14 hours, approximate journey time between Almaty and Nur-Sultan by high-speed rail in Kazakhstan

To share a rail journey with strangers is an aspect of travel which the founders of The Central Collective are fond of beyond most things involved with exploring a new destination. In our opinion, train travel is often the best option for getting around, with Kazakhstan being no different, with well-run routes across the 9th biggest country in the world. Plus when the tracks have ended, the joy of a road trip arrives as you venture deep in to the national parks, full of canyons, lakes and forests.

For us, there’s an importance in the journey, rather than merely a route between two places, it’s an opportunity to enjoy a huge array of scenery, uncover fascinating regions, unwind away from crowds and understand the country better. Crossing the largest country in Central Asia overland allows you to see more and the romance of the rails is undeniable, no matter which country you find yourself trundling or rolling through. This revelation of moving faster, yet more thoughtfully, through the country, all the while gaining a sublime view in to its lands, railway nostalgia is a true timeless classic.

Road trips and train rides through Kazakhstan perfectly display the epic vastness of the country, and how this great land has been forever mapped. A mindful journey through a medley of terrains; modern cities, grand steppes, empty deserts, luscious lakes and even monumental mountainsides. The feeling of departure from the giant cities of Almaty and Nur-Sultan, with excitement of the unknown ahead as you slow down on track or concrete. Jump in a beat-up sedan when sticking to the highways, a trusty 4x4 for the great outdoors of national parks, shining new high-speed trains manufactured in Spain for overnight journeys, and not forgetting the soviet locomotives for some slow-paced traditional travel.

Beyond the grand mountains of Kazakhstan lies easy rail access to a variety of remarkable countries; epic Russian landscapes dominated by an impressive literary backdrop and tales of intrepid explorers, China with its perfect package of historic treasures and contemporary design all connected by ancient tea caravan routes, and of course Uzbekistan, linking the southern cities of Kazakhstan with the city jewels of the Silk Road. Every train ride, every road trip, through Kazakhstan will leave you wanting more and more as you peer out the window with the seemingly endless steppe passing you by.