Onay or Avtobys? Almaty Akimat Issues Official Response

The Almaty City Administration (Akimat) has officially decided to implement a dual electronic payment system in public transport to enhance passenger convenience.

According to the City Mobility Department, the new Avtobys digital system will operate alongside the long-standing Onay system on all metropolitan routes. The department formally stated that there are currently no plans to replace the existing operator.

The simultaneous use of both systems is designed to provide passengers with a wider range of payment options.
The Avtobys system will be launched in phases, starting with specific routes before expanding across the entire public transport network. Installation of equipment for the second operator has already begun on city buses.

The introduction of a new player follows a formal complaint filed by the Association of Bus Carriers to the Agency for Protection and Development of Competition. However, the City Mobility Department maintains that this move is aimed at improving service quality rather than monopolizing the market.

 "To enhance passenger convenience, various proposals from domestic operators were reviewed. As a result, the decision was made to introduce Avtobys as a second operator in Almaty, offering diverse payment methods," the official statement read.

Furthermore, the Avtobys operator has already begun establishing its own network of retail points across the city to sell standard transport cards.