Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan since 1997, is one of the world’s most unusual cities: a showcase of daring modern architecture rising from the flat steppe on the banks of the Ishim (Esil) River, in the north of the country. In just three decades, a provincial Soviet town once called Tselinograd has become a city of more than a million people, with a skyline of glass towers, golden domes and monuments by architects such as Norman Foster and Kisho Kurokawa. Come for the Bayterek tower, the giant tent of Khan Shatyr, the glass pyramid of the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, the National Museum of Kazakhstan, the vast Grand Mosque, the Nur Alem sphere built for EXPO 2017, an evening at the Astana Opera, and day trips to the Gulag memorial at ALZHIR, the lakes and forests of Burabay and the flamingo lakes of Korgalzhyn. Astana is famous for its climate: summers are warm, but winters are among the coldest of any capital city, with lows often below −20 °C (−4 °F) and fierce steppe winds. The best months are June to early September.
Right now in Astana
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Astana at a glance
- Best for: modern architecture, museums, opera and ballet, the steppe, and a taste of contemporary Kazakhstan.
- How long: 2 days for the city, plus a day or two for Burabay or Korgalzhyn.
- Best time: June to early September, when it is warm and the parks are green; May and late September are cooler but pleasant; November to March is very cold.
- Getting there: by air to Astana International Airport, about 16 km (10 miles) south of the center; by overnight train from Almaty; by train from Burabay and Karaganda.
- Getting around: by ride-hailing taxi, bus and the new light rail line (LRT); walking along the central boulevard.
- Good to know: distances between the monuments are long and exposed to wind; in winter, use taxis and indoor walkways.
- Before you go: visa-free stays, registration, SIM cards, money and general safety are in our Kazakhstan travel guide.
Astana’s areas and where to stay
The Ishim River divides the city. The Right Bank (north) is the older town of Tselinograd, with Soviet-era streets and markets; the Left Bank (south) is the new capital, laid out along a ceremonial axis from Khan Shatyr through Bayterek to the presidential palace.
The Left Bank
Along the Nurzhol Boulevard (Water-Green Boulevard) and around Bayterek and Khan Shatyr, the Left Bank has the big international hotels, government buildings, malls, restaurants and most of the sights. It is the most convenient base for a short stay, though it can feel empty and windy at night.
The Right Bank
North of the river, around Respublika Avenue, the older city center has cafés, restaurants, nightlife, mid-range hotels and apartments, with a more lived-in feel and a riverside promenade.
Around EXPO
South of the Left Bank, the EXPO 2017 district around the Nur Alem sphere has modern hotels, the international financial district and apartments close to the Nurly Zhol railway station.
Where to stay in Astana
- Left Bank: international hotels near Bayterek and Khan Shatyr.
- Right Bank: mid-range hotels, cafés and nightlife in the older center.
- EXPO district: modern hotels near the main railway station.
- Apartments: good value for families and longer stays across the city.
Hotels fill during conferences, summits and Capital Day in early July; book ahead.
Top things to see in Astana
Astana’s story in brief
Founded in 1830 as a Russian Cossack fort called Akmolinsk, the town became Tselinograd in 1961, the center of the Soviet Virgin Lands campaign that ploughed up the northern steppe to grow wheat. After independence, it was renamed Akmola, and in 1997 President Nursultan Nazarbayev moved the capital here from Almaty, citing room to grow, a more central location and lower earthquake risk. Renamed Astana (“capital”) in 1998, the city was called Nur-Sultan from 2019 and became Astana again in 2022. The master plan for the new Left Bank was drawn up by the Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa.
Bayterek
The symbol of the new capital, Bayterek is a 97 m (318 ft) tower of white steel lattice holding a golden glass sphere, representing a Kazakh legend of the tree of life and the magic bird Samruk, who laid a golden egg in its branches. Elevators rise to the sphere, at a height of 97 m to mark the year the capital moved, where you can look out along the ceremonial axis and place your hand in a gilded imprint of the first president’s palm. Tickets are sold at the base.
