# Nurzhol Boulevard, Astana > Nurzhol Boulevard is Astana’s grand pedestrian axis on the Left Bank, running from the Akorda presidential palace past Bayterek Tower to the Khan Shatyr tent. It’s free and open 24/7. The walkway itself is about 2.2 km; Akorda to Khan Shatyr is roughly 3 km, so allow about an hour with photo stops. Come on a warm evening, when the singing fountain plays. Web page: https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/nurzhol-boulevard - City: [Astana](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana), Kazakhstan - YesGo score: 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free — it’s a public pedestrian zone - Hours: Open 24/7 - Length: Walkway ≈ 2.2 km; Akorda to Khan Shatyr ≈ 3 km - Walking time: ≈ 40 minutes non-stop, about an hour with photos - Singing fountain: May to September, evenings from around 20:00 — unofficial - Bayterek: Nurzhol Boulevard 14 — the middle of the boulevard - Akorda: Nurzhol Boulevard 1 — the east end, by the river - Khan Shatyr: Turan Avenue 37 — the west end - LRT stations: Baiterek (≈ 600 m to mid-boulevard) and Dom Ministerstv, near the east end - Coordinates: 51.12721, 71.43695 - Facts checked: 30.10.2026 ## Key facts - **≈ 2.2 km** — length of the pedestrian boulevard (source: Russian Wikipedia (2GIS data); Wikidata Q713955; welcome.kz and Eurasia.Travel give “over 2 km”) - **Akorda to Khan Shatyr** — the boulevard runs from the presidential palace in the east to the tent in the west (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; welcome.kz) - **Free** — an open public promenade — no tickets, no closing day (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; welcome.kz) - **Kisho Kurokawa** — the Japanese architect behind the boulevard and the new city’s master plan (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; welcome.kz; Tonkosti Turizma) - **3 levels** — parking below, shops, cafés and offices in the middle, the promenade on top (source: Russian Wikipedia; Tonkosti Turizma) - **Water-Green** — the boulevard’s former name, for its fountains, greenery and blue-green glass (source: English and Russian Wikipedia; Wikidata; welcome.kz) - **105 m** — height of Bayterek, the tower midway along, at Nurzhol Boulevard 14 (source: Astana Venue Management; English and Russian Wikipedia) - **2 golden towers** — conical, clad in reflective gold, by the House of Ministries at the east end (source: English Wikipedia; welcome.kz; Lonely Planet) - **Singing fountain** — a music-and-light fountain between Bayterek and the golden towers (source: welcome.kz; Eurasia.Travel) - **≈ 3 km** — straight line from Akorda to Khan Shatyr; Bayterek is about 1.1 km from Akorda (source: YesGo calculation from Wikidata coordinates) - **Left Bank** — of the Ishim (Yesil) river — Astana’s new government and business district (source: English and Russian Wikipedia) ## What to see on Nurzhol Boulevard Walking east to west, you pass almost every postcard view of modern Astana. The boulevard is the spine of the new capital, laid out by Japanese architect **Kisho Kurokawa**, with government ministries, state company headquarters and glass residential towers lined up on both sides. ## Highlights from east to west - **Akorda**, the president’s blue-domed palace on the river at the east end. It’s a working residence — you see it from the square outside. - **The two golden towers** by the House of Ministries — cone-shaped and clad in gold. Stand between them for the classic shot framing Akorda. - **The singing fountain**, between the golden towers and Bayterek — jets rise and fall to music on warm evenings. - **[Bayterek Tower](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/bayterek-tower)**, the 105-metre white tower with a golden sphere, midway along. There’s a paid observation deck at the top. - **Glass towers** of ministries, Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (the railways) and KazMunayGas (the oil company). - **Flowerbeds, lawns and art installations** on the upper level. - **[Khan Shatyr](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/khan-shatyr)**, Norman Foster’s see-through tent, where the boulevard ends. > **The fountains only run in the warm season** Unofficial sources say the singing fountain and the rest are switched on from May to the end of September, with shows in the evening. From October to April the boulevard is a handsome but windswept avenue. Winters here are brutally cold and windy, so walk just the Bayterek–Khan Shatyr stretch and warm up inside the tent. ## How long does it take to walk Nurzhol Boulevard? The pedestrian boulevard is **about 2.2 km**. From the square in front of Akorda