Car hire and driving in Semey
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Kazakhstan traffic drives on the right. Picking up at PLX means 8 km (5 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648794 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648798.
Drives from Semey
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Semey to Ust-Kamenogorsk | Kazakhstan | 175 km (109 mi) | about 2 h 40 min |
| Semey to Pavlodar | Kazakhstan | 307 km (191 mi) | about 4 h 41 min |
| Semey to Ekibastuz | Kazakhstan | 373 km (232 mi) | about 5 h 42 min |
| Semey to Karagandy | Kazakhstan | 514 km (319 mi) | about 7 h 50 min |
| Semey to Temirtau | Kazakhstan | 520 km (323 mi) | about 7 h 56 min |
| Semey to Taldykorgan | Kazakhstan | 617 km (383 mi) | about 9 h 25 min |
| Semey to Astana | Kazakhstan | 624 km (388 mi) | about 9 h 31 min |
| Semey to Kokshetau | Kazakhstan | 810 km (503 mi) | about 12 h 21 min |
| Semey to Almaty | Kazakhstan | 836 km (520 mi) | about 12 h 45 min |
| Semey to Petropavl | Kazakhstan | 896 km (557 mi) | about 13 h 40 min |
| Semey to Zhezqazghan | Kazakhstan | 957 km (595 mi) | about 14 h 36 min |
| Semey to Taraz | Kazakhstan | 1,075 km (668 mi) | about 16 h 23 min |
| Semey to Shymkent | Kazakhstan | 1,215 km (755 mi) | about 18 h 31 min |
| Semey to Aktobe | Kazakhstan | 1,628 km (1,012 mi) | about 24 h 50 min |
| Semey to Kyzylorda | Kazakhstan | 1,263 km (785 mi) | about 19 h 16 min |
| Semey to Turkistan | Kazakhstan | 1,205 km (749 mi) | about 18 h 23 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Semey?
The right, as everywhere in Kazakhstan.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.