# Arbat Street, Almaty

> Arbat Street is the pedestrian stretch of Zhibek Zholy Avenue in central Almaty, between Abylai Khan and Nazarbayev avenues. It is **free and open 24 hours**, with no gates or tickets. The walking street is short — about 450 m, six or seven minutes end to end — so 40–60 minutes covers the fountains, TsUM and a coffee. Zhibek Zholy metro is 3–4 minutes south.

Web page: https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-arbat

- City: [Almaty](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty), Kazakhstan
- YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby)
- Time on site: 45 min
- Opening hours: Open 24/7 as a public street; shops and cafés keep their own hours
- With kids: Fine with kids
- Entry: Free — it is a public street
- Open: 24 hours, every day
- Where: Zhibek Zholy Ave, from Abylai Khan Ave to Nazarbayev Ave (formerly Furmanov St)
- Length: ≈ 450 m; Panfilov Street adds ≈ 1.5 km of walking street to the south
- Metro: Zhibek Zholy, exits by Gogol St — 3–4 min walk
- Time needed: 40–60 min; 1.5–2 hours with dinner
- TsUM hours: Daily, roughly 10:00 to 19:00 or 20:00 (unofficial)
- Payment: Tenge; Visa and Mastercard in most cafés and shops, cash for street artists
- Coordinates: 43.26140, 76.94260
- Facts checked: 02.11.2026

## Key facts

- **≈ 450 m** — length of the pedestrian Arbat, Abylai Khan to Nazarbayev (source: YesGo measurement on OpenStreetMap)
- **Late 1980s** — the Arbat became Almaty's first pedestrian street (source: English and Kazakh Wikipedia: Arbat (Almaty); Russian Wikipedia: Zhibek Zholy Avenue)
- **2017** — rebuilt with granite paving, dry fountains and a link to Panfilov Street (source: Tengrinews, September 2017; English Wikipedia; Sxodim)
- **Silk Road** — what Zhibek Zholy means in Kazakh (source: Russian and Kazakh Wikipedia)
- **1990** — Gorky Street was renamed Zhibek Zholy by the city's mayor (source: Kazakh Wikipedia; Russian Wikipedia (1990s))
- **Trade Street** — the original name; it became Gorky Street in 1936 (source: Russian and Kazakh Wikipedia)
- **1961** — TsUM department store opened on the Abylai Khan corner (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: TsUM (Almaty))
- **1987** — a scene of the Soviet cult film The Needle was shot in TsUM's basement (source: English and Russian Wikipedia: TsUM (Almaty))
- **4,200 m** — length of the whole of Zhibek Zholy Avenue (source: English, Russian and Kazakh Wikipedia)
- **Sept 2017** — Panfilov Street opened as a promenade from the Arbat to Kabanbai Batyr St (source: Sxodim; Tengrinews)

## 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.

> **Keep your expectations small** This is one city block of about 450 m, not a historic quarter. There are no museums or sights with tickets — just fountains, trees, TsUM, cafés, painters and buskers. Don't cross town just for it; walk it on the way to the [Green Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-green-bazaar) or the cathedral.

## 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.

## How to get to Arbat Street

1. By metro: ride Almaty's single line to Zhibek Zholy station. Contactless Visa and Mastercard work at the gates, as does the local Onay card. The exits are at Gogol and Panfilov streets; walk north along pedestrian Panfilov Street for 3–4 minutes.
2. From Panfilov Park and the Ascension Cathedral: walk west along Gogol Street or Zhibek Zholy for about 900 m — 12 minutes — to reach the eastern end at Nazarbayev Avenue.
3. From the Green Bazaar: 9 minutes on foot, west along Zhibek Zholy.
4. By taxi: Yandex Go works in Almaty. Ask for TsUM on Abylai Khan Avenue or the corner of Zhibek Zholy and Nazarbayev — cars can't enter the pedestrian zone.
5. From the airport: about 40–50 minutes by taxi depending on traffic, or book a transfer below.

## 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?

|  | Arbat (Zhibek Zholy) | Panfilov Street |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Runs | West — east | North — south, from the Arbat |
| Pedestrian length | ≈ 450 m | ≈ 1.5 km, to Kabanbai Batyr St |
| Car-free since | Late 1980s | September 2017 |
| What's there | TsUM, fountains, painters, cafés | Boulevard, fountains, playgrounds, cafés |
| Entry | Free, 24/7 | Free, 24/7 |

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

## Before you go: checklist

- [ ] Going in the evening, when the fountains are lit
- [ ] Contactless card or Onay card for the metro
- [ ] A little cash in tenge for painters and buskers
- [ ] Allowed 40–60 minutes
- [ ] Next stop planned — bazaar or cathedral

## More places for the evening

Places YesGo recommends after dark.

