Car hire and driving in Shymkent
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 CIT means 12 km (7 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 Shymkent
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shymkent to Turkistan | Kazakhstan | 155 km (96 mi) | about 2 h 22 min |
| Shymkent to Taraz | Kazakhstan | 159 km (99 mi) | about 2 h 26 min |
| Shymkent to Kyzylorda | Kazakhstan | 434 km (270 mi) | about 6 h 37 min |
| Shymkent to Almaty | Kazakhstan | 606 km (376 mi) | about 9 h 14 min |
| Shymkent to Zhezqazghan | Kazakhstan | 628 km (390 mi) | about 9 h 34 min |
| Shymkent to Taldykorgan | Kazakhstan | 767 km (476 mi) | about 11 h 41 min |
| Shymkent to Karagandy | Kazakhstan | 876 km (544 mi) | about 13 h 21 min |
| Shymkent to Temirtau | Kazakhstan | 899 km (558 mi) | about 13 h 42 min |
| Shymkent to Astana | Kazakhstan | 996 km (619 mi) | about 15 h 12 min |
| Shymkent to Ekibastuz | Kazakhstan | 1,132 km (704 mi) | about 17 h 16 min |
| Shymkent to Semey | Kazakhstan | 1,215 km (755 mi) | about 18 h 31 min |
| Shymkent to Kokshetau | Kazakhstan | 1,220 km (758 mi) | about 18 h 37 min |
| Shymkent to Aktobe | Kazakhstan | 1,298 km (806 mi) | about 19 h 47 min |
| Shymkent to Oral | Kazakhstan | 1,696 km (1,054 mi) | about 25 h 52 min |
| Shymkent to Pavlodar | Kazakhstan | 1,238 km (769 mi) | about 18 h 53 min |
| Shymkent to Ust-Kamenogorsk | Kazakhstan | 1,312 km (815 mi) | about 20 h |
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 Shymkent?
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.