15 Hours on an OLD SOVIET Train to Kyrgyzstan – Central Asia’s Forgotten Tracks

Video Description

Hello from Kazakhstan! 🇰🇿 Today, we board an old Soviet train for a 15-hour journey from Almaty — the largest city in Kazakhstan — to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. This is one of Central Asia’s most forgotten and unique railway routes. This international train from Kazakhstan to Kyrgyzstan runs only once every 8 days, making it one of the rarest and least-traveled rail journeys in the region. Despite the short distance between Almaty and Bishkek, the journey takes a surprising 15 hours, passing through remote Central Asian steppe landscapes, small border towns, and abandoned Soviet-era stations. The train itself is a true Soviet relic — with creaking carriages, vintage compartments, and the slow rhythm of steel wheels echoing across the landscape. It feels untouched since the collapse of the USSR. Enjoy the ride on an very soviet train from Almaty to Bishkek! • Thank you to our channel members • Roland Gharfine - Jorge Oliveira - Clay Gilliland - Per Erik Akerjordet (Norseman) - soundman - RN - Thomas Sanderson 👉 Want to see the destinations we travel to? Watch our second channel! https://www.youtube.com/@letsgobylandVlogs 👉 Read our article about the bus journey from Almaty to Bishkek: https://letsgobyland.com/almaty-to-bishkek-bus/ • Support the channel and get special perks • ● become a CHANNEL MEMBER: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8syvJyVQ7uqEdlCE1u6JDg/join ● join us on PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/letsgobyland • Trip information • Departure from: Almaty-1 Arrival to: Bishkek Travel time: 14h 54min (arrived 2min earlier) Ticket fare: 30€ / 35$ / 19053₸ Distance (approx.): 580km / 360mi Railway company: Kyrgyz Railways (КТЖ) Train: № 385H Carriage class: Third class (Platzkart) Trip date: November 2024 • Watch more from central Asia • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0thbedCH9c&t=1s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bY1zA8MniV0&t=826s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KvZH_65A4o&t=748s • Our travel resources • 👉 Buy your train, bus and ferry tickets 🚆 🚌 ⛴️ https://omio.tpk.lu/KXMqq8C9 👉 Get your travel medical insurance 🌍 https://safetywing.com/nomad-insurance/?referenceID=26256627&campaign=youtube-general&utm_campaign=youtube-general&utm_source=26256627&utm_medium=Ambassador 👉 Get your Airalo e-sim 📳 https://airalo.tp.st/ZaP4DJs6 • Subscribe our channels • 🔔 For more tips on how to travel without flying https://www.youtube.com/@Letsgobyland?sub_confirmation=1 🔔 Our second channel to see more from the destination https://www.youtube.com/@letsgobylandVlogs?sub_confirmation=1 • Help us making content • https://revolut.me/letsgobyland Thank you for your support! • Follow our journey on • https://letsgobyland.com/ https://www.instagram.com/letsgobyland/ https://www.tiktok.com/@letsgobyland https://www.facebook.com/letsgobyland/ • Video chapters • 00:00 - Intro 00:32 - Almaty, Kazakhstan 00:58 - Almaty-1 train station 02:51 - Old Soviet train from Almaty to Bishkek 03:39 - Tickets informations 03:55 - Third-class (Platzkart) 04:58 - Departure from Almaty 05:06 - Route map 06:10 - Support the channel 09:11 - Toilet check 09:45 - Shu train station 11:03 - Lugovoy train station 13:21 - Kazakhstan - Kyrgyzstan border crossing 15:17 - Arrival in Bishkek train staton 15:21 - Conclusion 16:01 - Subscribe our second channel 16:18 - Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan 16:40 - Outro This video description may contain affiliate links, which means we’ll receive a commission if you purchase through our links, at no extra cost to you. #soviettrain #centralasiatravel #almatytobishkek