important facility for the country. To expedite its completion, design and construction work are being carried out concurrently.

"We understand this is a strategic facility, so we are conducting design and construction work in parallel to complete it in the shortest possible time," he explained.

Project Costs and Innovations

The Deputy Minister also addressed questions regarding potential cost increases for the project. While he stated that a "sharp increase" is not to be expected, he did not rule out additional requirements from the akimat (city administration), including proposals to enhance the station's capacity.

Furthermore, plans include the integration of a modern food court area within the renovated station premises. Under this new concept, the dining area will be distinct, designed to prevent odors from spreading to other parts of the station.

It is worth recalling that previously, the cost of reconstructing the Astana-1 station had reportedly tripled. If the amount was 6 billion tenge in 2024, it later increased to 16.6 billion tenge. These figures were attributed to increased demands on the facility, expanded scope of work, and the construction of a new platform.

This information was reported by the Infohub.kz news agency.