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Your first trip in Almaty will be from the airport to the city of course. Almaty airport is located in about 15 km from the city center. If your plane arrives in daytime and you want to save money on taxi, it is safe to take bus 492 running from the airport through the main streets of the city. Because of frequent airport scamming, avoid using private taxi drivers (cars without taxi signs) and try to find a regular taxi although it may be a little more expensive. Be ready to pay for the trip from the airport between $10 and $20. You do not have to pay in dollars. When making reservation at a local hotel check if they can pick you up from the airport. Some more expensive hotels do it for free.
Transportation in Almaty is sometimes a challenge even for Almaty dwellers. Public transport is no longer under state control and is being actively privatized. New bus routes appear every day and old ones are being cancelled. Anyway, it is not a problem to move around the city by bus, tram or trolleybus until 10 pm after which time only taxis are available. Taxis can be ordered at the telephones 058 or 007. Expatriates say it is OK to use private taxi drivers (car owners who earn their living by taxing without a license) as long as you take some precautions. Sit in cars with a driver and no passengers only. Agree on the fee in advance and preferrably in Russian and pay it in tenge. Speak as little English as possible. If you are with a local friend ask him or her to catch a taxi for you and agree on the fee. You can ask your friends putting you in a taxi to remember the number of the car.
For trams, trolleybuses and state owned buses the fee is 20 tenge. There are plenty of private buses (their numbers have 3 digits and begin with 4 or 5), which charge 25-30 tenge. Sometimes it is practical to buy month transport tickets (900 tenge), which are available until the eighth day of each month for trolleybuses and trams from ticket collectors.
Beware of thieves in public transport and public places .
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