Tolls on BAKAD to double: new rates announced
Tengrinews.kz — Starting August 16, tolls for the Big Almaty Ring Road (BAKAD) will double.
Acting Minister of Transport Maksat Kaliakparov has signed an order amending the current rules for the use of the BAKAD toll road.
The order will take effect 10 calendar days after its first official publication.
Note: BAKAD (the Big Almaty Ring Road) is a 66-kilometer toll bypass around Almaty. It connects major national highways, diverting transit traffic away from the city and reducing the load on Almaty's urban road network.
Price changes
The cost of a single trip, regardless of the distance traveled within one hour, will be:
for passenger cars – 0.14 MCI (605.5 tenge for 2026);for buses up to 16 seats and trucks with a capacity up to 2.5 tons – 0.16 MCI (692 tenge);for buses up to 32 seats and trucks with a capacity up to 5.5 tons – 0.28 MCI (1,211 tenge);for buses over 32 seats and trucks with a capacity up to 10 tons – 0.32 MCI (1,384 tenge);for trucks with a capacity from 10 to 15 tons – 0.40 MCI (1,730 tenge);for trucks with a capacity over 15 tons, includingvehicles with trailers and semi-trailer trucks – 0.44 MCI (1,903 tenge).
Note:The Monthly Calculation Index (MCI) in 2026 is 4,325 tenge.
Meanwhile, the cost of monthly and annual passes remains unchanged.
Eligibility for discounts
Along with the new rates, a 50 percent discount will apply in two cases:
for pre-payment – if funds are credited to the personal account or the vehicle's license plate account before entering the toll section;;for post-payment – if the driver pays for the trip within 7 working days after it is recorded by the system.
After this period expires, the discount no longer applies.
Context
Traffic on the Big Almaty Ring Road opened in June 2023. The 66-kilometer highway passes through the Karasay, Ili, and Talgar districts of the Almaty region, allowing drivers to bypass the city.
The road is primarily six lanes, with four lanes on certain sections. It operates an open toll system without barriers: passage is recorded by overhead gantries and cameras.
Following the launch, authorities announced they would provide special benefits for residents of the Karasay, Ili, and Talgar districts. Drivers were also permitted to pay for trips either in advance or after travel.
Initially, the toll for passenger cars was 0.07 MCI, while rates for other vehicle categories ranged from 0.12 to 0.72 MCI.