Onay transport card: balance, top-up and where to buy
How to check your Onay card balance, where to buy it, how to top it up, and how much the card and a metro ride cost in Almaty — everything about the Onay card on one page.
What is the Onay card
Onay is Almaty’s single transport card, used to pay for rides on the city’s metro, buses and trolleybuses. In the metro the card is the easiest way to pay: tap it on the validator at the turnstile and one ride is deducted automatically — 120 ₸.
You manage the card through the Onay app and the onay.kz website: there you check the balance, top up the card and follow your ride history. Rides on the card are valid for 3 years from the last top-up.
One Onay card costs 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit). Of that amount 420 ₸ is a refundable deposit on the card itself, and the rest is credited to your balance for rides straight away.
- Card price 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit)
One card for all city transport. - Onay app and onay.kz
Balance, top-up and ride history online. - Ride 120 ₸
Reduced fare — 60 ₸. - Valid for 3 years
From the last top-up of the card.
The Onay card in four steps
Buy a card
The Onay transport card costs 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit). You can buy it at metro cashiers and machines, and at «Karavan» kiosks. The price of the card itself does not include any rides — you top up your travel credit separately.
Top up the balance
You can top up the card at metro cashiers and machines, in the Onay app and on onay.kz, as well as at QIWI and Kaspi terminals and at ATMs. Rides on the card are valid for 3 years from the last top-up.
Tap the card on the validator
Tap your Onay card on the validator at the turnstile every time you enter the metro. One ride is deducted automatically — 120 ₸ (reduced — 60 ₸). Cash is not accepted at the turnstile.
Or pay with your phone
Through the Onay app you can pay for your ride by QR code or NFC — the fare is the same, 120 ₸. You don't even have to carry the card with you.
How to check your Onay card balance
You can check your Onay card balance — that is, the travel credit left on it — in several ways:
- In the Onay app. Open the app and add your card — the balance, ride history and top-ups are always at hand.
- On onay.kz. Enter your card number to see the remaining balance online.
- At a metro cashier. Cashiers at the stations will check your card balance and top it up at the same time.
- On the validator when you pay. When you tap the card on the turnstile, the validator shows the remaining balance on its screen.
How to top up your Onay card
To top up your Onay card means to add money to it, from which your rides will be deducted. You can do it both offline and online.
- At metro cashiers and machines
At any station you can top up the card at a cashier or a machine. - In the Onay app
Add the card to the app and top it up online at any moment. - On onay.kz
Top up by card number right on the operator's website. - At QIWI, Kaspi terminals and ATMs
You can top up the card at QIWI and Kaspi terminals and at ATMs.
Where to buy an Onay card
The Onay card costs 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit). You can buy it at metro stations and at branded kiosks — and top it up on the spot.
Cashiers at metro stations
Buy an Onay card at the cashier of any metro station. The cashier will help you top it up and check the balance.
Machines at the stations
The metro stations have machines where you can buy and top up a card without queuing at the cashier.
«Karavan» kiosks
The Onay transport card is sold at «Karavan» kiosks across the city — handy when you need a card right now.
Onay app and onay.kz
The card itself is bought offline, but the balance, top-ups and ride history are easy to manage in the Onay app and on onay.kz.
How much the card and the ride cost
Paying with an Onay card is the most economical way to travel on the Almaty metro. Compare the prices:
Card validity and deposit
Rides topped up on an Onay card are valid for 3 years from the last top-up. As long as you use the card regularly, the balance does not expire — you just need to top it up from time to time.
Of the card price 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit), the sum of 420 ₸ is a deposit on the card itself, not a fare. One card works for all city transport, so there is no need to get several cards.
Other ways to pay for your ride
Cash is not accepted at the metro turnstile. Besides simply tapping the card, you can pay for your ride in other ways too:
Onay card on the validator
Tap your Onay card on the validator at the turnstile — the simplest and most common way. One ride costs 120 ₸.
QR payment from the app
Scan the QR code on the validator through the Onay app. The fare is the same — 120 ₸, and you don't need to carry the card.
Pay by phone via NFC
Pay contactlessly by holding a phone with the Onay app up to the validator. The ride costs 120 ₸.
Frequently asked questions about the Onay card
You can check your Onay card balance in several ways: in the Onay app, on onay.kz by card number, at a metro cashier, and on the validator when you pay — when you tap the card on the turnstile, the remaining balance is shown on the screen.
The Onay transport card is sold at metro cashiers and machines, as well as at «Karavan» kiosks across the city. The card costs 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit).
You can top up an Onay card at metro cashiers and machines, in the Onay app and on onay.kz, as well as at QIWI and Kaspi terminals and at ATMs. Topped-up rides are valid for 3 years from the last top-up.
The Onay transport card costs 500 ₸ (of which 420 ₸ is a deposit). Of that amount 420 ₸ is a refundable deposit on the card itself, and the rest is credited to your balance for rides straight away. One card works for all city transport.
One metro ride in Almaty with an Onay card costs 120 ₸. The reduced fare for schoolchildren, students and pensioners is 60 ₸. Paying by phone via QR or NFC through the Onay app costs the same — 120 ₸.
Yes. Through the Onay app you pay by QR code or contactlessly via NFC right on the validator. The fare is the same as with the card — 120 ₸, and you don’t need to carry a physical card.
No. Cash is not accepted at the metro turnstile. You pay with an Onay card on the validator or with your phone by QR or NFC through the Onay app. You can buy and top up the card with cash at cashiers and machines at the stations.
Rides topped up on an Onay card are valid for 3 years from the last top-up. As long as you use the card regularly and top it up, the balance does not expire.
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