1 GB
Valid for 7 days
$8.99
$8.99 per GB
eSIM for Kazakhstan
Kazakhstan is the ninth largest country on earth and almost all of it is between places. You land in Almaty for the mountains, fly or take the night train to Astana for the architecture, then spend a day crossing steppe to Turkistan or Mangystau. Distances are measured in hours, and nearly everything you need on the way lives in an app: Yandex Go for a car, 2GIS for an address the maps app cannot find, the railways app for a bunk on a sleeper train.
A FairSIM eSIM roams onto Beeline or Tele2, the two networks on our coverage sheet. Tele2 carries 5G in the larger cities; Beeline is 4G. In practice that means fast data in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and along the main highways and rail corridors, 4G in most towns, and stretches of steppe and mountain gorge where any network drops to a bar or nothing. Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi, switch the line on when you land, and skip the counter.
One local rule matters. Kazakh SIM cards are registered to a person, and the country runs an IMEI database that can block handsets it does not recognise from local networks. Registration procedures change and are built for residents with a local ID, so buying a tourist SIM can mean a shop visit, a passport scan and sometimes a second trip. A roaming eSIM avoids all of it. The other thing to know: payment here runs on Kaspi QR, and small vendors, market stalls and some taxi drivers prefer it to cash or a foreign card, so keep some tenge in your pocket.
Kazakhstan eSIM plans
Wholesale rates in US dollars, with nothing added at checkout. Buy in the FairSIM app and the plan is on your phone in seconds.
How long is your trip?
All plans. Pick a trip length to narrow the list.
- Get it in the app for Kazakhstan
5 GB
Valid for 30 days
Get it in the app for Kazakhstan$29.99
$6.00 per GB
- Best value
10 GB
Valid for 30 days
Get it in the app for Kazakhstan$49.99
$5.00 per GB
Coverage in Kazakhstan
- 4G LTE
- 5G
- BeelineListed on the coverage sheet as KAR-TEL LLP. One of the two largest networks, with wide 2G, 3G and 4G reach across cities, regional centres and the main highways. No 5G on this network.
- Tele2The other host network, 2G to 4G nationally and 5G live in Astana, Almaty and other large cities. The faster option when your phone supports 5G.
Typical speed: 4G is comfortable for maps, video calls and streaming in cities and along main roads. Tele2 5G is noticeably faster in Astana and Almaty. Speeds drop on rural 3G and on busy trains.
Coverage follows people and roads. Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Aktau, Aktobe, Karaganda, Turkistan and the corridors between them are well served. Expect thin or no signal in the open steppe, in the Mangystau desert, in parts of Altyn-Emel and Charyn, and in the side gorges above Almaty. Download offline maps before any long drive.
How much data do you need in Kazakhstan?
It depends on how you travel. Find your trip below, then pick the plan that matches. You can always top up in the app.
Almaty city break and mountains
Four or five days of markets, cafes, Medeu and a day trip to Charyn.
Why data matters: Yandex Go and inDrive for rides, 2GIS for addresses, Onay for buses and the metro, tour pickups on WhatsApp, and photo uploads once you are back in the city.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Business trip to Astana
Meetings in the government and finance district, a conference, one night out.
Why data matters: Teams and Zoom over 5G where Tele2 has it, Personal Hotspot for the laptop, taxi apps, and documents on the move.
- 7 days
- 10 GB
- 14 days
- 20 GB
- 30 days
- Unlimited
Silk Road by train
Almaty to Turkistan and Shymkent on sleepers, with stops in between.
Why data matters: E-tickets in the railways app, timetable changes, and long hours of offline-ready podcasts. Signal comes and goes along the line, so download before you board.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
Mangystau and Altyn-Emel overland
4x4 tours to Bozjyra, Torysh and the desert plateaus.
Why data matters: Offline maps are essential, but you still need data at the fuel stops for messaging the driver, checking permits and posting once you reconnect.
- 7 days
- 3 GB
- 14 days
- 5 GB
- 30 days
- 10 GB
Central Asia multi-stop
Kazakhstan with Uzbekistan or Kyrgyzstan on one itinerary.
Why data matters: Buy the next country's plan from the same app before you cross, so border transfers, bus bookings and hotel check-ins never happen offline.
