The railway spans approximately 293 kilometers, connecting Zhetygen, near Almaty, to Khorgos, a key border crossing with China. The line is constructed with a 1,520 mm Russian gauge, is single-tracked, and not electrified. At the Khorgos border, a break of gauge occurs, necessitating either the transfer of cargo between trains or the adjustment of train bogies to accommodate China's 1,435 mm standard gauge.