Tickets in Kazakhstan

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IHello,

I'm planning an overland trip by train from Slovakia to China via Chop - Kyjiv - Kharkiv - Saratov - Aktobe - Almaty -Urumqi. Two weeks ago, I was in Ukraine where I bought tickets as far as Aktobe in Kazakhstan, where I will arrive onboard of Kharkiv - Tashkent train.

In Aktobe, I plan to have a stop for one day. However, I'm afraid that when I will arrive, all tickets for the trains to Almaty for the next day will be sold out. Therefore I would like to ask you if it is possible to buy sleeper reservation for Aktobe - Almaty train in Slovakia. And if yes, will I manage to buy the ticket without reservation in Aktobe?

I would like to also know about some reliable travel agency in Almaty to book me the Almaty - Urumqi train. I have found some in the internet but if you have any personal experience or reccomendations it would be very helpful. Thanks.

Hi,

The trip you plan to take sounds really interesting and challenging at the same time. But the thing is that you might face some tariff problems. Both Aktobe and Alma-Ata are listed in East-West tariff system, so theoretically you can buy tickets and reservations on this route even in Slovakia (cashiers there have access to hafas reservation system), but it will cost you a fortune, 65 euro for the ticket + around 15-20 euro for sleeper reservations.  Even if you purchase just sleeper reservation and then will try to buy ticket already in Aktobe you obviously will face similar international tariff problem, because reservation and ticket need to be issued with a help of the same tariff (in your case expensive international East-West), so cashiers in Aktobe theoretically will need to issue ticket using the same tariff as your reservation. That is the correct scenario, but it is possible that cashiers might be not really qualified, as result you might face two possible resolutions: they will simply refuse to recognize your reservation at all and just demand that you need to buy regular domestic ticket or they will make a mistake and issue ticket using domestic tariff, which is good for you since domestic tariff is much cheaper. As you can probably guess, it is hard to predict which option out of three will be realized. That is all about international tickets and reservations.

About domestic tickets: KTZ actually offers online purchase of domestic tickets (http://pcentre.kz/ktz2/proc), but unfortunately it is only in Russian or Kazah. "Kupe" ticket+reservation for most expensive train cost around 6800 tenge (or 36 euro). If you having troubles with understanding Russian we can help with some translations.

Other option is to buy Aktobe-Alma-Ata ticket on you way to Kazakhstan, for instance during some long stop in Russia (Valyiki, Balashov, Saratov etc.). "Platskartnyi" will cost 1510 RUB, purchasing kupe for Kazakh domestic route in Russia isn't that good option since it will cost you around 3500 RUB.

And we never dealt with Alma-Ata-Urumqi connection, thus can't really help. But as far as we read most of the locals use buses instead of train, since bus is much cheaper (around 8000 tenge) and much more frequent.

Thanks! I just checked with www.jizdenka.cz and you're right, the system really recognizes the journey! Almaty - Aktobe bought in Slovakia costs indeed 65 EUR without reservation. Now, it's nice to know that one-way ticket Bratislava - Almaty 2 costs 196,90 EUR Just for my curiosity, I will check the price of reservations in the train station.

I'm aware of the Kazakh on-line purchasing system pcentre.kz, but most probably it only accepts cards issued in Kazakhstan. I managed to get through all the necessary steps but eventually my payment was declined.

Well, it seems that I'm going to contact some hotels or travel agencies in Aktobe and ask them to book my ticket in advance. Maybe one out of three will respond positively As an insurance, (as I'm on tight schedule) I think of booking a fully-flexible, fully refundable air ticket with Air Astana which should cost around 30 000 tenge.

it's nice to know that one-way ticket Bratislava - Almaty 2 costs 196,90 EUR

Well, it's far not the most convenient way to manage your tickets, especially if you are from Slovakia where it is easy to buy cheap CityStar to Russia.

I will check the price of reservations in the train station.