- 7 days
- 5 GB
- 14 days
- 10 GB
- 30 days
- 20 GB
What your home carrier charges in Kazakhstan
Daily roaming passes look small until you multiply them by the length of the trip. FairSIM plans for Kazakhstan start at $8.99 and never bill per day.
Kazakhstan sits in most carriers' outer roaming zones, so day passes are either expensive or unavailable. Check your own plan's zone list before assuming a pass applies.
| Carrier | Roaming charge | FairSIM |
|---|---|---|
| AT&T International Day Pass (US) | $12 per day per line, $6 for additional lines | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| Verizon TravelPass (US) | $12 per day, high-speed data then slowed | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| T-Mobile International Pass (US) | $35 for 10 days and 5 GB, $50 for 30 days and 15 GB | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| EE (UK) | Kazakhstan is not in EE's inclusive roaming zones; standard out-of-zone data rates apply, so check the app before you fly | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| Telekom (Germany) | Outside the EU roaming zone, so EU allowances do not apply; world-zone day passes are sold separately | from $8.99, no daily fee |
| Telstra (Australia) | Kazakhstan is outside Telstra's usual International Day Pass list; confirm whether pay-as-you-go roaming rates apply to your plan | from $8.99, no daily fee |
Carrier prices as published on their roaming pages at the time of writing. They change often; check your own plan before you fly.
How FairSIM works
- 1
Pick a destination and a plan
Choose the country or region and the data you need. The price you see is the price you pay.
- 2
Tap install
On iPhone (iOS 17.4+) the eSIM installs in one tap, no QR code. Do it at home while you still have Wi-Fi.
- 3
Land and connect
Turn on data roaming for the FairSIM line when you arrive. Your plan starts when it first connects.
Connectivity tips for Kazakhstan
Install the eSIM at home over Wi-Fi and turn the line plus data roaming on after you land. Validity typically starts at first connection to a Kazakh network.
If your phone supports 5G and you want the fastest data in Astana or Almaty, check which network your plan uses in the app; only Tele2 carries 5G here.
Download 2GIS offline maps for Almaty, Astana and Shymkent. It finds building entrances and shop hours that other maps miss.
Carry tenge in cash. Kaspi QR is everywhere but needs a local account, and small vendors may not take foreign cards.
Download maps, music and tickets before any long drive or sleeper train. Steppe stretches and mountain gorges lose signal for long periods.
Agree the fare in Yandex Go or inDrive rather than hailing off the street, and let the app handle the language gap.
Check visa rules for your passport before booking; many nationalities get a visa-free stay of up to 30 days, but conditions change.
Keep your home SIM active for bank one-time codes, with its own data roaming switched off to avoid charges.
Apps you will actually use
- Yandex Go the main ride and taxi app in Almaty, Astana and most cities; also does delivery.
- inDrive founded in Kazakhstan; you name your fare and drivers accept. Strong in smaller cities.
- 2GIS the local maps and directory app, with offline city maps, entrances, floors and opening hours that Google Maps often misses.
- Kaspi.kz the payment app locals use for almost everything by QR code. Practical only with a Kazakh ID and bank account.
- Onay transport card and app for Almaty buses and the metro.
- Aviata or Chocotravel domestic flights and train tickets, with English options.
- Yandex Maps traffic and public transport routing, often more current than Google Maps here.
- WhatsApp and Telegram how guides, drivers and guesthouses actually reply. Telegram is heavily used locally.
Kaspi QR is the default way to pay, and some small vendors, bazaar stalls and drivers prefer it to cards. Tourists usually cannot open a Kaspi account, so carry tenge in cash and a Visa or Mastercard for hotels and supermarkets.
Can you rely on free Wi-Fi?
Wi-Fi is easy to find in Almaty and Astana cafes, hotels, malls and airports, and it is usually fast enough for calls. Two catches: a lot of public networks verify you with an SMS code sent to a Kazakhstani number, which you will not have, and Wi-Fi thins out fast outside the big cities. Guesthouses in the mountains, on the Mangystau routes and along the rail lines often share one slow connection, and trains have little or none. Treat Wi-Fi as a bonus, not the plan.
Local SIM card or eSIM in Kazakhstan?
Beeline and Tele2 have shops in Almaty, Astana, Shymkent and at the main airports, and a starter pack with a decent data bundle costs the equivalent of a few dollars, which is genuinely cheap. The friction is the paperwork. SIMs are sold registered to a person, you need your passport, staff may need to confirm the registration through a system built for residents with a local ID, and Kazakhstan's IMEI database can refuse a handset it does not recognise on a local line. Airport shop hours do not always match late-night arrivals from Istanbul, Dubai or Seoul.
