Passenger transport in Almaty by private Toyota Hiace minibus with driver

Charter transport: a 13-seat Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver works on your schedule and your route. We drive around Almaty at an hourly rate, meet people at the airport and the railway station, take guests to weddings and corporate events, go on day trips, travel across Kazakhstan and to Kyrgyzstan and Russia, and run staff and school shuttles.

The Toyota Hiace has 13 passenger seats plus the driver’s seat. The seats are soft, the backrests recline, and luggage travels in a separate compartment: all 13 fit traveling light, or up to 9 people if each has a large suitcase. If there are more than thirteen of you, we can run two trips back to back, or you can book a second vehicle.

For the whole minibus with a driver, so you can split it across your group: the more of you travel, the less each person pays. The minibus comes to your address at the agreed time and carries only your group: up to 13 people traveling light or up to 9 with large suitcases.

Yes, the minibus has air conditioning that works for both cooling and heating. A comfortable temperature at any time of year.

Yes, 24/7. Night and pre-dawn departures are a normal part of the job: trips to Charyn Canyon leave early in the morning to reach the Valley of Castles before the heat, and trips to Lake Balkhash and Lake Alakol often set off in the dark to be on the shore by lunchtime. We meet night flights at the airport too: the driver tracks the flight number and waits if the plane is delayed.

For trips around the city and short bookings, no prepayment is needed: you pay after the trip in cash or by Kaspi transfer (a Kazakh banking app). For long intercity and multi-day trips we ask for a partial prepayment to secure the date: we tell you the amount when we confirm the booking, and the rest is paid before departure. We don’t take a deposit for the vehicle: the booking includes a driver.

We take out passenger insurance for every trip, the minibus gets regular scheduled maintenance, and before long trips we check the vehicle separately. Traveling with children? Tell us in advance: child seats are free.

Yes. Intercity trips are priced per trip: Konaev (formerly Kapchagay) from 60,000 ₸ round trip, Taldykorgan from 90,000 ₸ round trip, Shymkent from 150,000 ₸ one way, Astana from 200,000 ₸ round trip. Bishkek from 90,000 ₸, Issyk-Kul from 150,000 ₸ one way; passengers cross the border checkpoint on foot, while the vehicle goes through separately and waits on the other side. For Russia, the guide price is about 150 ₸ per kilometer of total vehicle mileage, including its return journey. People also often go to Lake Balkhash, Lake Alakol, Chundzha and the ski resorts.

Yes. If you let us know at least 24 hours before pickup, cancellation is free. If you cancel later, when the driver has already set off, a pickup fee may be charged. Plans change: just call or message us on WhatsApp, and we’ll rearrange everything.

For city trips and the airport, we can often go the same day: call us and we’ll tell you whether the minibus is free. For intercity trips and day trips, it’s best to book 1–3 days ahead. In summer, on weekends and on holidays, dates for Charyn, Kolsai, Balkhash and Alakol get booked up early, so it’s worth securing such a trip a week ahead.

Call or message us on WhatsApp at +7 707 510 17 05: where to pick you up, where you’re going, the date and time, and how many people and how much luggage. We’ll tell you right away whether the minibus is free and quote the price; it doesn’t change on the road.

There’s a DVD player, a TV and MP3: you can put on cartoons for the kids or play your own music. On a long drive, other things matter more: the air conditioning works for both cooling and heating, the seatbacks recline, and luggage rides in a separate compartment.

Cash to the driver, Kaspi transfer, or bank transfer for companies, with an invoice, a contract and closing documents for your accounting department.

Yes, from a few hours to several days. That’s how people do Charyn and Kolsai over two days, Lake Alakol and Lake Balkhash with a night on the shore, or Burabay (Borovoe), 1,450 km with an overnight stop on the way. The minibus stays with you the whole time, together with the driver. We calculate the price from the route and the number of days and quote it before departure.

No. Our drivers speak Russian and Kazakh, and phone calls are in Russian or Kazakh too. The easiest way to arrange a trip is WhatsApp: write in English, and we’ll reply using a translator and agree on the route, date and price in writing. If you need an interpreter, we can arrange one for an extra fee, agreed in advance.