Nur-Sultan Light Metro
The Nur-Sultan Metro is an under construction light rail rapid transit system located in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, which is the capital of the country with a population of about 750,000. Construction should have finished roughly about the same time as the Almaty Metro, which was estimated for 2010. However, completion has been postponed several times, in 2011 completion was scheduled to coincide with the Expo in 2017[2] and as of October 2017 the first stage is planned to be commissioned in December 2019.[3] Project authority Astana LRT LLP signed an agreement with a consortium of China Railway International Group and Beijing State-Owned Assets Management Co for construction of the first phase of the capital’s light rail project on May 7, 2015.[4]. Construction began in May 2017.[5]
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Locale | Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan |
| Transit type | Light metro |
| Number of lines | 1 |
| Number of stations | 18 |
| Operation | |
| Operation will start | December 2020 |
| Train length | 2 carriages per trainset |
| Technical | |
| System length | 22.6 km (14.0 mi) |
| Track gauge | 1,524 mm (5 ft)[1] |
| Top speed | 80 km/h (50 mph) |
The light metro is part of Nazarbayev's Kazakhstan 2030 economic plan to transform Kazakhstan into an economic power. A great deal of construction has taken place in Astana since it became the capital in 1997.
Video renders of the proposed system show the lines built on viaducts running adjacent to roads, with enclosed stations offering heating and ventilation systems to protect passengers from the extreme weather variations in the city. [6]
The Chinese company constructing the project went bankrupt early 2019. The city hall ordered an indefinite halt to it.[7]
Line 1
The 22.6 km North-South route would link Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport with Astana Nurly Zhol railway station via the modern "Left Bank" area of the city centre. The line will have 18 stops and one depot. Capacity is estimated to be 146,000 people per day.[8][9]
Further phases
Original plans show further phases to link other areas of the city.[10]
References
- https://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/president-launches-construction-of-astana-light-rail-line.html
- http://tengrinews.kz/kazakhstan_news/okolo-50-legkorelsovyih-tramvaev-planiruyut-zapustit-v-astane-k-EXPO-2017-225113/
- "First pictures of light rail train system in Astana revealed". The Astana Times. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/news/asia/single-view/view/astana-light-rail-framework-agreement-signed.html
- "Astana to begin light rail system construction in May". The Astana Times. 12 May 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- "What will the LRT look like in Astana?". YouTube. 4 October 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- Kazakhstan: Nur-Sultan goes off the rails (2019-04-17)
- 哈萨克斯坦首都阿斯塔纳轨道交通构想 - Ministry of Commerce,PRC Archived 2009-01-26 at the Wayback Machine
- "First pictures of light rail train system in Astana revealed". The Astana Times. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
- "Astana answers mobility challenges by building its light rail system - Railway PRO Communication Platform". Railway PRO Communication Platform. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