The trick here is that KTZ must inform countries of East-West tariff about sleeper reservation fares for most important domestic trains in Kazakhstan. For instance, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus do it and thus passenger has no problems buying reservation somewhere in Germany, Austria, Slovakia etc.. But if KTZ didn't do it for trains #24 and #34 (those are main for Aktobe-Alma-Ata route), then you won't be able to buy or even ask about fare of the reservation.

I'm aware of the Kazakh on-line purchasing system pcentre.kz, but most probably it only accepts cards issued in Kazakhstan. I managed to get through all the necessary steps but eventually my payment was declined.

Hmm... strange, we heard that such problem definitely exists with Russian railways (what is really stupid from RZD), but never about KTZ, so maybe you can check with other card? Or try calling your bank, bank guys might simply been blocking transactions to Kazakhstan. We can not guarantee whether it will work in your case, but you never know.

Thanks.. I know that City Star RZD is great, it's pity that there's nothing similar for Kazakhstan.

Anyway, apart from domestic trains you mentioned, there's also a train #7 Moscow - Almaty via Aktobe. And this seems to be quite important international train.  I'll see tomorrow about the availibility of buying reservations here in Bratislava.

According to the cashier, reservations are not available for either of the domestic trains or the Moscow train... You proposed that I can purchase the ticket also during some long stop in Russia. But if it's possoble in Russia, it should be also possible in Ukraine, e.g. in Chop?

According to the cashier, reservations are not available for either of the domestic trains or the Moscow train...

Well, there are only two explanations to that - either cashier was not skillful enough/didn't want to bother with such unusual reservation or those trains are not in the system.

But if it's possoble in Russia, it should be also possible in Ukraine, e.g. in Chop?

Yes, but the problem is that in Ukraine "platskart" ticket Aktobe-Alma-Ata will cost more than in Russia* - 556 UAH for "platskart" (for trains #24 and #34) and 508 UAH for #380. While "kupe" will be app. the same - 871 UAH (for trains #24 and #34) and 798 UAH respectively for train #380.

*The trick is that RZD sells two groups of "platskart" tickets for those trains. Same train, but two different fares 1510 RUB and 2136 RUB. Second obviously corresponds to the one in Ukraine (both issued with a help of special "interstate" tariff), but first is much less. We just checked and it is easily to buy 1510 RUB ticket. Not quite sure from where comes that difference, maybe lower berth in "platskart" are more expensive(=upper one are cheaper thus cost 1510 RUB instead of 2136 RUB), maybe something else. Nevertheless, it is possible to buy Aktobe-Astana (trains 24 and 34) for 1510 RUB from RZD (either online or from ticket counter).

BTW, does stop in Aktobe is a must? Because you know, there is direct Simferopol-Alma-Ata train twice a week. And  it is easy to catch it somewhere in Eastern Ukraine, thus you'll avoid problem with Kazakh domestic tickets. The only minus is that it runs only till 12/09, so it's only good if you plan your trip soon.

Thanks for detailed answer.

Yes, but the problem is that in Ukraine "platskart" ticket Aktobe-Alma-Ata will cost more than in Russia* - 556 UAH for "platskart" (for trains #24 and #34) and 508 UAH for #380. While "kupe" will be app. the same - 871 UAH (for trains #24 and #34) and 798 UAH respectively for train #380.

Could you please tell me where I can check those prices in UAH online? I know that I can check them on RZD site in Roubles but I really didn't know that some UZ - based site exists, too.

Ideally, I'd like to start my journey on 28th August (Saurday morning) as I cannot start earlier and also I don't want to start later as I want to use my vacation days to maximum. Simferopol - Almaty train is great, but I doubt if I can catch it as it starts from Simferopol on Sunday morning and it is really a long way to go from Bratislava. You know, I want to use only trains all the way Moreover, I just checked with UZ e-kvytok site, which shows only 6 free places in Ljuks category for 29.8. for brutal price of 4127 UAH.
For those reasons I chosed the Kharkiv - Tashkent train departing each Monday from Kharkiv and Aktobe as the first big city in Kazakhstan where I can stretch my legs and walk after 50 hours in train. I assumed that I can easily   continue with domestic tickets to Almaty but seemingly I underestimated the domestic demand...

