Search Flights from Sofia to Shymkent

Shymkent, also known as Chimkent, is at the center of South Kazakhstan, one of the most populous regions of Kazakhstan. Situated on the junction of Turkestan-Siberia Railway, Shymkent is located 690 km west of Almaty and 120 km north of Tashkent. The city, with a population of approximately 855 thousand, was established on Sayram River Valley. Shymkent, Kazakhstan's third largest city, has a history of about 8 hundred years.

Located in the south of the country, Shymkent is a cultural, commercial, industrial and tourism center. Although Shymkent is a small and underpopulated city, it is an important location where transportation networks intersect thanks to the distance between the city and nearby tourist destinations. Railway transportation is also very popular in Shymkent. The city also has connections with important cities such as Baku, Yerevan and Tbilisi.

In order to go to the city from Shymkent International Airport which is approximately 11 km to the city center, you need to go to the area where you can get on a car, bus or taxi. These vehicles are located at the exit of the terminal. Or you can rent your own car from one of the companies located in the terminal and go to the city center in about 10-15 minutes.

Train

Fundamentally, the whole intracity and intercity transportation network of Shymkent is performed through the Shymkent railway station. The railway networks of Shymkent, Kazakhstan's third largest city, are linked to many cities of Kazakhstan. The train station, located 1.5 km from the city center, is in Kabanbay Batyr. From the airport, you can get to the train station, Sportivnaya, directly by bus.

Bus

Shymkent central bus station is located in Samal. At the same time there is the second biggest bus station in Ayna. Bus route 12 offers service between Shymkent Airport and the city center.

Apart from this, if you want to go to Almaty from Shymkent by bus, you should know that the travel will last about 12 hours. These buses depart from Avtovokzal Samal. Every half an hour there are buses to many parts of the city from Avtovokzal Samal which is located 4 km north of the city center.

Marshrutka

Shymkent marshrutka routes are almost the same as the buses. These two means of transportation are the most important public transportation vehicles in the city. There is also no big difference in terms of the fares. From Samal, where the central bus station is located, there are marshrutka services to many parts of the city. To get to the city from Shymkent Airport, you can use the marshrutkas waiting outside the terminal. According to the fares of 2013 ticket price is 50 Tenge.

Taxi

If you get on a taxi to go to the city center from Shymkent Airport, you need to pay approximately 21-25 TL for the travel. This travel of 10.8 kilometers lasts approximately 11-12 minutes. If you make a reservation by getting in contact with Avto-kz Taxi, which is the most popular taxi company in Shymkent, your taxi will pick you up at the airport.

Car Rental

We recommend you to evaluate renting a car as your last option if your visit will be short and you will spend your time only in the center of Shymkent. Because the city has a small surface area, you can prefer other alternatives instead of renting a car. If you have rented your car from the airport and want to get to the city center, you can use the highway M-32.