Khan Shatyr
At the western end of the boulevard, Khan Shatyr (“the khan’s tent”), designed by Norman Foster and opened in 2010, is a 150 m (490 ft) high translucent tent of ETFE plastic over a shopping and entertainment center, with an indoor beach resort on the top floor, where the sand was imported from the Maldives. It keeps a summer climate inside even in winter.
The Palace of Peace and Reconciliation
Also by Foster, the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, a 62 m (203 ft) pyramid completed in 2006, was built to host the Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions. Inside are an opera hall, a museum and, at the top, a conference chamber under stained-glass panels of doves. Guided tours run during the day.
The National Museum of Kazakhstan
On Independence Square, the National Museum of Kazakhstan, opened in 2014, is the largest museum in Central Asia, with halls on archaeology, ethnography, history and independence, and a Gold Hall displaying Saka treasures, including the “Golden Man” warrior costume. Allow at least two hours. Next door stand the Kazakh Eli monument, topped by a golden Samruk, and the Hazret Sultan Mosque.
Mosques and monuments
- Astana Grand Mosque: opened in 2022, one of the largest mosques in Central Asia, with room for tens of thousands of worshippers; visitors are welcome outside prayer times, dressed modestly.
- Hazret Sultan Mosque: a white mosque with turquoise domes near the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation.
- Ak Orda: the presidential palace with its blue and gold dome, seen from the boulevard; photography of the palace and its guards may be restricted.
- Defenders of the Fatherland and other monuments: dotted along the boulevards and parks.
Nur Alem and EXPO 2017
The Nur Alem sphere, about 80 m (260 ft) in diameter, was the centerpiece of EXPO 2017, whose theme was future energy. It now houses the Museum of Future Energy, with interactive exhibits on solar, wind and other renewable sources on eight floors, and a viewing deck at the top.
More classic sights
- Astana Opera: a neoclassical opera house opened in 2013, with ballet and opera at affordable prices.
- Central Concert Hall Kazakhstan: a building shaped like flower petals, by the Italian architect Manfredi Nicoletti.
- The Esil embankment and Nurzhol Boulevard: walks along fountains, sculptures and parks, best on summer evenings.
- The Right Bank: the Saken Seifullin Museum, the old Soviet center and the riverside parks.
Other things to do in Astana
Food and drink
Astana’s restaurants serve Kazakh classics such as beshbarmak, kazy and baursak, and specialties from across the country, along with Georgian, Uzbek, Korean, Turkish and international cuisine. Look for restaurants serving kumis (fermented mare’s milk) and shubat (camel’s milk) in summer. The Right Bank has the liveliest cafés and bars, and the malls in Khan Shatyr and the Mega Silk Way center have food courts.
Culture and events
The Astana Opera and Astana Ballet have full seasons, and the city hosts international summits, sporting events and festivals. Capital Day on July 6 brings concerts and fireworks. In 2024, Astana hosted the World Nomad Games, with horseback games, wrestling and eagle hunting. See our city sightseeing guide.
Astana in winter
If you visit between December and February, Astana has its own appeal. Snow covers the steppe and the river freezes, outdoor skating rinks open in the parks, ice sculptures appear around the New Year, and the city’s lights and monuments look dramatic against the winter sky. Life moves indoors: the malls, cafés, museums and theaters are warm and busy, and covered walkways and underground passages connect some buildings. Plan short outdoor sightseeing sessions in the middle of the day, when it is least cold, use taxis between sights, and warm up with tea, baursak and hot soups. Flights and trains generally run, but blizzards can cause delays.
Day trips from Astana
- ALZHIR memorial museum: about 35 km (22 miles) west, on the site of a Gulag camp where thousands of wives of men branded “traitors to the motherland” were held from 1938; a moving museum and memorial.
- Burabay (Borovoe): about 250 km (155 miles) north, 3 hours by road or a few hours by train to Shchuchinsk or Burabay station; granite peaks, pine forests and clear lakes, with hiking, cycling, boat trips and resorts, and the “Sleeping Knight” rock rising from Lake Burabay.
- Korgalzhyn Nature Reserve: about 130 km (80 miles) southwest, part of the UNESCO-listed Saryarka steppe and lakes, with flamingos and migrating birds from spring to early autumn; a permit is needed, usually arranged with a tour.
