Private Minibus from Almaty to Bishkek with Your Own Driver
A private transfer from Almaty to Bishkek for families and groups: from your door to the address you need in one vehicle, with no change after the border. A 13-seat Toyota Hiace and a driver who has crossed at Kordai many times.
from 90,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one way
Pickup at your address · passenger insurance · available 24/7
Our drivers don’t speak English. Phone calls are in Russian or Kazakh, so WhatsApp works best: write in English and we’ll reply using a translator. Need an interpreter? We can arrange one for an extra fee, agreed in advance.
How the trip works
Pickup at your door in Almaty
You choose the address and time: home, office, hotel or airport. When you book, we name the vehicle and give you the driver’s phone number; the driver arrives early and helps with the luggage.
The minibus is yours
The 13-seat Toyota Hiace travels with your group only. The price is for the vehicle, so the bigger the group, the less each person pays. If there are more than 13 of you, you can book a second minibus, or we do two runs in a row on a short route.
Driver, fuel and road included
The driver’s service, fuel, toll sections and pickup in Almaty are all in the quoted price. Paid separately, if your route needs them: national park entrance fees, ski passes, a local off-road vehicle, paid parking and pickup outside the city.
One way
The price is for the one-way drive. If you need a ride back, waiting time on site or a trip of several days, send us your plan and we’ll price that option.
Luggage: 13 traveling light, up to 9 with suitcases
Bags and gear go in a separate compartment. If everyone has a large suitcase or a stroller, we take up to 9 people; with skis and snowboards, 9–10. Tell us what you’re bringing when you book.
Payment: cash, Kaspi or invoice
Trips in the city and nearby are paid after the trip. Long intercity trips and trips of several days need a partial prepayment to hold the date, the rest before departure. Companies get an invoice, a contract and closing documents.
Book a private Almaty to Bishkek transfer for the date and time you need: a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver, from 90,000 ₸ per vehicle one way. We leave when it suits you; many groups set off early in the morning to get through the border before the lines.
Almaty and Bishkek are only about 240 km apart; no other foreign capital is closer to Almaty. On the way you cross the border at the Kordai checkpoint, so every passenger needs their documents. Going by your own minibus is the most convenient option: the whole group travels together and skips the bus stations.
The same driver takes you the whole way: picks you up at your door, waits for the group after passport control and drives you straight to the address you need: your relatives’ home, a hotel or the terminal at Manas Airport. The documents you need at the checkpoint depend on your nationality; we’ll tell you in advance.
To Bishkek via the Kordai border: drive time and what’s on the way
The route follows the highway west through Uzynagash to the Kordai border crossing. Driving time is about 4 hours for 240 km. Add to that the border: the Kazakh Kordai post and the Kyrgyz Ak-Zhol post stand side by side. How long the checkpoint takes depends on the line: usually 20–40 minutes, longer on weekends and holidays.
From the crossing to central Bishkek it is about half an hour’s drive, and farther on the same highway runs into the Boom Gorge, toward Issyk-Kul and Karakol. There are gas stations and cafés along the way for a break and a stretch; the driver will point out reliable places to stop. If you are still deciding how to travel, all the options are covered separately in how long it takes to get from Almaty to Bishkek.
Why people travel from Almaty to Bishkek
Most people go to Bishkek to see family and friends, for family occasions or simply to visit; for a group, one minibus is easier than everyone traveling separately. Shopping trips are popular too: Almaty residents have long favored Bishkek’s markets and malls.
Bishkek is also a transit hub. People fly out of Manas International Airport, and the minibus can take you right to the terminal in time for your flight. In summer many continue through Bishkek to Lake Issyk-Kul: a minibus with a driver to Issyk-Kul will take you there too, and we price that leg separately.
Flying into Almaty and heading straight to Kyrgyzstan? We will meet your flight at Almaty Airport and set off without going into the city.
What the trip includes and how the border crossing works
The price from 90,000 ₸ covers the drive from your door in Almaty to your address in Bishkek: a home, a hotel or the Manas Airport terminal.
At the Kordai checkpoint, passengers get out with their documents and go through passport control on foot, while the minibus and driver clear the checkpoint separately. On the Kyrgyz side, at the Ak-Zhol post, you get back into the same vehicle: the driver waits for the whole group. If someone is meeting you on the other side, you can go only to the Kordai border checkpoint; it is closer and cheaper.
We can also take you beyond Bishkek: to Kant, Tokmok or Kara-Balta. We will quote the price for your address.
Burana Tower and Tokmok: what to see beyond Bishkek
Burana Tower is an 11th-century minaret, the main surviving monument of Balasagun, the Karakhanid capital. In 2014 the ancient city site was added to the UNESCO World Heritage List as part of the serial nomination “Silk Roads”, submitted by Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and China. Next to it are a field of balbals (ancient stone statues) and a small museum. The tower stands 12–15 km from Tokmok, about 80 km and an hour and a half’s drive from Bishkek.
