Kazakhstan’s transport sector set for digital overhaul: what will change

Tengrinews.kz — Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reviewed digital solutions being introduced in Kazakhstan’s transport sector. They include the use of artificial intelligence in road and rail transport, as well as aviation, according to the government’s press service.
At the Transport Ministry’s Situation Center, the Prime Minister was shown projects aimed at digitally transforming the sector. These include the National Video Monitoring System, e-Joldar, Smart Cargo, Q-Gate, QazETA, Echelon Alpha, KinetiX and Trip Optimizer.
AI to be used to predict road accidents
The National Video Monitoring System is being introduced in the road transport sector. It integrates data from cameras, weight-control systems and toll collection systems.
In the future, artificial intelligence is expected to be used not only to detect violations. The system is intended to help analyze traffic conditions, predict risks and prevent accidents.
Another digital tool is e-Joldar. The system was launched around two months ago and makes it possible to monitor road conditions, the quality of materials used and repair costs.
More than 41,000 kilometers of national roads have already been digitized using the system. By the end of the year, it is planned to cover Kazakhstan’s entire 185,000-kilometer road network.
Freight and passengers
The Smart Cargo platform is designed to track international freight flows through a “single-window” system. Data from 58 information systems have been integrated into the platform.
According to the Transport Ministry, this has made it possible to track all freight, speed up border crossings by 30 percent and reduce carriers’ waiting times in queues tenfold.
Biometric Q-Gate terminals are being introduced at airports. They identify passengers by face and passport within 15–50 seconds, which is four to five times faster than the standard screening procedure.
The QazETA platform has also been introduced for foreign tourists. The service allows citizens of visa-free countries to obtain an electronic travel authorization online 72 hours before their trip.
AI to help forecast transit flows
The Echelon Alpha platform is used to assess Kazakhstan’s transit potential, model route networks and analyze demand across different destinations. So far, around 30 promising routes have been identified with its help.
KinetiX, a contactless rolling-stock diagnostics system, is being introduced in the railway sector. It has reduced technical inspection time at stations by 30 percent and the amount of manual measurements by 70 percent.
Another solution, Trip Optimizer, is designed to automate train operation while taking into account track profiles, train weight and established speed limits.
What has changed in the transport sector
Bektenov was also shown specialized road diagnostic equipment and briefed on completed infrastructure projects. According to the Transport Ministry, the gross output of the transport sector has tripled over the past five years and exceeded 14 trillion tenge.
During this period, 5,000 kilometers of railway tracks and 5,000 kilometers of roads were repaired. Rail transit volumes reached 33 million tonnes, while road freight volumes tripled.
Over the next three years, the authorities plan to build 2,200 kilometers of new railway tracks and increase transit volumes to 77 million tonnes. The capacity of seaports is expected to increase fourfold.
By 2040, domestic road freight volumes are projected to rise from the current 353 million tonnes to 590 million tonnes.
Bektenov orders expansion of AI solutions
The Prime Minister stressed that transport digitalization must bring practical benefits to citizens, businesses and the state.

“President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has identified the further development of a digital services state as a priority. Digitalization and artificial intelligence must bring tangible benefits to citizens, businesses and the state. The government’s task is to accelerate the introduction of useful AI solutions across all sectors of the economy. I instruct that the projects presented today for the technological transformation of the transport sector be fully implemented across the country as soon as possible,” Olzhas Bektenov said.

The Prime Minister also instructed officials to integrate information systems used in the transport sector and related industries. This is expected to improve safety, shorten transportation times and optimize costs.
Earlier, President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev said Kazakhstan was moving to the second stage of digitalization — from developing digital public services to the practical application of artificial intelligence. The President stressed that 2026 had been declared the Year of Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence.
“We must now put digitalization and artificial intelligence at the service of people, at the service of all citizens of our country,” Tokayev said.