Almaty Underground (Metro), Almaty, Kazakhstan

Almaty was the second city in Central Asia, after Tashkent, to build metro for its residents.

A station of Almaty Metro

Back in the Soviet time, in 1978, a decision was made to improve the transportation and logistical infrastructure of Almaty (back then Alma-Ata) by building several stations of Metro. At that time, having a metro system in a city was a matter of prestige for local authorities.

Metro Station with portrait of the 1st Kazakh President N. Nazarbayev

Also, it was a Soviet tradition that underground should be something more than just stations and trains, as it is often the cases for other world's capitals like Paris or New York. In the Soviet time the metro stations were built as a symbol of power, beauty and solemnity.

Every Station is a piece of art

Each station is built as a cultural object devoted to a certain event, historical date or personality. The decoration and interiors of every station are made according to the topic. So, you can say that each station is an architectural landmark.

Map of Almaty Metro (in Russian)

For travelers visiting Almaty using the underground can be a nice attachment to the tour. Ask your tour guide to make a short visit to the metro to get acquainted with the feel and look of Almaty metro.