to the door of Khan Shatyr it’s closer to 3 km: using Wikidata coordinates, Bayterek sits about 1.1 km from Akorda and just under 2 km from the tent. At a brisk pace the full walk takes about 40 minutes. With photo stops, the fountain and a pause at Bayterek, allow **around an hour**. Going up Bayterek adds another 40–60 minutes. Short on time? Walk only the western half, Bayterek to Khan Shatyr — about 25 minutes, with the tent in view the whole way. Do the eastern half if you want Akorda and the golden towers. ## Is Nurzhol Boulevard worth it? Yes — it’s the single best introduction to Astana. In one walk you see what the city was built to show: a capital designed from scratch, with every landmark lined up on one axis. It costs nothing, and you’ll probably cross it anyway on the way between Bayterek and Khan Shatyr. It’s less rewarding in the dead of winter or at midday in summer, when the open paving is either freezing or shadeless. Aim for a warm evening: the towers light up, the fountain plays and the whole city seems to be out. ## The singing fountain: when to catch the show The singing fountain is on the boulevard **next to Bayterek**, on the side facing the golden towers. In the evening its jets move to music by Kazakh and international composers and change colour. It’s free — watch from anywhere around the basin. We found no official timetable. Unofficial sources say it runs from 1 May to the end of September, with the show starting around 20:00 as it gets dark and going on into the late evening. Times shift with the season and on city holidays. Tip: go up Bayterek just before the show, then come down to the fountain — you see the boulevard light up from above, then the fountain from below. ## How to get to Nurzhol Boulevard 1. Aim for **Bayterek** in the middle — you can see the golden sphere from far away, and it’s the easiest point to start in either direction. 2. Take the driverless **LRT** to **Baiterek** station, then walk about 600 m to mid-boulevard. For the east end and Akorda, **Dom Ministerstv** (House of Ministries) station is closer. From the airport it’s 11 stops to Baiterek with no changes; trains run 06:00–23:00 and a ride is 200 KZT. 3. City buses stop by Bayterek and by the House of Ministries. Check the route from your hotel in 2GIS or Google Maps. 4. Paying: tap a contactless Visa or Mastercard, Apple Pay or Samsung Pay on the LRT gate or bus validator — the same 200 KZT. Cards are widely accepted in Astana, but keep a little tenge cash for small kiosks. 5. By taxi, Yandex Go works in Astana: about 15–20 minutes from the airport in light traffic. Ask for Bayterek. 6. Then pick a direction: east for 15 minutes to Akorda and the golden towers, or west for about 25 minutes to Khan Shatyr. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] A warm-season evening, if I want the singing fountain - [ ] Comfortable shoes — it’s about 3 km end to end - [ ] Hat and windproof layer — it’s nearly always windy - [ ] Charged phone for the lights and the golden-tower shot of Akorda - [ ] Contactless card or phone for the LRT and bus - [ ] Decided whether to go up Bayterek — another 40–60 minutes ## Nurzhol Boulevard, Bayterek and Khan Shatyr | | Nurzhol Boulevard | Bayterek | Khan Shatyr | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | What it is | Pedestrian boulevard | Tower with an observation deck | Shopping and leisure centre in a tent | | Entry | Free | 2,500 KZT adult, 1,250 KZT child | Free to enter | | Hours | 24/7 | 10:00–21:00, to 22:00 in summer | 10:00–22:00, Fri–Sat to 23:00 | | Time needed | ≈ 1 h | 40–60 min | 1–1.5 h | | In winter | Cold and windy | Warm inside | Warm inside | These aren’t alternatives — the boulevard links the other two. In winter, shorten the walk and spend longer indoors. ## Astana after dark Places in Astana that work in the evening, rated by YesGo. - [Bayterek Tower](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/bayterek-tower) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 2,500 KZT; kids 6–15 1,250 KZT - [Nurzhol Boulevard](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/nurzhol-boulevard) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free - [Hazrat Sultan Mosque](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/hazrat-sultan-mosque) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 40 min · Free - [Khan Shatyr](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/khan-shatyr) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry; beach ≈ 20,000 ₸ ## From the river to the tent in half a day The National Museum on Independence Square, across the Ishim to the boulevard, up Bayterek, then the walk to Khan