Key facts
- COVERAGE
- Kazakhstan
- NETWORKS
- Beeline
- PLAN TYPE
- Data only
- IP ADDRESS LOCATION
- United Kingdom
- DELIVERY
- QR code by email
How it works
- 1Choose a plan and pay.
- 2Scan the QR code we email you. You can install it before you fly.
- 3When you land in Kazakhstan, turn on data roaming for the Spidot line.
Questions about the Kazakhstan eSIM
Which networks does it use?
Do I get a local phone number?
Can I use it outside Kazakhstan?
How do I install it?
Will my phone work with an eSIM?
Can I use Yandex Go or inDrive with a foreign phone number?
Will I have signal at Charyn Canyon and the Kolsai Lakes?
Is the train from Almaty to Astana connected?
Do I need to register my phone in Kazakhstan?
Does my phone work in very cold weather?
Kazakhstan eSIM guide: mobile data for Almaty, Astana, the mountains and the steppe
Kazakhstan is the largest country in Central Asia and one of the largest in the world, and distances there are on a different scale from most of Europe. Visitors usually focus on two cities: Almaty, set against the snow-capped Tian Shan mountains in the south-east, and the capital Astana, with its modern architecture on the northern steppe. From Almaty, day trips lead to mountain lakes, ski slopes and canyons, while in the south the old Silk Road city of Turkistan draws visitors to the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi.
Mobile data helps a great deal here. Visitors use it for taxis, maps, translation from Russian and Kazakh, train and flight bookings and keeping in touch over long journeys. This guide explains how a Kazakhstan eSIM from Spidot compares with roaming and a local SIM, how much data different trips use, what to do on arrival, and what coverage is like in the cities, in the mountains and on long train and road journeys.
Your options for mobile data in Kazakhstan
The main options are roaming on your home SIM, a local prepaid SIM, or a travel eSIM installed before you leave.
Roaming on your home SIM
Kazakhstan is outside most providers' cheaper roaming zones, and rates can be high. Not every provider has a roaming agreement there, so check that yours covers Kazakhstan and at what price before you rely on it.
A local prepaid SIM
Local SIMs are sold at airports and in phone shops, and you will need your passport to register one. Kazakhstan also has rules requiring phones brought from abroad to be registered by their IMEI number if they are used with a local SIM beyond a limited period. These rules change, so long-stay visitors should check current guidance. A local SIM makes sense if you are staying for months or need a Kazakh number for local services.
A Spidot eSIM
With a travel eSIM you buy a plan online, receive a QR code by email and install it at home, so you are connected when you land. Plans for Kazakhstan start from $2.90. Your own SIM stays active for calls and texts. Plans are data-only unless you choose Data + calls. WhatsApp and Telegram are widely used in Kazakhstan, so data covers most contact with hotels, drivers and guides.
How much data a trip to Kazakhstan uses
City breaks in Almaty or Astana involve a lot of taxis, maps and translation, while longer trips add train journeys and mountain excursions. The figures below are rough estimates for planning, not exact measurements.
- Maps and navigation: roughly 5 to 10 MB an hour of active use.
- Taxi apps: light, but used several times a day.
- Camera translation of signs and menus: a few MB per use; less with offline language packs.
- Messaging with photos and voice notes: often 50 to 200 MB a day.
- Video calls home: roughly 500 MB to 1 GB an hour.
- Streaming films on long train journeys: often 1 to 3 GB per film unless downloaded in advance.
Choosing a plan
For a business trip or a week in Almaty with day trips, a mid-sized fixed data plan is usually enough. If you are working remotely, travelling for several weeks or using a lot of video, an unlimited plan priced by the day may suit you better; speed may slow after heavy use. Frequent business travellers can use a no-expiry plan so unused data carries over. See the prices page for current options.
Install the eSIM before you fly
Many flights to Kazakhstan arrive late at night or in the early morning. Installing at home on Wi-Fi means you can order a taxi as soon as you land. Make sure your phone supports eSIM and is unlocked; dialling *#06# shows an EID on most eSIM phones. Then follow the install guide for iPhone, Samsung or Pixel.
- Label the new line Kazakhstan or Travel.
- Set the Spidot line for mobile data and keep your home SIM for calls and texts.
- Turn off data roaming on your home SIM.
- Download offline maps of Almaty, Astana and any regions you plan to visit.
- Download offline Russian and, if available, Kazakh language packs in your translation app.
