[1] The town is located in the southeastern sector of the Aktobe Region near the northern end of the Greater Barsuki Desert, close to Lake Shalkar.

[3] Shalkar has a semi-arid climate (Köppen: BSk)[4] with very cold winters and hot summers.

At the time, Chelkar was a part of Irgizsky Uyezd of Turgay Oblast and was connected to Yrgyz by a road.

Between 1905 and 1907 the station building, the locomotive depot, as well as other facilities including a school and a hospital, were built.

A branch line connects to Beyneu, from where trains can continue to various destinations, including the Caspian Sea port of Aktau.