Shatyr. YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [National Museum of Kazakhstan](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/national-museum-of-kazakhstan) — YesGo score 32/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h · 5,000 ₸ foreigners, Gold Halls +1,000 ₸ 2. [Nurzhol Boulevard](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/nurzhol-boulevard) — YesGo score 43/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 3. [Bayterek Tower](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/bayterek-tower) — YesGo score 46/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · 2,500 KZT; kids 6–15 1,250 KZT 4. [Khan Shatyr](https://yesgo.io/kazakhstan/astana/khan-shatyr) — YesGo score 41/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h 30 min · Free entry; beach ≈ 20,000 ₸ > **Walk west towards the evening** The boulevard runs east to west, so the sun sets behind Khan Shatyr. Start at Akorda and the golden towers in daylight, reach Bayterek and the fountain at dusk, and arrive at the tent after dark, when it glows from inside. ## Good to know You’ll also see it spelled Nurjol, and locals still call it the Water-Green Boulevard. Don’t mix it up with Nurly Zhol, Astana’s main railway station and the end of the LRT line — a different place altogether. ## Tips - Start at Akorda and walk west, so you reach Bayterek and the fountain around sunset. - The signature shot is Akorda framed between the two golden towers — take it from the boulevard by the House of Ministries. - Short on time? Walk just from Bayterek to Khan Shatyr — about 25 minutes. - In winter, dress for the steppe: hat, gloves, windproof jacket. Khan Shatyr is the place to thaw out. - For lunch, try the cafés on the boulevard’s middle level or the Khan Shatyr food court. - On Capital Day, 6 July, the boulevard is packed for the city holiday. ## Questions ### Where is Nurzhol Boulevard? On Astana’s Left Bank, between the Akorda presidential palace by the river and the Khan Shatyr tent, with Bayterek Tower in the middle. ### How long is Nurzhol Boulevard? The pedestrian walkway is about 2.2 km. From Akorda to Khan Shatyr it’s roughly 3 km in a straight line. ### How long does it take to walk Nurzhol Boulevard? About 40 minutes non-stop, or an hour with photo stops. Bayterek to Khan Shatyr alone is about 25 minutes. ### Is Nurzhol Boulevard free? Yes. It’s a public promenade, open 24/7. Only the Bayterek observation deck charges admission. ### When does the singing fountain in Astana play? Unofficially, from May to the end of September in the evenings, starting around 20:00. There’s no official timetable. ### How do I get to Nurzhol Boulevard? LRT to Baiterek or Dom Ministerstv station, a city bus to Bayterek, or a Yandex Go taxi — about 15–20 minutes from the airport. ### Can you visit Akorda? Akorda is the president’s working residence. From the boulevard you see it from outside; check the official Akorda website for any visits inside. ### Is Nurzhol Boulevard worth it at night? Yes — evening is the best time. The towers and Bayterek are lit up, and in the warm season the singing fountain plays. ### Is it worth walking in winter? Briefly. There are no fountains and the wind is fierce — do the Bayterek to Khan Shatyr stretch and warm up inside. ## How we checked Sources disagree on length: Wikipedia and Wikidata give 2,200 m, NewTimes.kz says just over 3 km from the House of Ministries to Khan Shatyr. We measured between Wikidata coordinates — Akorda to Bayterek ≈ 1.1 km, Bayterek to Khan Shatyr ≈ 1.9 km — and show both figures. The fountain’s season and show time are unofficial. The walk from the LRT station is marked as checking. One guide lists the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation as being on the boulevard; it isn’t — it’s across the river. We leave out the golden towers’ height and symbolism, as we found only one source. We could not confirm tours inside Akorda. ## Sources - English Wikipedia: Nurjol Boulevard; Russian Wikipedia: Bulvar Nurzhol; Wikidata Q713955, Q804210, Q671484, Q413579 (coordinates) - welcome.kz: Nurzhol Boulevard; House of Ministries - Eurasia.Travel: Nurzhol Boulevard; Singing Fountain in Astana - Tonkosti Turizma: Water-Green Boulevard - Lonely Planet: buildings by the House of Ministries - Visit Astana: addresses of Akorda and Bayterek - Astana Venue Management (Bayterek operator): prices and hours, 30.10.2026 - Khan Shatyr official website: address and opening hours, 30.10.2026 - Aviasales.kz: LRT in Astana — stations, fares, payment and hours, 15.10.2026 - English Wikipedia: Ak Orda Presidential Palace --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.