How to get fromIstanbul to Almatyby plane, bus, train or car

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There are 5 ways to get from Istanbul to Almaty by plane, bus, train, or car

Select an option below to see step-by-step directions and to compare ticket prices and travel times in Rome2Rio's travel planner.

Fly from Istanbul
best
1. Fly from Istanbul (IST) to Almaty International Airport (ALA)plane IST - ALA
9h 2m
$170–390
Fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
cheapest
1. Fly from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Almaty International Airport (ALA)plane SAW - ALA
9h 17m
$160–420
Bus, train via Kalininskiy
1. Take the bus from Istanbul to Chisnau Southbus
2. Take the bus from Chişinău Southern Bus to Saint Petersburg Bus Terminalbus
3. Take the train from Moskovsky Railway Terminal to Kazan-Passtrain
4. Take the train from Kazan-Pass to Almaty 2train
5d 13h
$452–818
Drive 5,325.1 km
1. Drive from Istanbul to Almatycar 5,325.1 km
2d 20h
$623–900
Bus, train
1. Take the bus from Istanbul Otogari to Bursabus
2. Take the bus from Bursa bus station to Krasnodar-1 Bus stationbus
3. Take the train from Krasnodar 1 to Ershovtrain
4. Take the train from Ershov to Almaty 2train
5d 19h
$360–603

Istanbul (IST) to Almaty International Airport (ALA) flights

40Weekly Planes

7h 31mAverage Duration

$170Cheapest Price

Questions & Answers

Map of how to get from Istanbul to Almaty.

Launch map view

Distance: 3,977.4 km
Duration: 9h 2m

What companies run services between Istanbul, Turkey and Almaty, Kazakhstan?

Air Astana, Turkish Airlines, and three other airlines fly from Istanbul (IST) to Almaty International Airport (ALA) every 4 hours.

Airlines

Train operators

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Almaty(opens in a new window), Kazakhstan(opens in a new window)

Almaty, formerly known as Alma-Ata (Russian: Алма-Ата), is the largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population of over two million. It was the capital of Kazakhstan from 1929 to 1936, while the country was an autonomous republic of the Soviet Union, then from 1936 to 1991, a union republic and finally from 1991, an independent state. In 1997, the government relocated the capital to Akmola (now called Astana).

Things to do in Almaty

Kok-Tobe(Opens in a new window)

Kok-Tobe (Kazakh: Көк-Төбе - "Green Hill"; Russian: Кок-Тюбе, Kok-Tyube) is a mountain in Almaty, Kazakhstan's largest city. There is a popular recreation area on top of the mountain. The mountain's height is 1100 meters above sea level. Kok-tobe is one of the main landmarks in the city, and it is popular among visitors and tourists to Almaty.

Palace of the Republic(Opens in a new window)

Palace of the Republic is a concert hall building located in Almaty, Kazakhstan. It is intended for concerts, festivals and other cultural events. It was one of the premiere sites for the Eurasia film festival. Outside, with the fountains on the square in front of the Palace and the monument of the Kazakh poet Abay, Palace of the Republic is one of the main known attractions of Almaty from the Kunayev era. The building is located at the cross road section of Prospekt Dostyk and Abay Avenue. It is considered as a monument based on an urban planning and architecture since January 26, 1982.

Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen(Opens in a new window)

The Park of 28 Panfilov Guardsmen is a major park in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The park is located in east-central Almaty in the area surrounding Zenkov Cathedral. It is dedicated to and named after the Panfilov Heroes, 28 soldiers of an Almaty infantry unit who died fighting Nazi German invaders outside of Moscow in World War II. The group takes its name from Ivan Panfilov, the General commanding the 316th division which, in spite of heavy casualties, believed at that time managed to significantly delay the Germans' advance on the capital, buying time for the defenders of the city. An eternal flame commemorating the fallen of the Russian Civil War and the Great Patriotic War burns in front of the giant black monument of soldiers from all 15 Soviet republics.

Auezov Theater(Opens in a new window)

Auezov Theater with a full name of Kazakh State Academic Drama Theater named after M.O. Auezov is located on Kurmangazy Street in Almaty, Kazakhstan nearby Esentai River. It holds a large 1,000-seat auditorium and a 250-seat experimental theater. The building's exterior and the interior are designed with regular lines on which the surfaces are decorated in traditional style. A series of uniform columns emphasize the main front and make it stand solemn and grand in contrast to the other buildings around it. A Mukhtar Auezov monument which was installed in 1980, located in front of the theater, shows figure resembling Auezov sitting in an armchair as if immersed in his thoughts who was a writer of prose and is most known for The Path of Abai - a book tracing rise of fame and popularity of Abay. The theater is located around with Circus and the Wedding Palace forming a picturesque spot in the city. The theater’s plays are in classical and modern style productions in the Kazakh language in which translation into Russian is provided. Theater works all year round with performances beginning around 6:30pm. A metro station, is also located in front of the theater for which makes it possible to arrive to the location by using a metro.

Places to stay in Almaty

Garden Park Inn(Opens in a new window)

8.4Very Good

Rahat Palace Hotel(Opens in a new window)

8.7Fabulous

Hotel Uyut Almaty(Opens in a new window)

8.8Fabulous

Almaty Hotel(Opens in a new window)

8.6Fabulous

Rome2Rio makes travelling from Istanbul to Almaty easy.

Rome2Rio is a door-to-door travel information and booking engine, helping you get to and from any location in the world. Find all the transport options for your trip from Istanbul to Almaty right here. Rome2Rio displays up to date schedules, route maps, journey times and estimated fares from relevant transport operators, ensuring you can make an informed decision about which option will suit you best. Rome2Rio also offers online bookings for selected operators, making reservations easy and straightforward.