UralskUralsk bus station
AtyrauAtyrau bus station
Photo: Wikimedia CommonsA city on two continents: cross the bridge and you've walked from Europe into Asia
The Ural River splits Atyrau between Europe and Asia — you can walk from one to the other across a bridge. Kazakhstan's oil capital, with a long embankment and the Caspian Sea nearby.
For foreign citizens
Entering Kazakhstan
This city is in Kazakhstan. If you're not travelling on a Kazakhstan passport, here are the basics.
- VisaRussian citizens don't need a visa and can stay up to 90 days in every 180. Citizens of many other countries can also enter visa-free — check the rules for your country before you travel.
- Children from Russia under 14Since 20 January 2026 a birth certificate is no longer accepted for entering Kazakhstan — the child needs an international passport.
- RegistrationHotels register their guests themselves. If you rent privately, the owner registers you through the eQonaq service. Rules on when registration is required have changed — check by calling 1414.
- Debts can block your exitIn both Russia and Kazakhstan, debts under enforcement proceedings (loans, alimony, fines, taxes) can lead to a ban on leaving the country — and you only find out at the border. Check a couple of days before your trip: it takes a minute.
Information as of November 2026, collected from open sources. Rules change — check them on the foreign ministry and border service websites before you travel.
Who will love it here
- Students and applicantsThe Utebayev University of Oil and Gas and the Dosmukhamedov University — careers that lead to the biggest energy companies.
- Families with childrenThe Ural embankment with fountains, a footbridge between Europe and Asia, parks and rides — great photos guaranteed.
- Athletes and fansBeibarys hockey and Atyrau football, runs on the embankment, fishing on the Ural and in the delta.
- Older travellersThe regional museum with its Golden Warrior, the Imangali Mosque and quiet evening walks by the river.
- Time to unwindCaspian wind, a wide river and sunsets that stretch across half the sky.
Sport and outdoors
- Beibarys — hockeyOne of the strongest clubs in the Kazakhstan championship.
- Atyrau — footballGames at the Central Stadium draw the whole city.
- FishingThe Ural and the delta by the Caspian — a place for serious anglers.
What to try
- Caspian fishCarp, zander, roach — fried, smoked or in soup.
- BeshbarmakThe national dish — every home makes it its own way.
- Shubat and kumisCamel and mare's milk — what people drink here instead of lemonade.