Almaty to Bishkek

Almaty to Bishkek

Almaty
Bishkek
Thu, Aug 6
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Almaty to Bishkek Destination Reviews

CS
Cameron S
Aircon doesn’t work and it gets very hot. No one was sitting in the allocated seats and everyone had to move and change. Not much communication around the border crossing.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Aug 3, 2026
SK
Sai K
Thanks to the driver who waited for us. We were 3 minutes late due to busy traffic in Almaty.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Aug 1, 2026
CP
Charalambos P
Everything worked out perfectly
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 26, 2026
MH
Michael H
Left 20 minutes late. No bathrooms at Almaty bus station and super grumpy staff. Bus was comfortable but slow and stopped for 20 minute toilet break halfway. Confusing border crossing (grab a Yandex once you clear customs rather than wait for the bus)
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 22, 2026
RA
Richard A
Did what it says on the box, got from point A to point B. close to unbearably hot hence the rating. bring a fkn lot of water. you’ll be sweating through whatever clothes you decide to wear. Side note; no way to contact them afterwards so make sure you don’t leave anything on board. left my glasses and i’ll never see them again.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 20, 2026
EI
Ellen I
I wouldn’t recommend going when it’s very hot outside. The bus had some kind of aircon but it helped very little. It was one sweaty trip. We left from Almaty 20 minutes behind schedule. Some guy had taken our seats but the driver told him to move 👍 We stopped by a shop halfway for a toilet break and snacks. The bus seemed to have some issues after the break, it kept shaking and the driver had to slow down and go really slow when it went uphill. Maybe it was overheated, after all it was almost 40 C outside. Thankfully, the bus didn’t break down. We arrived at the border after five hours. This was on a Thursday at 5pm and the crossing went smooth, there was no line and the border buildings had pleasant aircon. We took a Yandex taxi from the border to our hotel. There are people selling SIM cards on the Kirgiz side if you need. We had prepared eSIMs.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 17, 2026
RS
Randall S
Booked two tickets for bus 701 Almaty to Bishkek via 12GO and it worked! The bust attendant checked our PSF tickets and everything went smoothly. I advise booking in advance despite reviews indicating reviewer rocked up to bus station morning of and bought tickets. We were on an 8am bus in a Saturday in July and the bus was fully booked. This specific bus had aircon, which was helpful. The bust attendant stopped halfway for a toilet and snack break. Prepare 100 Tenge coins before you depart Almaty or yikes! At the border the bus drops off all passengers and we collected all of our luggage and had to walk through immigration. We never saw the bus again, nor did we wait for it. We booked a ride from the border to Bishkek via Yandex Go and it cost ~ US$7.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 12, 2026
EK
Eric K
Go straight to platform 2 with your pdf ticket. No need to check in. You cross the border by foot, the bus takes quite a while to cross but you can catch a Yandex or a different bus into town, it's only another 30 minutes away.
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jul 10, 2026
BW
Brendan W
Full bus very hot with limited airflow. Slow through both border points
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Seater, Nurdan Tour, Jun 28, 2026
FC
Francis C
Just did in a early review 🤔
Almaty to Bishkek, Bus Standard Seat, Nurdan Tour, Jun 8, 2026
4.4
29 customer reviews
5
28%
4
17%
3
35%
2
17%
1
3%

Almaty to Bishkek Schedule

TypeOperatorClassDeparture TimeArrival TimePriceRating
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
00:15
17:15
$291.37
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
01:00
12:40
$329.60
Flight
Air Arabia
Economy
01:20
14:40
$522.36
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
02:00
17:15
$324.83
Flight
Azerbaijan Airlines
Economy
02:35
03:05
$414.41
Flight
Air Arabia
Economy
03:05
03:30
$384.50
Flight
Air Arabia
Economy
03:30
03:20
$559.49
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
04:20
03:30
$1,198.90
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
04:45
17:15
$173.74
Flight
SCAT Airlines
Economy
05:20
17:15
$237.02
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
06:35
09:30
$523.46
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
08:45
17:15
$331.17
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
09:10
03:30
$1,211.56
Flight
Turkish Airlines
Economy
09:50
09:30
$523.46
Flight
China Southern Airlines
Economy
10:40
10:10
$726.52
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
11:00
17:15
$180.64
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
11:55
17:15
$154.75
Flight
Air Astana
Economy
12:25
14:10
$298.00
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
13:00
17:15
$211.71
Flight
FlyArystan
Economy
13:20
12:40
$320.27

How to get from Almaty to Bishkek

When you want to get from Almaty to Bishkek, you have a few options to consider. Traveling between these destinations is possible by different means of transport:

  • Flight
  • Bus
  • Taxi

If you’re looking for a quick trip, it’s recommended that you use Flight. However, if you’d rather take your time with a slower, more affordable travel option, you can book a Flight ticket.

