Astana

Astana is a planned capital split by the Ishim River. The Left Bank holds futuristic skyscrapers and wide government avenues built after 1997. The Right Bank feels like a traditional Soviet river city with walkable streets. Vast distances and harsh steppe winds make taxis essential for getting around.

Astana dining leans heavily on horse meat, mutton, and fermented dairy. The central dish is beshbarmak, flat noodle sheets topped with slow-cooked meat and boiled onion broth. Modern Kazakh restaurants serve refined versions alongside traditional tea sets accompanied by baursaks, fried dough pillows.

• Try Qazaq Gourmet or Arnau

  These restaurants specialize in elevated traditional Kazakh cuisine like horse rib roast and camel milk drinks.

• Order tea sets first

  Tea service is integral to Kazakh meals. Order black tea with milk and sweet baursak dough balls before hot courses.

• Tipping standard

  Most Astana restaurants automatically add a 10% service charge to the final bill.

Astana grew from Akmolinsk (renamed Akmola in 1992), a 19th-century Russian military outpost on the Ishim River. Under Nikita Khrushchev, it became Tselinograd, the capital of the Soviet Virgin Lands Campaign. In 1997, President Nursultan Nazarbayev moved Kazakhstan’s capital here from Almaty, launching a massive architectural transformation.

1. 1830

   Akmoly Fort

   Russian forces establish a military outpost on the Ishim River to secure steppe trade routes.

2. 1961

   Tselinograd Era

   Renamed Tselinograd to lead the Soviet Virgin Lands agricultural campaign.

3. 1997

   New Capital

   Kazakhstan shifts its capital north to Akmola, soon renamed Astana.

4. 2017

   EXPO 2017

   The city hosts Future Energy Expo, adding the Nur Alem sphere and new southern urban grid.

Choose your hotel base by river bank. Stay on the Left Bank if you want grand international hotels and direct proximity to government complexes and major sights. Choose the Right Bank for lower rates, leafier streets, and local neighborhood dining within walking distance.

• First-timersLeft Bank (Esil) — Close to Baiterek Tower, Ak Orda, and high-end dining options.
• Budget travelersRight Bank (Old Town) — Cheaper boutique hotels and easy access to affordable local cafes.
• Business travellersEXPO District — Modern tech infrastructure and direct access to major corporate hubs.
• Families in summerPark District — Direct entry to Central Park, riverboat docks, and pedestrian bridges.

Astana is built for vehicles. The Left Bank features multi-lane avenues where walking between consecutive buildings can take twenty minutes. Taxis are cheap, reliable, and essential for getting around quickly, especially during winter months.

• Street hailing is outdated. Yandex Go is the standard hailing app in Astana and accepts international credit cards.

• Pay bus fares using the Avtobys app or QR codes inside buses; cash fare is higher.

• Distances on maps look short on the Left Bank, but wide avenues make crosswalks hundreds of meters apart.

• Bridges across the Ishim River jam during 08:00–09:30 and 18:00–19:30 weekdays.

Astana is affordable compared to Western European capitals. Cash is rarely needed as card readers and QR payments dominate local trade, though keeping a few thousand Tenge for small market stalls is useful.

• Mid-range dinner for two: 12,000–20,000 KZT

  Includes main meat dishes, appetizers, and tea at a solid regional restaurant.

• Specialty coffee: 1,200–2,000 KZT

  Flat white or espresso in modern Right Bank or Left Bank cafes.

• Baiterek entry ticket: 2,000 KZT

  Standard adult admission to the top observation deck.

• Time zone standard

  Kazakhstan unified its time zones in 2024 to UTC+5. Astana operates on UTC+5 year-round.

• Language usage

  Kazakh is the official state language and Russian is widely spoken in daily business and service.

• Card payments rule

  Contactless card payments are accepted almost everywhere, including small kiosks and taxis.

• Steppe wind factor

  Wind speeds are high year-round. Dress in windproof outer layers even on sunny days.

• Mosque dress etiquette

  Remove shoes at entry. Women must cover hair and body; robes are provided at the entrance.