About Shymkent Intl. Airport
Shymkent International Airport, which was built as an agricultural base in 1932 by the Soviet Union administration in Shymkent, which has the most fertile lands of Kazakhstan, has been offering service for passenger and cargo transportation since 1933. The construction process of the airport, which was moved to its current location in 1963, was completed in 1967. It was used by the French Air Force for the transportation of soldiers and military equipment for a while as required by the agreement signed by Kazakhstan and French officials in 2012. Shymkent International Airport, which organizes regular flights to Moscow, Istanbul, Antalya, Urumqi and Dubai in addition to the Turkic republics, welcomes 500 thousand passengers every year.
Getting to the City Center from Shymkent Intl. Airport
Shymkent, also known as Chimkent, is at the center of South Kazakhstan, one of the most populous regions of Kazakhstan. Situated on the junction of Turkestan-Siberia Railway, Shymkent is located 690 km west of Almaty and 120 km north of Tashkent. The city, with a population of approximately 855 thousand, was established on Sayram River Valley. Shymkent, Kazakhstan's third largest city, has a history of about 8 hundred years. Located in the south of the country, Shymkent is a cultural, commercial, industrial and tourism center. Although Shymkent is a small and underpopulated city, it is an important location where transportation networks intersect thanks to the distance between the city and nearby tourist destinations. Railway transportation is also very popular in Shymkent. The city also has connections with important cities such as Baku, Yerevan and Tbilisi. In order to go to the city from Shymkent International Airport which is approximately 11 km to the city center, you need to go to the area where you can get on a car, bus or taxi. These vehicles are located at the exit of the terminal. Or you can rent your own car from one of the companies located in the terminal and go to the city center in about 10-15 minutes. Fundamentally, the whole intracity and intercity transportation network of Shymkent is performed through the Shymkent railway station. The railway networks of Shymkent, Kazakhstan's third largest city, are linked to many cities of Kazakhstan. The train station, located 1.5 km from the city center, is in Kabanbay Batyr. From the airport, you can get to the train station, Sportivnaya, directly by bus. Shymkent central bus station is located in Samal. At the same time there is the second biggest bus station in Ayna. Bus route 12 offers service between Shymkent Airport and the city center. Apart from this, if you want to go to Almaty from Shymkent by bus, you should know that the travel will last about 12 hours. These buses depart from Avtovokzal Samal. Every half an hour there are buses to many parts of the city from Avtovokzal Samal which is located 4 km north of the city center. Shymkent marshrutka routes are almost the same as the buses. These two means of transportation are the most important public transportation vehicles in the city. There is also no big difference in terms of the fares. From Samal, where the central bus station is located, there are marshrutka services to many parts of the city. To get to the city from Shymkent Airport, you can use the marshrutkas waiting outside the terminal. According to the fares of 2013 ticket price is 50 Tenge. If you get on a taxi to go to the city center from Shymkent Airport, you need to pay approximately 21-25 TL for the travel. This travel of 10.8 kilometers lasts approximately 11-12 minutes. If you make a reservation by getting in contact with Avto-kz Taxi, which is the most popular taxi company in Shymkent, your taxi will pick you up at the airport. We recommend you to evaluate renting a car as your last option if your visit will be short and you will spend your time only in the center of Shymkent. Because the city has a small surface area, you can prefer other alternatives instead of renting a car. If you have rented your car from the airport and want to get to the city center, you can use the highway M-32.Train
Bus
Marshrutka
Taxi
Car Rental
Getting to Shymkent Intl. Airport from the City Center
You can arrive at Shymkent Airport from the city center by taxi, bus or train. Because the distance is about 11 km, these public transportation vehicles are very economical. Furthermore, you can also go to the airport in 10 minutes with the car you will rent from a car rental company found in the city.
Train
You can get in contact with the Shymkent railway station located on the southern end of Kabanbay Batyr Street in the city center by visiting its website or calling 8 (725) 295 2120 and book your ticket in advance. It is possible to get to this train station, which is very close to the city center, on foot or by bus. You can also directly go to Shymkent Airport from the bus stops and taxi stands near the station.
Bus
Avtovokzal Ayna, 3 km northeast of the city center, is the largest and busiest bus station after Samal and is located at the intersection of Aymautov and Zhibek Zholy, the most important region of the city.
Marshrutka
Marshrutkas which you will come across very frequently in the city are the commonly used public transportation vehicles after buses. There are also Marshrutkas arriving Taraz in 3 hours. These vehicles move from Samal at certain intervals between 7 am and 7 pm. There are also Marshrutka services to Zhabagyly Village. This takes 2 hours. They move from Ayna bus station around 12 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon.
Taxi
You can use taxis in order to go to the Shymkent Airport from any part of the city. The airport is 10 km away from the city. Gypsy taxis which we can come across frequently in the city are cheaper when compared to others.
Car Rental
If you want to go to the airport with the car you have rented from one of the car rental companies in the city, you should drive on Temirlan road. Then continue to the city exit and turn left after driving 9 km; you will see the airport. You will not be exposed to a heavy traffic in the city.
Airport Information
Shymkent International Airport is 10 km away from the city center. There are direct flights to Shymkent Airport from many cities in Turkey. The airport, located on 12,6 km northwest of Shymkent railway station, has been offering service with its domestic and international flights since 1923. The first part of the new terminal will be ready by 2020 and the second part will be completed by 2030. Railway, bus and taxi stands will spread to a wider area. The current capacity of 200,000 passengers will reach much higher numbers at the end of the project.
Some of the main airlines of Shymkent Airport; Air Astana, Aeroflot, Bek Air, Qazaq Air. In Shymkent Airport terminal building, there are smoking areas, souvenir shops and markets, restaurants and information desks where you can get information about public transportation, city road map etc.
