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. According to onay.kz, unused balance on the card does not expire.
One Onay card costs 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card) — that is the price of the card itself according to onay.kz; money for rides goes on the balance separately, when you top up.
- Card price 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card)
One card for all city transport. - Onay app and onay.kz
Balance, top-up and ride history online. - Ride 120 ₸
Reduced fare — 60 ₸. - Balance does not expire
Unused money stays on the card (onay.kz).
The Onay card in four steps
Buy a card
The Onay transport card costs 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card). You can buy it at ONAY! service centres, the airport and Almaty-1 railway station, 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. Unused balance does not expire.
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 — 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.
- In bank apps and terminals. The balance is shown when you top up through Kaspi.kz or Halyk and at QIWI and KASSA-24 terminals.
- On the terminal on a bus. Choose «Card information» on the screen and tap your card.
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 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card). You can buy it at the ONAY! service centres (33/2 Ryskulbekov St; 3A Abylai Khan Ave, Altyn Taraz mall), at the airport, at Almaty-1 railway station and at «Karavan» kiosks.
ONAY! service centres
33/2 Ryskulbekov St and 3A Abylai Khan Ave (Altyn Taraz mall) sell the standard «Yedinaya» card.
Airport and Almaty-1 station
The standard «Yedinaya» card is also sold at the airport and at Almaty-1 railway station.
«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:
Balance validity and card price
According to onay.kz, unused balance on an Onay card does not expire: you can use the money on the card on any later ride. The “3 years from the last top-up” rule applies to the metro’s own smart card, not to Onay.
The standard «Yedinaya» card costs 800 ₸ (onay.kz): that pays for the card itself, not for rides. 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 at the metro ticket office
At the metro ticket offices you can pay for a ride with a bank card through the POS terminal (metroalmaty.kz).
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, in bank apps (Kaspi.kz, Halyk) and at QIWI and KASSA-24 terminals when you top up, and on the terminal on a bus (the «Card information» item).
The Onay transport card is sold at ONAY! service centres, the airport, Almaty-1 railway station and «Karavan» kiosks across the city. The card costs 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card).
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. Unused balance does not expire.
The Onay transport card costs 800 ₸ (the standard «Yedinaya» card). That is the price of the card itself; money for rides goes on the balance separately, when you top up. One card works for all city transport.
One metro ride in Almaty costs 120 ₸ — with an Onay card, a smart token or the metro smart card. The only concession the metro itself publishes is the child smart token for ages 7 to 15 at 60 ₸, on presenting a document proving the child’s age.
Yes. Through the Onay app you pay with a QR code at the turnstile validator; you do not need an internet connection to generate the code. 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 code through the Onay app.
According to onay.kz, unused balance on an Onay card does not expire: you can use the money on the card on any later ride. The “3 years from the last top-up” rule applies to the metro’s own smart card, not to Onay.
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