- Save hotel addresses in Cyrillic as well as Latin script for taxi drivers.
Arriving in Almaty or Astana
The main international airports are Almaty International Airport and Astana International Airport. Shymkent, Aktau, Atyrau and some other cities also have international flights, mainly to neighbouring countries and the Middle East.
- Turn off flight mode after landing.
- Turn on data roaming for the Spidot line; the data roaming guide shows where the setting is.
- Give the phone a minute to find a network, and restart it once if nothing happens.
- Check data works, then book a taxi through an app rather than accepting offers in the arrivals hall.
From the airport into the city
Both airports are a short drive from the city centre. Taxi apps are the usual way to get into town and show the fare in advance. Buses also run into both cities, but with luggage and after a night flight, most visitors take a car.
Coverage: cities, mountains and the steppe
Kazakhstan's population is spread thinly over a vast area. Coverage is good in cities and towns and along many main roads and railways, but large parts of the steppe and the mountains have weak or no signal. Your eSIM uses local partner networks; for this plan they are Beeline. The phone chooses automatically.
Almaty and the mountains
Almaty is well covered. The Medeu skating rink and the Shymbulak ski resort above the city are generally connected, and the road to Big Almaty Lake usually has signal near the lake and the city but not everywhere on the way. Longer trips from Almaty, to the Charyn Canyon, the Kolsai Lakes and Kaindy Lake, or to Altyn-Emel National Park, pass through areas with long gaps, especially on unpaved roads and trails.
Astana and the north
Astana is a modern city with good coverage, including in its large malls and the Khan Shatyr entertainment centre. Outside the city, the northern steppe and the Burabay lake district are generally connected in towns and resorts, with gaps on the open steppe.
The south and west
Shymkent and Turkistan in the south are well connected in their centres. The western regions around the Caspian Sea, Aktau and the Mangystau desert, with its underground mosques and dramatic rock formations, have coverage in towns and very little in the desert. Travel there with a local guide and offline maps.
Trains, long drives and domestic flights
Because of the distances, many visitors fly between Almaty and Astana, but trains are a popular and comfortable alternative, with day and overnight services. Coverage on trains comes and goes as the line crosses the steppe, with signal near towns and long stretches without it in between.
- Train tickets can be bought online through the national railway's website and app.
- Download films, music and offline maps before long journeys.
- On mountain excursions, agree pick-up times and places with your driver in advance in case you lose signal.
- In winter, temperatures in Astana and the north are very low, and cold drains batteries quickly. Keep your phone in an inside pocket and carry a power bank.
Taxi apps, maps and payments
Ride-hailing apps such as Yandex Go and inDrive are widely used in Kazakhstan's cities and are generally the easiest way to get around. 2GIS is a popular local mapping app with detailed information about businesses and building entrances, and works offline once you download a city.
- Currency: the Kazakhstani tenge.
- Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in cities, but carry cash for markets, rural areas and small shops.
- Local QR-code payment apps are very common, but most are tied to Kazakh bank accounts.
- Russian is widely spoken in cities, alongside Kazakh. English is less common outside hotels and business settings, so a translation app is very useful.
- Power sockets take the round two-pin European plug.
Hotspot use and public Wi-Fi
Hotels, cafés and malls in the cities usually offer Wi-Fi. Some public Wi-Fi asks you to sign in with a local phone number to receive a code, which may not work with a data-only plan. Your eSIM can share data with a laptop or a companion's phone through Personal Hotspot (iPhone) or Mobile Hotspot (Android); pause cloud sync and automatic updates while tethered.
- Use mobile data rather than public Wi-Fi for banking and payments.
- Check network names before connecting.
- Turn off auto-join for open networks.
- Avoid entering passwords on pages without https.
Combining Kazakhstan with Central Asia
Kazakhstan is often the starting point for a wider Central Asia trip. Kyrgyzstan is a few hours' drive from Almaty to Bishkek, and Uzbekistan, with Samarkand and Bukhara, is reached by road from Shymkent or by air. Some travellers also continue to China. A Kazakhstan plan is designed for use in Kazakhstan, so for a multi-country trip the simplest approach is one eSIM per country, installed before you leave so you can switch the active data line at each border.
Keeping track of your data
You can check how much data is left at any time and add more data to the same eSIM. Top up before heading into the mountains or onto a long train journey. If data stops working, check that data roaming is on for the Spidot line and restart the phone. For other problems, email support@spidot.com with the email address you used to order.