- Karaganda and KarLag: the mining city of Karaganda, about 220 km (135 miles) southeast, and the KarLag labor camp museum in nearby Dolinka; best as an overnight trip.
- The steppe: horseback riding and nights in a yurt camp in the open grasslands around the city in summer.
Getting there and getting around
By air
Astana International Airport (NQZ), about 16 km (10 miles) south of the center, has flights from Istanbul, Dubai, Frankfurt, Seoul, Tashkent and many other cities, and frequent flights from Almaty in about 1.5–2 hours; see our Istanbul and Almaty guides. Taxis by app take about 20–30 minutes to the Left Bank.
By train
The modern Nurly Zhol station, near the EXPO district, and the older Astana-1 station, on the Right Bank, have trains to Almaty (about 12–13 hours on the fastest overnight trains), Burabay, Karaganda, Shymkent and other cities. Buy tickets on the national railway’s official site or app, or at stations, with your passport.
By road
Highways link Astana with Burabay and Karaganda. Distances to other cities are long: Almaty is about 1,200 km (750 miles) away, so most people fly or take the train.
Around town
Ride-hailing apps such as Yandex Go are cheap and the easiest way to get around. City buses cover all districts, paid by card or app, and the new light rail line (LRT) links the airport and Nurly Zhol station with the Left Bank. The central boulevard is good for walking in summer, but the monuments are spread out.
When to go and how long to stay
Astana has an extreme continental climate, with warm summers and long, bitter winters on the open steppe. Summer, from June to August, is warm and sunny, with average highs around 26–27 °C (79–80 °F), long evenings and occasional thunderstorms. Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) are short, cool and windy. Winter, from November to March, is very cold: average January lows are about −19 °C (−1 °F), cold spells bring temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F), and blizzards (buran) can close roads and delay flights. The table uses the 1991–2020 climate normals for the Astana station of Kazhydromet, as submitted to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO): average daily highs and lows, total precipitation, and days with at least 1 mm of rain or snow.
| Month | Average high / low | Precipitation (days with 1 mm or more) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | −10 °C (13 °F) / −19 °C (−1 °F) | 18 mm (0.7 in), 6 days | The coldest month; severe frosts |
| February | −9 °C (16 °F) / −18 °C (0 °F) | 17 mm (0.7 in), 5 days | Very cold; blizzards possible |
| March | −1 °C (29 °F) / −10 °C (13 °F) | 20 mm (0.8 in), 5 days | Cold; Nauryz |
| April | 12 °C (54 °F) / 1 °C (34 °F) | 22 mm (0.9 in), 5 days | Thaw; windy |
| May | 21 °C (70 °F) / 8 °C (47 °F) | 33 mm (1.3 in), 7 days | Mild; steppe turns green |
| June | 26 °C (79 °F) / 14 °C (56 °F) | 40 mm (1.6 in), 7 days | Warm; long days |
| July | 27 °C (80 °F) / 15 °C (59 °F) | 56 mm (2.2 in), 8 days | Warmest and wettest; Capital Day |
| August | 26 °C (78 °F) / 13 °C (56 °F) | 31 mm (1.2 in), 5 days | Warm |
| September | 19 °C (66 °F) / 7 °C (44 °F) | 21 mm (0.8 in), 4 days | Pleasant; cool nights |
| October | 10 °C (51 °F) / 1 °C (33 °F) | 26 mm (1.0 in), 6 days | Cool; first frosts |
| November | −1 °C (30 °F) / −9 °C (17 °F) | 29 mm (1.1 in), 7 days | Winter begins |
| December | −8 °C (18 °F) / −16 °C (3 °F) | 25 mm (1.0 in), 7 days | Very cold; Independence Day |
Astana receives about 340 mm (13 in) of precipitation a year, much of it as summer showers; snow lies from about November to early April.
Two days in Astana
Day one, Bayterek, a walk along Nurzhol Boulevard to Khan Shatyr, then the National Museum, the Hazret Sultan Mosque and the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation, with an evening at the opera. Day two, the Grand Mosque, the Nur Alem sphere at the EXPO site, and the Right Bank’s cafés and riverside.
