Kazakhstan: A launch ceremony for the light rail transit line was held in Kazakhstan’s capital with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in attendance. A fleet of 15 four-car trainsets has now entered passenger service, while a further four trainsets remain in reserve. Platform screen doors have been installed at all 18 stations.
The new rolling stock is fitted with GoA4 automatic train operation, the highest level of automation. For additional oversight, manual driving capability and a link to the control centre have been retained. Trains cover the 22.4 km route in 40 minutes, at an average speed of 50-60 km/h. Headways are 5-6 minutes. According to operator City Transportation Systems, initial ridership is expected to be 25,000-45,000 passengers per day.
Launch ceremony for the light rail transit line Astana LRT. Source: Akorda
The train type has not been disclosed, but its specifications match the TRITON model previously supplied to Turkish Izmir. The 60 m aluminium-bodied trains can carry up to 650 passengers and reach a top speed of 80 km/h. It is claimed that weight has been reduced by 15%, while energy consumption is down by 10%. The trains were built at CRRC’s Tangshan plant.
The Astana LRT project was launched in 2011. Construction on the line began only in 2017, but was later suspended because of funding issues and corruption scandals. Work resumed in March 2023. Further expansion of Astana LRT is being developed, with a second phase planned for a total length of 26.5 km and 20 stations.