A FairSIM eSIM is installed before you leave home, needs no registration and no shop, and roams onto Beeline or Tele2, the same towers a local SIM uses. It costs more per gigabyte than a Kazakh prepaid bundle, so if you are staying for months and want a local number for Kaspi and delivery apps, a local SIM is the better long-run answer. For a one to three week trip, or a stop on a Central Asia route, the eSIM saves the queue and works from the moment you land. Many travellers do both: eSIM for arrival week, local SIM later if they need a Kazakh number.
Good to know before you land in Kazakhstan
- Currency
- Kazakhstani tenge (KZT)
- Plug type
- Type C and Type F
- Voltage
- 220 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency number
- 112 for all services
- Language
- Kazakh is the state language; Russian is widely spoken, English mainly in Almaty and Astana hotels
- Time zone
- UTC+5 nationwide since March 2024, no daylight saving
- Capital
- Astana
Kazakhstan eSIM questions
Does eSIM work in Kazakhstan?
Yes. An unlocked eSIM phone connects to Beeline or Tele2 with a travel eSIM. On iPhone that means XS, XR or newer; most recent Pixel, Galaxy and other flagship Android phones support eSIM too.
Which network will my Kazakhstan eSIM use?
Beeline or Tele2. Both cover cities, regional centres and main roads on 4G. Tele2 also has 5G in the larger cities. The app shows which network each plan uses.
Is there 5G in Kazakhstan?
Yes, on Tele2, mainly in Astana, Almaty and other big cities. Beeline is 4G only. Outside the cities expect 4G, and 3G in some rural areas.
Do I need to register the eSIM or my phone's IMEI?
No. Registration and the IMEI database apply to Kazakh SIM cards on local lines. A travel eSIM roams as a foreign line, so there is no paperwork and no shop visit.
Can I use Personal Hotspot in Kazakhstan?
Yes. FairSIM plans support Personal Hotspot with no separate cap, which is handy for a laptop in Astana or a second phone on a road trip.
Will WhatsApp and Telegram calls work?
Messaging and calls over WhatsApp and Telegram are normally fine on mobile data here. Quality depends on the signal, so a video call from a train crossing the steppe may not hold.
How much data do I need for a week in Kazakhstan?
A week of maps, taxis, messaging and some social use runs about 3 to 5 GB. Two weeks with photo uploads and a few video calls is closer to 10 GB. Add more if you stream or tether a laptop.
Should I install the eSIM before or after arriving?
Before. Install it over Wi-Fi at home, then enable the line and data roaming when you land at Almaty or Astana. You will have data before you reach the taxi rank.
Local SIM or eSIM for Kazakhstan?
A local Beeline or Tele2 prepaid bundle is cheaper per gigabyte but needs a passport, registration and a compatible registered handset. A travel eSIM costs more per gigabyte and works instantly on the same networks. For trips of a few weeks, the eSIM is simpler.
What is an eSIM?
A SIM card built into your phone. Instead of a plastic chip, you download a profile. Every iPhone since the XS has one next to the physical SIM slot, so your home number stays put while FairSIM supplies the data.
Is my phone compatible?
FairSIM works with eSIM-compatible, carrier-unlocked iPhones: the XS, XR and everything newer, on iOS 17.4 or later for the one-tap install with no QR code. iPhones bought in mainland China do not support eSIM at all, even when unlocked. Not sure yours is unlocked? Check Settings, General, About, Carrier Lock, or ask your carrier. The full list is on the How it works page.
When should I install my eSIM?
Before you travel, while you still have Wi-Fi. Installing does not start your plan; the validity typically starts when the eSIM first connects to a network at your destination.
Do FairSIM eSIMs come with a phone number?
No. FairSIM eSIMs are data-only by design, which keeps costs low. For calls and texts, your physical SIM stays active so you keep your existing number, and WhatsApp, FaceTime and iMessage work over data.
Traveling beyond Kazakhstan?
Get your Kazakhstan eSIM in the app
Plans from $8.99. Install before you fly, track your data live, and top up in seconds if you need more.
Download on theApp Store
iPhone XS or later · iOS 17.4+ for one-tap install
