Cars4Rental - Worldwide Car Hire

Airports                  Air                         Water                     Rail                   Road

(back to contents)

Cars 4 Rental Guide To Travel In  Pakistan

Note: All travel to Waziristan is ill-advised. It is advised that nationals only undertake essential travel to the Gilgit and Hunza regions of the Northern Areas, northern and western Baluchistan, western North West Frontier Province (NWFP), the Federally-Administered Tribal Areas and Agencies (FATA), the Neelum Valley in Kashmir, and all border areas. If visiting Karachi, visitors should take particular care, avoiding travelling on foot and only travelling in vehicles between secure, well-guarded premises. All places of worship in Karachi should be bypassed. There is a high threat from terrorism throughout Pakistan. British nationals of Western origin are particularly likely to be targeted by terrorists, including for kidnap. Everyone is at risk from indiscriminate attacks and from sectarian violence. There is also a high threat from criminal violence. All those travelling to Pakistan must ensure careful and confident personal security arrangements. Travel to Sindh province and North West Frontier Province, Punjab and Bulchistan should be undertaken with caution. Consult the national foreign affairs department or Consulate before departure (see the Contact Addresses section). International Airports Karachi (KHI) (Quaid-e-Azam) is 15km (10 miles) northeast of the city (travel time – 30-45 minutes). Coaches to the city run every 25 minutes. A bus runs from dusk to dawn every 15 minutes. Taxi services to the city are available. Good airport facilities exist 24 hours, including duty-free shops, restaurant, post office, bank and shops. Lahore (LHE), 18km (5 miles) southeast of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). Coaches and buses leave regularly for the city. Taxi services to the city are also available. Airport facilities include car hire, bank, restaurant and shops. Islamabad (ISB) (Islamabad International) is 8km (5 miles) southeast of the city (travel time – 20 minutes). Coach and taxi services to the city are available. There are full duty-free facilities. Peshawar (PEW), 4km (2.5 miles) from the city (travel time – 10 minutes). Full bus and taxi services to the city are available. Departure tax: PRs800 for international passengers travelling first class, PRs600 for business class and PRs400 for economy class. Transit passengers and children under 2 years of age are exempt. Back to Top Air Travel Pakistan’s national airline is Pakistan International Airlines (PK), linking Pakistan with 47 destinations around the world. Other airlines serving Pakistan include British Airways, China Xinjiang Airlines, Saudia Airlines and Thai Airways. Approximate flight times: From Karachi to London is 7 hours 40 minutes, to Los Angeles is 22 hours 30 minutes, to New York is 21 hours 40 minutes, to Riyadh is 3 hours 35 minutes and to Singapore is 7 hours 15 minutes. Most domestic services are operated by Pakistan International Airlines (PK). Other airlines are Aero Asia and Bhoja Air. There are many daily flights between Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar and Quetta. Air transport is the quickest and most efficient means of travel. Departure tax: PRs40 for internal flights. Children under 2 years are exempt. Back to Top Travel By Water The major port is Karachi (Kemari). It is both Afghanistan’s and Pakistan’s port for goods, together with Port Qasim. No passenger boats or ships for the general public sail to or from Pakistan at present. Traffic along the Indus River is almost exclusively commercial. Many goods are carried to Punjab and the north from the main port at Karachi. Back to Top Rail Much of Pakistan’s extensive rail network is a legacy of British rule. The main line, from Karachi to Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar, has several daytime and overnight trains. Most other routes have several daily trains. Even first-class compartments can be hot and crowded. Travel in air conditioned coaches is advised, as are reservations on long-distance journeys and overnight service. Children under 3 years of age travel free. Children aged 3 to 11 years pay half fare. Pakistan Railways offer concessions for tourists (on presentation of a certificate issued by PTDC), excluding Indian nationals travelling by rail. A discount of 25 per cent is offered to individuals and groups, and 50 per cent for students. Details are available from railway offices in Pakistan. The Lahore–Delhi Samjhota Express leaves Lahore on Mondays and Thursdays. A rail link extends from Quetta (via the border crossing at Taftan) to Zahedan, Iran; the express train (travel time – 27 hours) runs weekly from Quetta, as does the passenger train, which only travels as far as Taftan. Approximate rail times: Karachi to Lahore is 16 hours, to Rawalpindi is 28 hours and to Peshawar is 32 hours; and Lahore to Rawalpindi is 5 hours. Back to Top Travel By Road Traffic drives on the left. The highway network between cities is well-maintained. Bus: Regular services run between most towns and villages. Lahore–Rawalpindi–Peshawar has an hourly service. Air conditioned coaches/buses are recommended for long distances. Advance booking is advised. Car hire: Available in major cities, as well as at Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi airports. Most hotels can book cars for guests. Documentation: An International Driving Permit or own national license is required. From China: the Khunjerab Pass is open between 1 May – 31 October for groups and until 15 November for individual tourists. Customs and Immigration posts are open daily from 0830-1100 for outgoing tourists and until 1600 for incoming tourists. Transport includes buses, vans and 4-wheel-drive vehicles. From India: Wagha is the only land border open between Pakistan and India (Lahore–Amritsar route). The border post is open daily 0830-1430 from 16 April to 15 October, and 0900-1500 from 16 April to 15 October. A minibus runs from Lahore railway station to Wagha and there are also taxis available (travel time – 30 minutes). From Iran: travel is only possible via the Quetta–Taftan–Zahedan route. The border is open from 0900-1300 and 1400-1700. Several buses and coaches leave daily from Quetta to Taftan (travel time – 18 hours). There is also a road from Kabul, Afghanistan to Peshawar. Note: Visitors exiting Pakistan by land routes are subject to a road toll. Travel to the federally administered tribal areas and the border areas with Afghanistan is not recommended. For further information, visitors should seek official advice. URBAN: Extensive bus and minibus services operate in Lahore, Karachi and other towns, although services can be crowded. Taxi: Reasonably priced and widely available, they are by far the most efficient means of urban travel. Note that they may not operate after sunset during Ramadan. Auto-rickshaws are also available. Back to Top

Car Hire Pakistan

Cars 4 Rental can provide car hire vehicles in all the popular locations throughout Pakistan.

Whatever your requirements Cars 4 Rental will be able to provide a car to meet your needs. Our hire cars can be equipped with many optional extras including child seats so that your car rental is ideally suited to your needs.

Hire a car in Pakistan