Three to four days
Add the ALZHIR memorial, a trip to Burabay with a night in the forest, or a summer visit to the flamingo lakes of Korgalzhyn.
What a trip to Astana costs
Prices are approximate, for October 2026, converted at about 448 tenge to the US dollar.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| Ride-hailing taxi from the airport | 2,500–5,000 KZT (about US$5.60–11) |
| Bayterek observation deck | 1,500–3,000 KZT (about US$3.30–6.70) |
| National Museum entry | 1,500–3,500 KZT (about US$3.30–7.80) |
| Nur Alem Museum of Future Energy | 2,000–4,000 KZT (about US$4.50–9) |
| Opera or ballet ticket | 3,000–20,000 KZT (about US$6.70–45) |
| Dinner in a mid-range restaurant | 8,000–16,000 KZT (about US$18–36) per person |
| Train to Burabay, one way | 3,000–8,000 KZT (about US$6.70–18) |
| Mid-range hotel double, per night | 30,000–60,000 KZT (about US$67–134) |
Practical tips for Astana
- Dress for the wind: even in spring and autumn, the steppe wind is cold; in winter, cover all exposed skin.
- Use taxis between sights: the monuments are far apart and exposed.
- Check opening days: many museums close one day a week, often Monday.
- Book the opera early: popular performances sell out.
- Plan around summits: major conferences can fill hotels and close streets.
- Carry your passport: it is needed for some buildings and official sites.
Safety
Astana is a safe, orderly city. The main hazard is the winter cold: temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F) and strong winds can cause frostbite on exposed skin within minutes and hypothermia; wear insulated boots, a hat, gloves and a face covering, limit time outdoors, and follow alerts during blizzards, when roads out of the city may close. Sidewalks are icy in winter, so wear shoes with good grip. Watch your belongings in malls and markets, and use app-based taxis at night. There are restrictions on photographing the presidential palace, government buildings and security staff. In an emergency, call 112.
What to pack for Astana
In winter, a proper insulated coat, thermal layers, a warm hat, scarf, gloves, face covering and insulated, non-slip boots; in summer, light clothes, a windbreaker for cool evenings, sunscreen and a hat. Smart-casual clothes for the opera and good restaurants, and modest clothes and a scarf for women at mosques. Kazakhstan uses 220 V, with round two-pin plugs. See our hiking shoes and travel adapters guides.
Astana travel FAQ
How cold does Astana get in winter?
Average January lows are about −19 °C (−1 °F), and cold spells bring temperatures below −30 °C (−22 °F), often with strong winds.
What is the best time to visit Astana?
June to early September, when it is warm and the parks are green.
How many days do I need in Astana?
Two days for the main sights, plus a day or two for Burabay or the ALZHIR memorial.
How do I get from Almaty to Astana?
By flight in about 1.5–2 hours or by overnight train in about 12–13 hours on the fastest services.
Can you go up the Bayterek tower?
Yes. Elevators take visitors to the golden sphere at 97 m, with views over the city; tickets are sold at the base.
Is there a beach in Astana?
Yes, an indoor one: Khan Shatyr has a beach resort with pools and imported sand on its top floor, open all year.
Why did Kazakhstan move its capital to Astana?
In 1997, the government moved the capital from Almaty, citing room to grow, a more central location and lower earthquake risk.
What is ALZHIR?
A memorial museum on the site of a Soviet labor camp for the wives of men accused of treason, about 35 km west of the city.
How far is Burabay from Astana?
About 250 km, or 3 hours by road; trains also run to Shchuchinsk and Burabay station.
Is Astana safe?
Yes. It is a safe, orderly city; the main hazard is the extreme winter cold.
Plan your trip
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🇷🇺 Useful Russian phrases for Astana
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. Registration, SIM rules, winter road conditions, photography restrictions and emergency numbers: the UK government’s factual entry and safety pages; climate normals: Kazhydromet via the World Meteorological Organization’s 1991–2020 normals for the Astana station; the exchange rate: the National Bank of Kazakhstan. The city’s history and name changes, architects and building dates and heights, the light rail opening, museum details, distances, journey times and typical prices are general references or estimates, flagged for checking. Prices and rules change, so check locally before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our Kazakhstan travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)