Almaty to Khorgos Trip by Private Minibus
People go to the Khorgos International Center for Boundary Cooperation (ICBC) to shop as a group, and come back loaded with bags. A 13-seat Toyota Hiace picks you up at your door: book a one-way drive or a full day with waiting in the parking lot and the drive back.
from 100,000 ₸ 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.
You can book a minibus from Almaty to Khorgos one way or for the whole day: a 13-seat Toyota Hiace with a driver, from 100,000 ₸ per vehicle one way. A same-day trip (there, waiting in the parking lot and the drive back with your shopping) is priced for your date and group size. We gather your group at one convenient point in Almaty and in the evening bring you back there, bags and all.
The Khorgos International Center for Boundary Cooperation sits right on the Kazakhstan–China border, 330 km from Almaty. Formally it is a duty-free trade zone: you enter with your documents, walk between the pavilions and return to your side. People usually go as a group (with family, neighbors or colleagues), and the main question is how to get the shopping home.
The drive takes about four and a half hours via Shelek and Zharkent, plus stops and time at the checkpoint. Your purchases ride in the luggage compartment: the fewer passengers, the more room for bags. If the trip is not a single day but includes an overnight stay or a stop in Zharkent, it is the same minibus hire with a driver, just for more days.
The road via Shelek and Zharkent
The route follows the eastern highway through Shelek and Zharkent, the same road the minibus to Charyn Canyon takes, except that it turns off earlier. In total it is about 330 km, about four and a half hours of driving. A round trip fits into one long day: an early-morning start, a few hours at the center with time for the queue, and back in the evening.
In Zharkent, if you have time, stop at the wooden mosque from the late 19th century: it was built without nails and looks more like a Chinese pagoda than a typical mosque. It is fifteen minutes off the highway and a good break before the last stretch to the border.
How a trip to the ICBC works
We drive you to the checkpoint: vehicles do not enter the center, and everyone goes in on foot with their documents. If you booked a trip with the return drive, the driver waits in the parking lot and meets the group after shopping; going around the pavilions usually takes three to five hours. Entry rules are set by the center and the border service, so it is worth checking them before you go.
Check the duty-free allowances and the list of permitted goods before the trip: the rules change from time to time, and they are a matter for customs. We are responsible for the road: getting the whole group there on time and making sure your purchases fit in the luggage compartment. Tell us about large or heavy items when you book, and we’ll say how much space will be left.
Who this suits best
Families and neighbors who go shopping together: all the purchases ride in one vehicle, with no need to spread them across other people’s trunks. You can also book just the drive to Khorgos, for example, if you are traveling on. If you are carrying a commercial consignment or bulky goods, tell us in advance: that is not ordinary passenger luggage.
If you need stops or a detour somewhere else on the way, tell us when we price the trip: as on our other intercity routes, we build the schedule around your plan.
Khorgos: how the trip works
We wait in the parking lot
On a trip with waiting, the driver stays at the checkpoint while you walk the pavilions. When you come out, the minibus is right there, with room for your bags.
Luggage space for shopping
No bags on your lap: the Hiace has a separate luggage compartment, and with fewer passengers there is more room for shopping.
Leave before dawn
We start early to get into the center when it opens and return to Almaty the same day.
Overnight option
Not enough time in one day? You can stay the night in Zharkent and head back the next day, stopping at the wooden mosque built without nails on the way.
Khorgos: trip price
from 100,000 ₸ — 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 Khorgos: a private minibus instead of a scheduled bus
Your group travels in our minibus with a driver, from your door to the destination. Distance: ~330 km; drive time: ~4.5 hours.
Your own AlaGo minibus
- from 100,000 ₸ 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.
Khorgos: frequently asked questions
How much is a minibus trip from Almaty to Khorgos?
From 100,000 ₸ for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus, one way. A same-day round trip with waiting in the parking lot is priced for your date and group size; we’ll give you the price right away.
How long is the drive from Almaty to Khorgos?
About 330 km via Shelek and Zharkent, about 4.5 hours not counting stops. With an early start, the trip fits into one long day, with a few hours at the center.
Does the driver wait while we walk around the pavilions?
Yes, if you booked a trip with waiting and the drive back: vehicles do not enter the ICBC, so the minibus waits in the parking lot at the checkpoint, and the driver is reachable by phone. The price from 100,000 ₸ is for one way; a trip with waiting is priced separately.
Will our purchases fit?
The Hiace has a separate luggage compartment, and if needed some of the 13 seats can be freed up for cargo. All 13 can travel light; if everyone has a large suitcase or bulky purchases, we take up to 9 passengers. Tell us what you plan to bring back when you book; we will take it into account when loading.
What documents do we need to enter the center?
You enter the center with an identity document; the rules are set by the border service. Duty-free allowances change from time to time, so check the current requirements before the trip: the carrier is not responsible for customs rules.
Can we go to Khorgos and stay the night?
Yes, there are several options: a one-way transfer, a same-day trip with waiting, or an overnight stay in Zharkent and return the next day. Tell us your schedule and we will price it.
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.