Almaty ends bus lane pilot on Sain Street after speed and ridership gains

August 26, 2026 at 08:30 PM2 min

This digest was compiled by AI from multiple sources — links to the originals are below.

Almaty has completed a pilot project for a dedicated bus lane on Sain Street, with monitoring showing faster bus speeds and higher ridership. The lane will be removed on August 31, 2026, as the city shifts to a comprehensive priority scheme for public transport.

Key Facts

During the morning peak, bus speeds on Sain Street rose from 26.2 to 31.8 km/h, an increase of 5.6%.
The average daily interval between buses decreased from 13.6 to 12 minutes, a reduction of nearly 12%.
Daily passenger numbers increased from 42,396 to 44,515.8, a rise of 5%.
The dedicated lane on Sain Street will be removed on August 31, 2026.
The pilot began on June 20, 2026, to test the lane on one of Almaty's busiest roads.

Pilot Results

The dedicated lane on Sain Street was launched in pilot mode on June 20, 2026, to assess the effectiveness of public transport priority on one of the city's busiest arteries. Monitoring after the lane's introduction showed positive dynamics in key public transport indicators. In the morning peak, bus speeds on sections rose from 26.2 to 31.8 km/h, an increase of 5.6%. In the evening peak, average speed increased from 25.0 to 30.4 km/h, a rise of 5.4%. The average daily interval between buses decreased from 13.6 to 12 minutes, a reduction of nearly 12%.

Ridership Growth

Daily passenger numbers increased from 42,396 to 44,515.8, a rise of 5%. The growth in ridership alongside higher speeds and regularity indicates increased demand for public transport on this route. The pilot confirmed the effectiveness of dedicated lanes as a tool to improve speed and regularity, especially during peak hours.

Transition to Comprehensive Scheme

The pilot showed the need to develop dedicated lanes not as isolated segments but as an interconnected system providing priority on key city arteries. Sain Street is considered part of a comprehensive scheme that includes a ring route along al-Farabi Avenue, Sain Street, Ryskulov Avenue, and the Eastern Bypass Road. The dedicated lane on Sain Street will be removed on August 31, 2026, as the city transitions from the pilot format to preparing other network sections and necessary regulatory conditions. After the necessary regulatory decisions and infrastructure are prepared, priority movement on Sain Street is planned to be implemented as part of the comprehensive scheme.