Almaty 2040 master plan projects metro expansion, height limits

September 30, 2026 at 08:02 PM2 min

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

Kazakhstan's government approved a new master plan for Almaty through 2040 that includes demolishing dilapidated housing, expanding metro and LRT networks, and restricting high-rise construction. The plan projects the city's population to grow from 2.3 million to 3.6 million by 2040, requiring 45.9 million square meters of new housing. It also divides the city into five centers and introduces a 15-minute city model.

Key Facts

The plan projects Almaty's population to reach 3.6 million by 2040, up from 2.3 million currently.
A total of 45.9 million square meters of housing will be built, including 27.3 million square meters of multi-story buildings.
Metro length is planned to increase from 13.4 km to 123.6 km by 2040, with LRT network reaching 79 km.
Building height south of Talgar tract, VOAD, Al-Farabi Avenue, Sain and Zhandosov streets will be limited to three floors with a plinth.
The Altyn Orda market in the southwest will be transformed into a wholesale distribution center with agro-processing.

Five Urban Centers

The city will be divided into five centers: Historical Center, Eastern Gates, North, Southwest, and West. Almaty will adopt a 15-minute city model, with local multifunctional centers providing services, jobs, shops, and social facilities near housing. In the north, dilapidated housing will be demolished and industrial enterprises and markets removed to make way for new residential quarters. The area near the airport and eastern entrances will feature residential quarters, business centers, and a major transport hub with a high-speed tram station, Vostochny bus station, and BRT. The west will become an industrial and business center with new residential complexes, parks, and social infrastructure.

Transport and Infrastructure

By 2040, metro length is planned to increase from 13.4 km to 123.6 km, and the LRT network to 79 km. A second BRT line will be laid along Raiymbek Avenue. The master plan reserves corridors for a prospective 42 km SkyTrain system with possible extension toward Kaskelen and Talgar. In the southwest, a transport hub with a bus station, metro, and LRT will be created near the transformed Altyn Orda market.

Height Restrictions and Preservation

Building height south of Talgar tract, VOAD, Al-Farabi Avenue, Sain and Zhandosov streets will be limited to three floors with a plinth. Development on mountain slopes will be prohibited, and control over water protection zones will be strengthened. Capital construction in water protection strips will be banned. In the historical center, historic buildings will be preserved and restored, and engineering networks will be updated. Territories of former industrial facilities, including AZTM, the Kirov plant, and the detention center, will be reconstructed.