Arbat Street, Almaty

What is Arbat Street in Almaty?

Arbat is the nickname for the car-free section of Zhibek Zholy Avenue, borrowed from Moscow's famous Arbat. Street signs, maps and taxi apps say Zhibek Zholy — Kazakh for “Silk Road” — so search for that, but every local knows the Arbat.

The walking street runs one long block east from Abylai Khan Avenue, where the Soviet-era TsUM department store stands, to Nazarbayev Avenue. Halfway along, Panfilov Street branches south as a second promenade. Together they form the pedestrian heart of Almaty's old grid, a short walk from the Green Bazaar and Panfilov Park.

Arbat Street nightlife

Evenings are when the Arbat comes alive. The fountains are lit, buskers set up with guitars and amplifiers, and families, students and couples fill the benches until late. Weekends are busiest. It is a place to stroll and people-watch with an ice cream, not a bar street.

For drinks and a proper night out, the cafés and bars of the Golden Square — the grid of streets south of the Arbat towards Panfilov and Abylai Khan — are a few minutes' walk away. The street itself stays open all night and feels safe, but after the crowds go home there is little to see.

What to see on the Arbat

• The fountains — dry jets rising straight out of the paving and basins down the middle of the street. Kids run through them in summer.
• TsUM — the 1961 department store on the Abylai Khan corner. Inside it is a warren of tenants, but look up at the facade with its Soviet bas-reliefs.
• Lumiera cinema — next to TsUM at the western end.
• Street painters — mountain landscapes, yurts and snow leopards, plus portraits and caricatures drawn on the spot, all year round.
• Buskers — mostly guitar and vocals, sometimes a dombra, Kazakhstan's two-stringed lute.
• Murals and graffiti — on side walls around the Abylai Khan end.
• Panfilov Street — walk south from the middle of the Arbat for a longer, greener boulevard.

Arbat Street shops and restaurants

The Arbat is still a working shopping street. TsUM anchors the western end with clothes, cosmetics and small shops on several floors; along the block there are phone-repair counters, souvenir stalls and painters selling canvases. Don't expect boutiques or a crafts market — for food and edible souvenirs the Green Bazaar, nine minutes east, is far better.

Eating here is cheap and casual: coffee shops, fast food, shawarma and ice-cream kiosks line the street, with sit-down restaurants a block away in the Golden Square. Most cafés take Visa and Mastercard; carry some tenge in cash for painters, buskers and small stalls. Kaspi QR, which you'll see everywhere, needs a Kazakh bank account.

Arbat Street timings

The street never closes — it is a public pedestrian zone with no gates, open 24 hours every day. Only the businesses keep hours: directories list TsUM as open daily from about 10:00 until 19:00 or 20:00, while cafés stay open later and each sets its own schedule.

For atmosphere, come at sunset or after dark, when the fountain lights are on. Mornings are quiet and empty — good for photos without crowds, but not much else. Allow 40–60 minutes for a stroll, or 1.5–2 hours if you stop for dinner.

Is Arbat Street worth visiting?

Yes, as part of a walk through the old centre. The Arbat links the metro, TsUM, the Green Bazaar and Panfilov Park, and walking it takes ten minutes. It is where Almaty goes for an evening stroll, and that is its appeal — not history or architecture.

No, if you have a single day and are choosing between this and the mountains. Medeu, Shymbulak or Kok-Tobe will give you far more. Walk the Arbat on the way somewhere, have a coffee by the fountains, and move on.

Arbat or Panfilov Street?

Lengths measured by YesGo on OpenStreetMap; dates from Wikipedia, Tengrinews and Sxodim.

More places for the evening

Places YesGo recommends after dark. Tap a column heading to sort.

Nearby — add to your day

43

Green Bazaar

Almaty, Kazakhstan

1 h · Free entry · 16 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Green Bazaar

48

Ascension Cathedral

Almaty, Kazakhstan

45 min · Free · 16 min walk

Yes — add to my route: Ascension Cathedral

How to do it right

• Come at sunset — by day the Arbat is a shortcut between shops, by night it is the city's favourite stroll.
• Carry on south along pedestrian Panfilov Street — another 20 minutes of boulevard down to Kabanbai Batyr Street.
• Pair it with the Green Bazaar, nine minutes east — but the bazaar is closed on Mondays.
• Step into TsUM's old building for the marble staircase and the bas-reliefs outside.
• Want a portrait? Agree on the price and the time it takes before the artist starts.
• Keep an eye on your phone in the crowds around the fountains on weekend evenings.

Questions