Manas airport (Bishkek) to Almaty by private car

Bishkek Manas airport → Almaty: price per car

night pickup 23:00–06:00 +$20 · English-speaking driver included. Prices in US dollars, updated 13 October 2026.

Who flies into Manas and drives to Almaty?

Three kinds of traveller book this route, and each has a slightly different reason.

• Open-jaw itineraries. You fly into Bishkek, spend a few days in the city or at Ala-Archa, then continue to Kazakhstan and fly home from Almaty, which has the bigger long-haul network: direct flights to Istanbul, Dubai, Delhi, Seoul, Bangkok, Chinese cities and, since May 2026, Warsaw. This is the most common pattern on combined Kazakhstan–Kyrgyzstan trips, and it avoids backtracking.
• A better fare or schedule into Bishkek. On some routes from Istanbul, the Gulf or Moscow, Manas is cheaper or has a more convenient arrival time than Almaty. Driving on to Almaty costs about five hours and saves a domestic connection.
• Diversions. When an Almaty-bound flight lands at Manas because of weather or an airport closure, the drive is often faster than waiting for the aircraft to reposition. See below.

Note that Manas changed its IATA code from FRU to BSZ in August 2025. Older bookings and some apps may still show FRU; it is the same airport.

How does the pickup at Manas work?

1. Send your flight number when you book. We track it and plan for the real landing time; delays are free.
2. Get your driver's name, WhatsApp, car and plate the evening before.
3. Kyrgyz immigration and baggage. Manas is a compact airport, and at night you are often out in 30–40 minutes.
4. Meet your driver in arrivals with your name on a sign. The first 90 minutes after landing are free.
5. Straight to the border. Manas lies about 25 km north-west of central Bishkek. Rather than driving through the city, our drivers take the northern bypass towards the Ak-Zhol checkpoint, typically 30–40 minutes at night and up to an hour in daytime traffic.

You need no Kyrgyz som for this trip: you pay the driver in Almaty, in dollars or tenge if you prefer. If you want cash or a SIM card before Kazakhstan, the driver will wait while you use the ATM and mobile desks in the arrivals hall.

What if I land at Manas in the middle of the night?

A large share of Manas arrivals from Istanbul, Moscow and the Gulf land between midnight and 6:00. The border is open 24/7 and night is usually the quietest time to cross, so you can go straight on. Because Almaty is one hour behind Bishkek, the clock works in your favour: land at 02:00 Bishkek time, leave the airport by 03:00, clear Ak-Zhol and Korday by about 04:30, and you reach Almaty around 07:00 Almaty time, early enough for breakfast at your hotel. The $20 night surcharge applies to pickups between 23:00 and 06:00.

Two caveats. From December to February the Korday pass, about 40 km into Kazakhstan, can be foggy or icy before dawn; your driver may suggest a stop in Korday until it is light, which is the right call. And an Almaty hotel will rarely give you the room at 7:00, so book it from the night before if you want to sleep on arrival. If you would rather rest first, use a Bishkek hotel for the night and take a daytime Bishkek to Almaty transfer instead.

My Almaty flight was diverted to Bishkek: what now?

Almaty and Manas are each other's nearest large alternates, and diversions happen in both directions, most often with winter fog. Airlines usually hold passengers at Manas and fly on once Almaty reopens, which may take hours or until the next day, and passengers who leave the airline's care give up that seat. If you decide the road is the better option:

• Message us on WhatsApp (+996 777 889 992) from the terminal with your name, the number of people and bags, and your Almaty address. In daytime we usually confirm a car within the hour; between 23:00 and 08:00 it can take longer.
• Make sure your checked bags are released to you at Manas before you leave the airport.
• You will go through Kyrgyz entry at the airport and Kyrgyz exit at Ak-Zhol a couple of hours later. Most Western, Gulf, Japanese and Korean passports need no Kyrgyz visa; Indian and Chinese citizens do, so a diverted passenger without one may not be allowed through Kyrgyz immigration to leave the airport.

The price is the same as a booked transfer: from $210 per car.

How do I enter Kazakhstan at Korday?

All passengers walk through both passport halls, while the driver takes the car and your luggage through the vehicle lane and collects you on the Kazakh side. Kyrgyz exit at Ak-Zhol is usually quick; Kazakh entry is slower, with bags sometimes scanned. Keep your passport and your Almaty hotel address on you.

• Kazakhstan. US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, Japanese, Korean, Singaporean and Gulf citizens enter visa-free for 30 days per visit; Indian citizens for 14 days. Chinese citizens have a bilateral visa-free regime.
• A short stay in Kyrgyzstan is fine. An entry stamp at Manas and an exit stamp three hours later is normal.
• Queues into Kazakhstan peak on Sunday afternoons and at the end of holidays; weekday mornings and nights are quick.

Full detail is in our Korday border guide.

What is the road from the border to Almaty like?

After Korday the A2 runs about 240 km east across open steppe, with the Kyrgyz Range behind you and the Zailiysky Alatau rising ahead on the right. It is a good, fast dual carriageway with speed cameras and occasional police posts.

• Korday town, just past the border: exchange booths and the first Kazakh fuel station.
• Korday pass, ≈40 km: around 1,100 m, with wide views back over the Chui valley on a clear morning.
• Uzynagash, ≈180 km: the best stop for lagman, tea and clean toilets.
• Kaskelen, ≈215 km: highway widening between km 19 and km 27 started in July 2026; allow 20–30 extra minutes at peak hours.

Stops on request, up to an hour in total, are included, and the driver can drop you anywhere in Almaty or its suburbs. For your days in the city and the mountains, see our private driver in Almaty.

How much is the transfer, and what is included?

Per car, fixed when you book: sedan (Toyota Camry or similar, up to 3 guests) $210, minivan (Hyundai Staria / Toyota Alphard or similar, up to 6) $270, Toyota Land Cruiser Prado 4x4 $300, Mercedes Sprinter for up to 16 $400. Pickups between 23:00 and 06:00 add $20. It is $10 more than from a Bishkek hotel because of the extra distance and the airport wait. One driver, in a car cleared for international routes, takes you all the way.

Included: an English-speaking driver, meet and greet, flight tracking, 90 minutes of free waiting, fuel, tolls, parking, waiting at the border, stops up to an hour, water, child seats and ski or board bags. Pay the driver in Almaty in US dollars, tenge or som, cash or card; no deposit. Free cancellation up to 24 hours before landing. The reverse trip is Almaty airport to Bishkek; if you are staying in Bishkek first, the Kyrgyz side of your trip is covered by RideKG. All routes: price list.

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