What It Costs to Hire a Minibus in Almaty

How much a minibus with a driver costs in Almaty

The short answer: in the city, from 10,000 ₸ (Kazakhstani tenge) per hour with a 3-hour minimum, so from 30,000 ₸ per booking; an airport transfer — from 20,000 ₸ for the whole trip; out-of-town and intercity routes have a fixed price per trip — Charyn Canyon from 80,000 ₸, Balkhash from 150,000 ₸, Alakol from 110,000 ₸ round trip, Bishkek from 90,000 ₸ one way. All amounts are for the whole Toyota Hiace minibus with a driver, not for a seat in it.

Why the price is the same for one passenger or 13

We are not a marshrutka (shared minibus taxi) or a taxi: we do not pick up other passengers and do not sell individual seats. A vehicle with a driver goes out on the trip, and its costs — fuel, the driver’s hours, wear and tear — do not depend on how many people are inside. That is why the amount is quoted for the whole trip. For you, this means two things: the price is known in advance and does not go up if two more people join at the last minute, and per person the trip gets cheaper the fuller the minibus is.

What makes up the amount

• The route and the road. An intercity price is based on the destination: highway or mountains, a border, the driver’s overnight stop. Balkhash is 470 km away and Alakol 600, yet Alakol costs less — such long legs are priced per trip, not by the hour. Travel times and prices by destination are in our article on how long the drive from Almaty takes.
• The driver’s hours. In the city you pay for time: a minimum of 3 hours, then for the hours actually used. Waiting between stops within the paid time costs nothing extra. For a detailed breakdown, see what goes into the cost of a trip.
• One way or round trip. Chundzha with the return trip — from 140,000 ₸, one way — from 70,000 ₸. Each row of the table says what the price covers: round trip or one way.
• An overnight stay on a long leg. A multi-day trip — Alakol or Balkhash with a night on the shore, Burabay (Borovoe) with an overnight stop on the way — is priced by the number of days: the vehicle and the driver are busy only with you the whole time.
• Date and season. Demand is higher in summer, and the cost of long trips may differ from the guide price in the table.

What is included and what is charged separately

The quoted amount already includes the minibus and the driver, fuel, pickup in Almaty, air conditioning for cooling and heating, multimedia and help with luggage. Pickup outside the city, paid parking and extra waiting time are agreed before the booking is confirmed. On day trips, national park entrance fees and the local off-road vehicle to Kaindy are paid separately. We do not take a deposit for the vehicle: it travels with its own driver, and we are responsible for its condition.

How to calculate it for a group of 8, 10 or 13 people

Divide the trip price by the number of passengers — that is the cost per person. On popular routes it works out like this:

• Airport transfer, from 20,000 ₸: for 8 people — 2,500 ₸ each, for 10 — 2,000 ₸, for 13 — about 1,540 ₸.
• Hourly hire, minimum booking 30,000 ₸: for 8 people — 3,750 ₸, for 10 — 3,000 ₸, for 13 — about 2,310 ₸ per person for three hours.
• Charyn Canyon, from 80,000 ₸ round trip: for 8 people — 10,000 ₸, for 10 — 8,000 ₸, for 13 — about 6,150 ₸ per person.
• Balkhash, from 150,000 ₸ round trip: for 8 people — 18,750 ₸, for 10 — 15,000 ₸, for 13 — about 11,540 ₸ per person.

The same number of people by taxi means three or four cars that get separated on the road, and a price that changes with demand in the app. Here the amount is known before departure and does not change on the way.

Payment, prepayment and cancellation

For trips in the city and short bookings, no prepayment is needed — you pay after the trip in cash or by Kaspi transfer. For long intercity trips and multi-day routes, we ask for a partial prepayment to hold the date: we tell you the amount on confirmation, and the balance is paid before departure. Companies can pay by bank transfer, with a contract, an invoice and closing documents for their accounting. If your plans change, let us know at least 24 hours before pickup, and cancellation is free.

Where to look next

Fixed prices for all cities and lakes are on the intercity transfers page, one-day trips to Charyn, Kolsai and the mountains under day trips, and hourly pricing is explained on the hourly hire page. The terms for meeting your flight are under airport transfer, and the vehicle itself and what it has on board — under Toyota Hiace hire with a driver.