The cost of travel will depend on the means of transport you choose for your trip. A flight ticket is the most expensive option - it will cost you about USD 231.89. If you want to save on transportation, it’s better to take a bus as a bus ticket costs as low as USD 7.74.

How far is Almaty from Bishkek?

If you’re traveling by land, it’s important to know the distance from Almaty to Bishkek. Your trip will be a total of 441 miles (709 km). The flying distance is 441 miles (709 km).

How long does it take to get from Almaty to Bishkek?

The travel time from Almaty to Bishkek can vary depending on the mode of transportation you choose. All things considered, the whole journey should take from 1 to 18 hours.

How much does it cost to get from Almaty to Bishkek?

The cost of the trip from Almaty to Bishkek varies according to what means of transport you choose for your journey. The most affordable operator is Nurdan Tour: travelling by bus expect to pay as low as USD 7.74 for your ticket.

However, if you’re after more upscale travel . The most expensive variant is to opt for a flight - a one-way flight ticket can cost as much as USD 231.89.

Here is a chart of the average ticket prices and transportation options available from Almaty to Bishkek:

  • Bus tickets - USD 7.74 to USD 7.74;
  • Plane tickets - USD 96.77 to USD 231.89;

You can order a taxi, too - an estimated cost of the ride is from USD 73.32 to USD 124.99.

How many trips per day are there between Almaty and Bishkek?

Depending on your choice of transportation, the number of daily trips varies.

  • Flights from Almaty to Bishkek depart during the day - there are approximately 7 departures a day.
  • Buses start plying the route from 18:00 - you can also take a bus as late as 18:00. There are 1 available bus trips every day.
  • Taxis are a good option to consider for this route, too. Book a cab to take you from Almaty to Bishkek any time of the day.

Which means of transport is the best for the route?

Flights

Traveling by plane is the fastest way to get from Almaty to Bishkek. While it’s often the most expensive option, tool, occasionally you can grab promotional tickets for more or less the price of a train or a ferry ticket. Normally, the minimum you need to pay for a Plane ticket is USD 96.77.

Things to remember before boarding a plane:

  • It’s recommended to book a ticket in advance and check-in online. This way, you can save over 2 hours at the airport, and if your seat selection is on a first come first served basis you will have more options to choose from.
  • Getting through security checks may take some time - it’s recommended to get to the airport at least 1.5 hours in advance.

Airlines flying from Almaty to Bishkek

Air Astana, Air Astana, Qazaq Air, SCAT Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Uzbekistan Airways

Buses

Taking a bus from Almaty to Bishkek is cheaper than flying. Quite often, a long-distance bus is the cheapest transportation option. Buses normally make bathroom and/or lunch stops along the way.

Things to remember before opting for a bus ride:

  • If possible, make sure to choose higher-class buses for a more comfortable travel experience. Such buses often have an air conditioning system, soft reclining seats, Wi-Fi, bathrooms, etc.
  • As with plane tickets, buses are better booked in advance so that you can secure a good seat.
  • While booking a bus, keep in mind that delays are possible. Yet it still pays to get to the bus station at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.

Taxi

Catching a cab is the easiest way to get from Almaty to Bishkek. It allows you to tailor-make your trip, plan all the detours and see all the places you want. You can choose the type and the size of your car as well to be as comfortable as you'd like to.

Depending on the route, it might cost as much as USD 73.32.

Things to remember: It's a good idea to follow the route on Google Maps or any other GPS navigator..

The most popular transport from Almaty to Bishkek

How to choose the most convenient way of travel from Almaty to Bishkek? In order to make your choice of transportation easier, we asked 1000 users to range their preferences for this route. Here are the results of the poll:

  • 85% decided to go for a bus.
  • 10% decided to catch a taxi.
  • 5% users took a plane.

Transportation from Almaty to Bishkek

Facts about the transport from Almaty to Bishkek

Cheapest Transport$8
Fastest Transport50m
Earliest Departure5:20 AM
Latest Departure11:10 PM
Departures per day14
Distance709 kilometers
Transport CompaniesAir Astana, Air Astana, Easy Transfer, Nurdan Tour, Qazaq Air, SCAT Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Uzbekistan Airways