Almaty Metro

Almaty Metro
Overview
Native name Алматы метрополитені
Locale Almaty, Kazakhstan
Transit type Rapid transit
Number of lines 1[1]
Number of stations 9
Daily ridership 17,970 (average, 2013)
Annual ridership 6.56 million (2013)[1]
Website KGP Metro Almaty
Operation
Began operation 1 December 2011
Operator(s) Almatymetrokurylys
Number of vehicles 7
Technical
System length 11.3 km (7.0 mi)[2]
Track gauge 1,520 mm (4 ft 11 2732 in) Russian gauge
Average speed 40.0 km/h (24.9 mph)[3]
System map

First line

Legend
MPD-1 «Raiymbek batyr»

Raiymbek batyr

Zhibek Zholy 
Almaly
Abay
Baikonur
Auezov Theater

Alatau 
Sayran
Moscow

Almaty Metro (Kazakh: Алматы метрополитені; Russian: Алматинский метрополитен) is a rapid transit/metro system in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The first line of the system was opened on 1 December 2011, after more than 23 years of construction.[3][4] A 2.9-kilometre (1.8 mi), two-station extension of the Metro to Moscow station opened on 18 April 2015.[2]

The metro system became the second metro in Central Asia, after the Tashkent Metro in Uzbekistan, the first one not considered a military installation, and the sixteenth metro in the former Soviet Union region.

History

Construction of Abay Station, September 2007

Construction of the Almaty Metro began on 7 September 1988[3] when Kazakhstan was still part of the Soviet Union. However, following the collapse of the Soviet Union, funds from Moscow dried up and the new Kazakhstani government was unable to continue construction. Efforts to preserve the already-completed work were made, but the high cost led to the accumulation of large debts to construction workers.

In 2003, the government of Kazakhstan laid out a new development initiative which included government funds for continued construction on the metro.

Construction

By 2005, the construction programme, now under the control of President Nursultan Nazarbayev received commitments for 72 million tenge for 2006–2008.

In May 2007, the tunnel between the Almaly and Abai stations was completed on the night of 24/25 May. The tunnel is 1.271 kilometres (0.790 mi) in length. At the connection point it is situated at a depth of 73 metres (240 ft). The tunnel from Abai towards Baikonur (1.526 kilometres (0.948 mi) in length) was finished at the end of 2007. Another tunnel on this span was finished in the middle of 2008.

The construction cost on the first line is estimated at 101 billion tenge ($1 billion USD).

The first section of the Metro opened 1 December 2011,[3][4] operating on 8.54 kilometres (5.3 mi) of route and serving seven stations[1] (four deep-level stations and three sub-surface stations).

Construction on the expansion to Sairan and Moscow stations started in 2011, and opened for service on 18 April 2015, adding another 2.9 kilometres (1.8 mi) of route and two stations to the Metro.

Operations

As of April 2015, the Almaty Metro has a route length of 11.3 kilometres (7.0 mi)[2] and serves nine stations.

The Almaty Metro owns 28 train cars[1] which generally operate as seven four-car trainsets on the line.

Future plans

The Metro will expand in the future. Upon completion, the metro system is planned to total 45 kilometres (28 mi) in length.[5]

See also

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Almaty Metro.