One more question, which just popped in my mind. If Ukraine is included in MPT tariff, is it possible to buy ticket from Kazakhstan to China in Ukraine?

Could you please tell me where I can check those prices in UAH online?

Ok, no need to answer, I just discovered the magic checkbox on E-kvytok site

Could you please tell me where I can check those prices in UAH online?

Ok, no need to answer, I just discovered the magic checkbox on E-kvytok site

Exactly, in case you enter non Ukrainian station first, then special checkbox appears under the date ("request to a country of departure"). If you tick it, e-kvytok sends request to Kazakh system and receives info about available seats, afterwards you can see the fare and buy a ticket.

I just checked with UZ e-kvytok site, which shows only 6 free places in Ljuks category for 29.8. for brutal price of 4127 UAH.

No need to start in Simferopol. If you choose Donetsk-Alma-Ata for the same train #470 for 29/08, then there are still quite a number of "kupe" and "platskart" seats available - 1866 and 1104 UAH respectively. But in order to catch the train in Donetsk, you will need to board train #22 Lviv-Donetsk 28/08 at 17:15(=possible only if you do Bratislava-Kosice/Michalovce overnight, so you can travel Ugzhorod-Lviv during day 28/08)

If Ukraine is included in MPT tariff, is it possible to buy ticket from Kazakhstan to China in Ukraine?

There are two major problems with that:
1) UZ officially is in MPT, so in theory you can buy tickets, but in reality nobody actually succeeded. At the main ticket counters in Kyiv cashiers simply say that they can't sell tickets to Mongolia/China/NKorea. So, imho, it would be not the best idea to ask about such exotic route as Alma-Ata-Urumqi.
2) There were reports that conductors of the train Alma-Ata-Urumqi actually refused to recognize non Kazakh/Chinese ticket (actual ticket, as far as we remember, was issued in Moscow), thus causing a lot trouble to the passenger, who had that fully valid ticket, but couldn't use it because of conductors. It was quite a long time ago, so maybe situation changes, but are you willing to risk?


p.s. maybe you will be interested, just found great air option to Alma-Ata for only 205 USD for 29/08, 30/08 etc. (by Ukrainian Aerosvit, officially it is Moscow-Kyiv-Alama-Ata, but I guess you can skip Moscow-Kyiv leg). It's funny, but same flight Kiev-Alma-Ata is 357 USD, so buying Moscow-Alama-Ata via Kyiv is actually cheaper 

Thanks for the offer! But I already invested in Russian transit visa and platskart ticket Kharkiv - Aktobe. And my motivation is that I really want to make the entire journey overland

I already wrote to two travel agencies in Aktobe if they could book me a ticket. No responses so far. So I plan to make a trip to Uzhgorod during the weekend via Velki Slemenci/Mali Selmenci border crossing (I always wanted to try this route) and eventually pay 556 UAH for the ticket Aktobe - Almaty. I know that the domestic ticket costs as little as 13 EUR but I think I'm not going to take the risk of being stuck in western Kazakhstan. Especially if I have only three weeks out of work and my plane home is departing from Kunming

I already invested in Russian transit visa and platskart ticket Kharkiv - Aktobe. And my motivation is that I really want to make the entire journey overland

Understandable choice... But if you suddenly reconsider, let us remind you that it is quite easy to return back Kharkiv-Aktobe ticket (you can do it at any UZ station and you'll loose minimal sum if you turn it back at least 6 hours before departure of the train). Same story with Russian visa - you can always make a trip to Moscow for sightseeing etc. and then just board the plane and go to Alma-Ata via Kyiv(=means coming back to Kyiv again, but since it happens to be the cheapest air option, why not.

but I think I'm not going to take the risk of being stuck in western Kazakhstan.

Just checked, there are actually buses from Aktobe to Astana. Counting distance, it doesn't sound like great option, but is better than to stuck in Aktobe. From Astana to Alma-Ata there are much bigger chances to travel smoothly.