Why Kazakhstanis still travel in aging train cars, transport minister explains

Tengrinews.kz - Kazakhstanis continue to travel in outdated train cars because removing them all at once would create a shortage during peak seasons, Transport Minister Marat Karabayev explained.
Speaking to journalists, Karabayev noted that about 30 percent of the country's rail fleet is worn out, with some train cars in operation for over 25 years. Although there are plans to ban carriages older than 25 years, the transition cannot happen overnight.

"We are working on legislation that would prohibit the use of carriages older than 25 years. These older cars mostly belong to private operators and Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ). Around 900 new carriages are being purchased, including 158 this year," the minister said.

He emphasized that an immediate withdrawal of all old carriages would result in a train shortage during high-demand seasons, leading to unnecessary disruption and public dissatisfaction.
Karabayev also addressed complaints about three-tiered sleeping bunks, which were reported in some trains operated by private companies.

"This is a violation, and we’ve taken measures to prevent it from happening again. These carriages don’t meet the standards and will no longer be used," he stated.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee under the Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry spoke about the work to equip Kazakhstan trains with wireless Internet.