The LRT light rail transport has been officially launched in Astana. Its operation is regulated by the Unified Dispatch Center. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev visited the specialized service.
21 specialists were involved in monitoring. They control the operation of 15 driverless trains that run on a 22.4 km long line. Each light rail train is designed to carry more than 600 passengers.
The processes of control, acceleration, braking, and door opening, as well as operation in case of emergencies, are fully automated.
Additional control is provided by the manual control function, as well as prompt communication with the dispatcher.
Currently, the LRT includes 18 stations and a depot. Trains move at speeds up to 60 km/h with an interval of 5 minutes. The travel time to the final station takes about 40 minutes.
The authorities plan to build a new light rail line. It will run in the directions of "Astana-1" station, "Zhagalau" residential area, Kosshy city. The length of the second stage will be 26.5 km. The construction of 20 stations is envisaged.
Tokayev became the first passenger to travel from "Auezhai" station to "Ulttyk Museum" station. The Head of State noted that the opening of such a large-scale project in Astana is of great importance for the capital and the entire country.