Kazakhstan reports technical issues with Stadler railcars

Kazakhstan Railways (KTZ) has spent more than $218.2 million on railcars produced by Stadler Kazakhstan, an Astana-based subsidiary of the Swiss company Stadler Rail. However, the trains have not yet entered service, reportedly due to technical issues.

During a media briefing, Deputy Transport Minister Maksat Kaliakparov was asked why the Stadler railcars are not yet operational, even though their launch had been expected earlier this month.

«We have already tested Stadler railcars in pilot mode. As a result, we identified a number of technical issues and received comments from the railway operator. Stadler has committed to addressing them, so we plan to put the trains into operation in the coming months,» he said.

Last year, KTZ announced that the first batch of 51 Stadler railcars, manufactured at the Astana plant, would join its fleet by the end of the year. A total of 557 railcars are scheduled for delivery by 2030.

In September 2025, the government said it would allocate $310.9 million in budget loans to KTZ for the purchase of Stadler railcars. The funds are to be provided over three years through the Samruk-Kazyna fund.

Media reports also said that KTZ would pay about $320 million in advance, followed by an additional $94.4 million for the delivery of the first 51 railcars.