Burana is an easy stop on the way to Issyk-Kul: the highway to the lake passes Tokmok, and the stop takes about an hour. It also works as a separate trip: Bishkek, Burana and back in a day. We will give you the route with stops and the price when you book.
Minibus or marshrutka to Bishkek
In a marshrutka (shared minibus taxi) everyone buys a seat, it leaves on a timetable, the cabin is shared and cramped, and at the border everyone waits until the whole vehicle has cleared the checkpoint. In your own Toyota Hiace you leave when it suits you, and at the crossing you wait only for your own people.
For a family or group it is more relaxed: on the road you get air conditioning, reclining seats and a separate luggage compartment. You can compare with other routes on our prices for trips from Almaty.
Bishkek: how the trip works
Door to door
We pick you up at your door in Almaty and drop you at the exact address in Bishkek.
Kordai border, same vehicle
You go through passport control on foot, and the driver waits with the minibus for the whole group at the Ak-Zhol post on the Kyrgyz side.
Room for luggage
Suitcases, boxes and gifts for family fit in the spacious luggage compartment.
Leave at any time
Early in the morning to beat the border lines, during the day, or at night for your flight from Manas: you set the departure time.
Bishkek: trip price
from 90,000 ₸ — for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one way
The driver and fuel are included. We quote the total before departure; it only goes up if you decide to extend the waiting time.
All intercity trips from Almaty →Customer reviews on 2GIS
“Efficient and fast — a clean bus with a driver arrived on time.”
“Excellent — they provided a minibus with a driver very quickly.”
Toyota Hiace: cabin and luggage
All photos
- 13 passenger seats
- Air conditioning and heating
- High roof
- Soft reclining seats
- Electric door
- Luggage compartment
These photos show a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a high roof and a wide aisle between the seats. We took them ourselves: the cabin, the seats and the luggage compartment.
13-seat cabin
Luggage compartment
Almaty to Bishkek: a private minibus instead of a scheduled bus
Your group travels in our minibus with a driver, from your door to the destination. Distance: ~240 km; drive time: ~4 hours.
Your own AlaGo minibus
- from 90,000 ₸ for the whole minibus with a driver.
- Leave when it suits you, even at 5 a.m.
- We pick you up at your door and drive you to the address you need.
- Luggage, strollers and gear ride in a separate compartment.
Why a scheduled bus is less convenient
- It leaves only on a timetable.
- You have to get to the departure point and from the arrival point on your own, with your bags.
- Luggage goes in a shared hold, and oversized bags and gear usually cost extra.
- You get off at a bus station or the last stop.
Tell us the date and how many of you are traveling. We’ll quote the trip and tell you right away whether the minibus is free; WhatsApp or a phone call is quickest.
Read before your trip
Bishkek: frequently asked questions
How much is a transfer from Almaty to Bishkek?
From 90,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one way. We’ll give you the exact price of the transfer via Kordai right away for your pickup address and date, by phone or on WhatsApp.
How long does the trip take, including the border?
About 4 hours of driving for 240 km, plus time to cross the border at Kordai. The checkpoint usually takes 20–40 minutes, but on weekends and holidays the line can be longer.
How many seats does the minibus to Bishkek have?
The Toyota Hiace has 13 passenger seats: one vehicle is enough for a large family or group, with no need to split up. All 13 can travel light; if everyone has a large suitcase or bulky gear, we take up to 9 passengers.
Do I need a passport to cross the border at Kordai?
Citizens of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan only need their national ID card; an international passport is not required. Russian citizens aged 14 and over can also use their internal Russian passport, while Russian children under 14 have needed an international passport since January 20, 2026. Citizens of other countries need a passport. For a child who is a citizen of Kazakhstan, bring the birth certificate. Every passenger must have their document on them.
Can you take us just to the border, to the Kordai checkpoint?
Yes. If someone is meeting you on the Kyrgyz side, we bring the group to the Kordai crossing; it is shorter and cheaper than the trip to Bishkek; we will quote the price when you book. We also drive to Manas Airport if you are flying on.
Can we stop at Burana Tower on the way?
Yes. Burana stands near Tokmok, about 80 km beyond Bishkek: it is an easy detour on the way to Issyk-Kul, or a separate trip from Bishkek. We’ll tell you the time for the stop and the price when you book.
Can we book one way only, or a round trip?
Whichever suits you. The listed price is for a one-way trip, but you can also book a return transfer from Bishkek or a trip with waiting time, whichever suits you.
Tell us where and when
We’ll bring a Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver to any address in Almaty at the time you need. Available 24/7.
Our drivers don’t speak English. Phone calls are in Russian or Kazakh, so WhatsApp works best: write in English and we’ll reply using a translator. Need an interpreter? We can arrange one for an extra fee, agreed in advance.