On August 24, 2026, the first phase of the Astana Light Rail Transit (Tarlan Astana), Central Asia’s first fully automated driverless light rail line, marked its 100th day of operation, with cumulative ridership exceeding 7.3 million passengers. Spanning 22.4 kilometers, the line connects key hubs across the city, greatly facilitating daily travel for residents.
CRRC Tangshan developed the trains and manufactured them in strict accordance with manufacturing processes and quality standards equivalent to those used for intelligent Fuxing high-speed trains. Featuring a six-axle configuration, the trains are equipped with a Grade of Automation 4 (GoA4) fully automated driverless system, enabling functions including automatic wake-up, stopping and departure, and platform stopping-position alignment. Integrated vibration and noise reduction technologies help reduce wheel-rail noise, while enhanced low-temperature and snow-and-ice resistance enables the trains to operate in temperatures as low as -40°C. Lightweight technologies further enhance passenger comfort, environmental adaptability, and passenger-carrying capacity.
CRRC’s after-sales service team carried out localized adaptations based on local climate conditions and usage patterns, while establishing a 24-hour fault response mechanism. Through targeted upgrades and improvements, combined with routine maintenance, the team has successfully ensured 100 consecutive days of safe and stable mainline operation, laying a solid foundation for the line’s long-term, high-quality operation.
