Stadler passenger carriages are planned to be launched on Kazakhstan's railway routes in late October — early November 2026. The exact date depends on the completion of additional tests of the braking system and other technical parameters.
WHEN OPERATION WILL BEGIN
As reported by Deputy Minister of Transport Zhanibek Taizhanov, part of the carriages have already been accepted by the customer, however checks of certain systems continue. In particular, specialists of JSC "NC "Kazakhstan Temir Zholy" (KTZ) are conducting tests of the braking system and other technical parameters.
According to Taizhanov, the preliminary launch date is late October or early November. At the same time, the date may change if additional work is required.
WHY THE LAUNCH WAS POSTPONED
The Deputy Minister explained the need for additional checks by the fact that the carriages represent a new type of rolling stock for Kazakhstan.
During test runs, specialists identified remarks which, according to Taizhanov, did not meet safety requirements. Additional checks were assigned to address them.
WHAT IS KNOWN ABOUT THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE CARRIAGES
The first CHARME passenger carriages, manufactured at the "Stadler Kazakhstan" LLP plant in Astana, were accepted by the customer in early August 2026. However, the acceptance itself did not mean the immediate start of commercial operation. The decision to put the carriages into operation is taken by the national carrier.
CONTEXT
Initially, the launch of the carriages was planned for April 2026, however during the test operating regime the operator recorded a number of technical shortcomings.
The situation with the delay and the identified remarks confirms the previously voiced risks of technical compatibility. In December 2025, the FBFR pointed to possible discrepancies between the parameters of the carriages and the platform infrastructure, including a potentially insufficient gap for the safe boarding of passengers.
In March 2026, Minister of Transport 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 on the part of KTZ regarding the characteristics of the carriages.
Earlier, Managing Director for Economics and Finance of JSC "FNB "Samruk-Kazyna" Aidar Ryskulov reported that the first batch of carriages had not been accepted due to remarks about the braking system, and the resumption of deliveries was preliminarily expected in the second quarter of 2026.
Later, "Stadler Kazakhstan" LLP refuted this statement, indicating that the identified remarks had been addressed and the carriages were ready for acceptance by the customer.
In June 2026, Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov instructed that the deliveries of new Stadler carriages be ensured in the shortest possible time while complying with safety requirements.