Astana LRT spending may exceed 300 billion tenge in eight months

September 22, 2026 at 01:23 PM2 min

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

Construction work on railways and metro in Astana reached 306.5 billion tenge in January-August 2026, up 2.2 times from the same period last year, according to the Bureau of National Statistics. Analysts at DATA HUB attribute the bulk of this spending to the LRT project, the capital's largest transport infrastructure development. The first phase of the LRT opened in May 2026, while construction of the second phase toward Kosshy began the same month.

Key Facts

Construction work on railways and metro in Astana totaled 306.5 billion tenge in January-August 2026, a 2.2-fold increase from the same period in 2025.
The first phase of the LRT, from the airport to the new railway station, was launched on May 16, 2026.
Construction of the second phase toward Kosshy began on May 3, 2026, with the pouring of the first concrete pillar.
July and August 2026 accounted for 146.1 billion tenge, or 47% of the eight-month total, while June was near zero.
Since 2017, total construction work on railways and metro in Astana has reached 756 billion tenge in current prices.

Record Spending

The 306.5 billion tenge figure for January-August 2026 is the highest for the first eight months of any year in the past decade. Without adjusting for inflation, the amount grew 2.2 times compared to the same period in 2025. Analysts at DATA HUB, part of the First Credit Bureau, note that the statistics combine railway and metro construction, so not all of the 306.5 billion tenge can be attributed solely to the LRT. The LRT is the largest transport infrastructure project in Astana and has been actively implemented in recent years.

Second Phase Costs

Open data does not allow determining the exact cost of the second phase of the LRT, as the completion of the first phase and the start of the second both occurred in May 2026. Analysts estimate that spending on the second phase may already amount to at least nearly half of the January-August total. This estimate is based on the fact that 146.1 billion tenge, or 47% of the eight-month total, was spent in July and August, while June was close to zero. The first phase of the LRT, from the airport to the new railway station, was launched on May 16, 2026. Construction of the second phase toward Kosshy began on May 3, 2026, with the pouring of the first concrete pillar.

Project Expansion

Since 2017, when LRT construction began, total construction work on railways and metro in Astana has reached 756 billion tenge in current prices. Part of this amount may reflect spending on other projects related to the expansion of the capital's railway network. The LRT project consists of four phases in total. On September 18, 2026, media reported the start of ground works in the right-bank part of the capital for the third phase, which will connect the left bank with the old railway station.