- [Almaty Arbat](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-arbat) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free, open 24/7
- [Republic Square](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-republic-square) — YesGo score 42/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 30 min · Free, open 24/7
- [Kok-Tobe](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/kok-tobe) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Cable car 10,000 KZT return

## Old Almaty on foot

Start on the Arbat, walk to the Green Bazaar, then the wooden cathedral in Panfilov Park, and ride up Kok-Tobe for sunset. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers.

1. [Almaty Arbat](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-arbat) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free, open 24/7
2. [Green Bazaar](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-green-bazaar) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free entry
3. [Ascension Cathedral](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/almaty-ascension-cathedral) — YesGo score 48/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free
4. [Kok-Tobe](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/almaty/kok-tobe) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · Cable car 10,000 KZT return

## Good to know

Zhibek Zholy metro station and the Zhibek Zholy mall on Seifullin Avenue share the name but are not the Arbat, and the Zhibek Zholy border crossing is on the Chinese border. Moscow's Arbat is a different street in another country. This page covers only the car-free block between Abylai Khan and Nazarbayev avenues.

## Tips

- 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

### Where is Arbat Street in Almaty?

In the city centre, on Zhibek Zholy Avenue between Abylai Khan and Nazarbayev avenues. TsUM marks the western end; the nearest metro is Zhibek Zholy.

### What is the real name of Arbat Street?

Zhibek Zholy (also spelled Jibek Joly), meaning Silk Road. “Arbat” is a nickname after Moscow's street — use Zhibek Zholy in map apps.

### What are Arbat Street's timings?

It is a public street, open 24 hours every day. Shops and cafés keep their own hours; TsUM is open roughly 10:00 to 19:00 or 20:00 (unofficial).

### Is there an entry fee for Arbat Street?

No. It is a free public pedestrian street with no tickets.

### How do I get to Arbat Street?

Take the metro to Zhibek Zholy and walk 3–4 minutes north along Panfilov Street. From Panfilov Park it is a 12-minute walk west.

### How far is Arbat Street from the airport?

About 40–50 minutes by taxi, depending on traffic. Ask for TsUM on Abylai Khan Avenue.

### Is Arbat Street worth visiting?

Yes, as a stop on a walk around the old centre — it takes 10 minutes to walk and is best in the evening. Don't make a special trip for it.

### What is there to do on Arbat Street at night?

Stroll past the lit fountains, listen to buskers and get ice cream or coffee. It is a promenade rather than a bar street; bars are in the nearby Golden Square.

### Can I pay by card on Arbat Street?

In most cafés and shops, yes — Visa and Mastercard. Painters, buskers and small stalls want cash in tenge.

## How we checked

The extent of the pedestrian zone (Abylai Khan to Nazarbayev) is checked against OpenStreetMap and Wikipedia; Sputnik8 gives a different stretch, which we don't use. Lengths and walking times are measured on OpenStreetMap with a pedestrian router. One travel site gives the Soviet name as Kalinin Street; Russian and Kazakh Wikipedia give Trade Street, then Gorky Street, then Zhibek Zholy, and we follow them. TsUM's history comes from Wikipedia only (the English article is translated from the Russian one). TsUM hours are unofficial, from 2GIS. The airport taxi time is from Sputnik8 and is a guide only. We don't give bus numbers or metro fares because they change.

## Sources

- English and Kazakh Wikipedia: Arbat (Almaty); Wikidata Q85845387 and Q16709711
- Russian Wikipedia: Zhibek Zholy Avenue; Kazakh Wikipedia: Zhibek Zholy Street (Almaty)
- English and Russian Wikipedia: TsUM (Almaty)
- Tengrinews, 19 September 2017 — reconstruction of Panfilov Street and Zhibek Zholy
- Sxodim: Panfilov Street — extent and opening in September 2017
- Sputnik8: Almaty Arbat — access, entry, transport, 2025
- Zakon.kz, 4 November 2024 — on the Arbat's street painters
- Informburo — contactless bank-card payment on the Almaty metro
- 2GIS — TsUM opening hours (unofficial)
- OpenStreetMap — pedestrian zone, fountains, metro exits; YesGo measurements

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