The first CHARME passenger carriages produced at the Stadler Kazakhstan LLP plant in Astana were accepted by the customer in early August 2026. However, a date for their introduction to passenger routes has not yet been confirmed.
WHAT IS KNOWN
As reported by Kursiv, the first CHARME passenger carriages manufactured in Astana using technology from the Swiss group Stadler passed acceptance by the customer in early August 2026.
At the end of 2025, all types of these carriages received certificates of conformity with the requirements of the technical regulation of the Customs Union 001/2011 "On the safety of railway rolling stock".
From September 2025 to May 2026, the new rolling stock underwent scheduled and additional testing.
WHEN WILL THE CARRIAGES ENTER SERVICE
Despite the transfer of the carriages to the customer's balance sheet, the date for the start of their commercial operation has not been determined.
Stadler emphasised that the national carrier makes the decision on introducing the trains into service independently.
HOW MANY CARRIAGES WILL BE PRODUCED IN 2026
According to the approved delivery schedule, Stadler Kazakhstan LLP will produce more than 100 passenger carriages in 2026.
The company stated that production work on this number of carriages and the preliminary validation process are being carried out in accordance with the established plan.
CONTEXT AND SIGNIFICANCE
Initially, the launch of the carriages was planned for April 2026, but during the trial operation period, the operator recorded a number of technical defects.
The situation with the delay and the identified issues confirms previously voiced risks regarding technical compatibility. In December 2025, the FBRC pointed out possible discrepancies between the carriage parameters and platform infrastructure, including a potentially insufficient gap for the safe boarding of passengers.
In March 2026, Transport Minister Nurlan Sauranbayev confirmed that the delivery of 51 carriages had been delayed. According to him, the reason was differences in technical standards between Switzerland and Kazakhstan, as well as additional questions raised by KTZ regarding the carriages' specifications.
Earlier, Aidar Ryskulov, Managing Director for Economics and Finance at Samruk-Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund JSC, reported that the first batch of carriages had not been accepted due to issues with the braking system, and the resumption of deliveries was tentatively expected in the second quarter of 2026.
Later, Stadler Kazakhstan LLP refuted this statement, noting that the identified issues had been resolved and the carriages were ready for acceptance by the customer.
In June 2026, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed that deliveries of the new Stadler carriages be ensured in the shortest possible time, in compliance with safety requirements.
