Modern aviation hub of Central Asia -
Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport (IATA: NQZ, ICAO: UACC), located in the southeast of the city, is the largest air harbor of the republic. Founded in 1931 as a small airfield, today it has turned into a high-tech complex serving more than 4.3 million passengers per year.
The capital Astana through this terminal receives about 195 flights per day, providing Kazakhstan's connection with 20 world airlines, including such giants as Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and the national carrier Air Astana.
The airport complex is located in the Esil district, 16.7 km from the business center, from where the path to the main architectural symbols of the left bank opens. Very close to the airport are objects of world significance: the EXPO exhibition center and the futuristic "Nur Alem" pavilion. Literally a ten-minute drive away rises the Astana Ballet Theatre, as well as the country's largest Mega Silk Way shopping mall, which allows tourists to quickly get from the aircraft ramp to the centers of attraction.
The architectural ensemble of the airport includes two passenger terminals and a business aviation terminal. The domestic terminal T2, crowned with a recognizable blue dome, was designed by the legendary Japanese architect Kisho Kurokawa. In the immediate vicinity of the air gates are modern business objects such as the Hilton Astana hotel and the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) and the Main Republican Mosque, forming a powerful infrastructure network of the city of Astana around the airport.
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How to get there and visit -
Nursultan Nazarbayev Airport is located at the address: 119 Kabanbay Batyr Avenue, northwest of Lake Maibalyk, Astana city, Republic of Kazakhstan.
GPS coordinates: 51°01'20"N 71°28'01"E
It is possible to get to the terminals around the clock. Bus routes follow to the airport from different points of the city in the following order: No. 802 (express), 100, 12 and 10. The fare varies from 110 to 250 tenge.
Buses No. 10 and No. 12 run from early morning (about 06:00) until 22:30.
A taxi from the city center will cost approximately 1500–2500 tenge.
Paid parking lots P1 and covered parking P3 are available on the station square, as well as an alternative free parking lot.
Operating mode: the airport operates 24/7. Inside, there are business lounges, CIP and VIP halls, mother and child rooms, storage rooms and Duty Free points.
Astana Airport is "silent": announcements are not voiced, but broadcast exclusively on monitors.
Help desk contacts: +7 7172 70 29 99
Official website of the airport
Airport's page on the Instagram social network
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History
The history of the airport began in 1930, when the first site was built 3 km from the city of Akmolinsk (now the Bayterek district). Since December 1931, regular service with Semipalatinsk began. In 1963, a new airport was put into operation at its current location, 18 km from Tselinograd. After gaining independence and moving the capital to Astana, the airfield underwent a massive reconstruction: the runway was lengthened to 3500 meters, which made it possible to receive all types of aircraft without restrictions.
In 2005, a new passenger terminal designed by Kisho Kurokawa was opened. A landmark event was the opening in 2017 of the international terminal T1 with an area of 47 thousand square meters. In June of the same year, the airport was officially renamed in honor of the First President of Kazakhstan. In 2020, a historic change of the international IATA code from TSE to NQZ took place, where "N" symbolizes the name Nursultan, and "QZ" – the new spelling of Kazakhstan.
Information
The airport infrastructure is divided into three terminals: T1 (international), T2 (domestic) and BAT (business aviation). The international terminal T1 is equipped with a modern baggage handling system of the EU 2020 standard, capable of processing 1200 units per hour, and has 50 passport control booths. The domestic terminal T2, with an area of over 24 thousand square meters, has 6 telescopic ramps and an observation deck with a panoramic view.
The technical condition of the airport corresponds to ICAO category IIIA, which allows landing with horizontal visibility of only 200 meters. The business aviation terminal, opened in 2015, offers exclusive services: conference rooms, lounge bars and meeting rooms. In 2022, the airport was recognized by Skytrax as the best regional airport in Central Asia and the CIS. To ensure safety and communication quality, the Hytera XPT digital trunking system was implemented in 2017.
Detailed description of the object
The airport complex of the city of Astana offers a high level of service and unique functional zones:
• Terminal T1 – a modern building with a capacity of 8.2 million passengers per year. Here are located Duty Free zones, food outlets on 1000 square meters and automated check-in systems.
• Terminal T2 – a historical "dome" building, an architectural gem by Kisho Kurokawa. The five-level terminal includes arrival and departure zones and three levels in the dome itself.
• Business aviation terminal – a separate complex with an area of 2400 square meters for VIP guests and private flights with its own parking for 52 places.
• "Silent Airport" system – a unique feature of the facility, providing acoustic comfort for passengers thanks to visual information through digital displays.
• Service zone – includes bank branches, currency exchange points, sale of local SIM cards and luggage wrapping services, as well as a special lounge for long stays of crews.
Architecture
The architectural style of the airport is a symbiosis of futurism and metabolism. The dome building of T2, created by Kurokawa, symbolizes harmony with the environment and the technological progress of Kazakhstan in the early 2000s. The new terminal T1 is made in a high-tech style with an abundance of glass and open spaces.
The design of the terminals emphasizes the dynamic development of the capital. Advanced finishing materials are used inside the buildings, and panoramic glazing opens up a view of the endless steppes and Lake Maibalyk, creating a sense of space and freedom.
Legend
Among the employees of the airport of the city of Astana, there is a legend about the "White Airfield Bekerai". They say that in 1927, the village of Beketovka was located on the site of the current terminal, and the old spirits of these places still guard the runway, ensuring a soft landing in the strongest blizzards.
Another legend is connected with the blue dome of terminal T2: it is said that the Japanese architect laid a "code of luck" in its construction, and everyone who leaves from under this dome for the first time to distant lands will definitely return to Kazakhstan with good news and success.
Conclusion
Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport is not just a transport facility, but a living symbol of the nation's openness. Here every journey to the heart of Eurasia begins and ends. Thanks to modern terminals T1 and T2, proximity to the Expo district and high-class service, the airport sets the bar for hospitality for the entire region.
The capital Astana continues to develop its air gates, making them a place where world standards meet the hospitality of the great steppe.
Interesting attractions nearby:
• Nur Alem Museum of Future Energy;
• Kazanat Hippodrome;
• National Space Center;
• Lake Maibalyk.
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