Discourse about installing toll booths on IDR lands on the table.
Refreshed Perspective on Kazakhstan's Highway Tolls
Get ready to hit the road in Kazakhstan, but be prepared for a small toll charge on certain highways! Beibut Atamkulov, Minster of Industry and Infrastructure Development, shed light on the matter in response to a parliamentary inquiry.
"Let me break it down for ya – tolls are being put in place on certain modernized highways, and here's the deal, they'll fully cover the maintenance costs, which means less strain on the republican budget," Atamkulov said.
While the number of highways subject to tolls is limited, they must meet stringent safety and comfort standards for vehicles. The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, the authorized body for highways, decides which highways will operate on a paid basis and sets the toll rates in accordance with the law.
Remember, the initial decision to impose tolls on the Nur-Sultan – Shchuchinsk highway was made in 2013, with rates set at 1 tenge per km for passenger vehicles and 5-25 tenge per km for trucks, based on their carrying capacity. In 2019, three more toll sections were added: Nur-Sultan – Temirtau, Almaty – Khorgos, and Almaty – Kapshagay. The rates for these sections stayed at the 2013 levels. As of now, the total length of toll sections amounts to 682 kilometers. In 2020, a total of 5.7 billion tenge was gathered from all four toll sections, covering all maintenance costs.
As for the future, there's not much chatter about specific improvements, opposition, or rate changes. The nation continues investing in its road network, particularly in the south, which is music to the ears of logistics enthusiasts. But the nitty-gritty details, such as potential rate adjustments or maintenance costs, remain unclear.
Here's the lowdown: toll roads are still a budding concept in Kazakhstan, with automated payment systems (though foreigners might have a hard time navigating it, due to the lack of manual payment options). Another challenge on the horizon could arise from automated toll systems, as they might pose problems for our global visitors.
So there you have it – gotta pay a few cents more on a handful of highways, but the roads will stay in tip-top shape, and the cash goes right where it's needed – to the government's wallet! Just keep your eyes peeled for those highway signs, foreigners, and you'll be cruising through Kazakhstan in no time!
Travelers on certain modernized highways in Kazakhstan should be prepared for toll charges, as these funding sources will help cover maintenance costs, alleviating strain on the republican budget. The Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, the authorized body for highways, determines which highways will operate on a paid basis and establishes toll rates according to the law in the finance sector.
