How to Go from Islamabad to Lahore

Traveling from Islamabad to Lahore is one of the most common long-distance journeys in Pakistan. You’ll go from the modern, relatively calm city by Pakistani standards to the seemingly enormous, historic, intense, and bursting with energy city that is Lahore. The distance between them isn’t short, but it’s very doable — and you’ve got several decent transport options depending on how much time, comfort, and flexibility you want.  Here’s my guide on going from Islamabad to Lahore.

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To travel to Lahore from Islamabad, you can drive (or be driven), take the train, jump on a bus, or even fly, but the “best” option really depends on your travel style. If you want flexibility and the option to make sightseeing stops, driving is the best choice. The cheapest option is to jump on a bus or train (but factor in getting to the stations and terminals first). In this guide, I’ll break down each realistic way to travel from Islamabad to Lahore so you can choose the option that actually works for you.

Where Is Lahore Compared to Islamabad?

Lahore is in Punjab province, south of Islamabad, the capital city, which is in Islamabad Capital Territory.  The two cities are separated by roughly 375 kilometers (233 miles). In ideal conditions, the journey takes around four to six hours, but real-world travel time depends heavily on traffic and, of course, the stops you want to make.

Both cities are huge. Islamabad merges with a jolt with Rawalpindi, and Lahore is enormous — in fact, it’s the 27th largest city in the world, which gives you a sense of scale. Traffic congestion is common when leaving Islamabad/Rawalpindi and again when entering Lahore, especially during peak hours, weekends, and public holidays. This congestion needs to be factored into your plans, along with transport within each city, which can easily add another lot of time before or after the intercity journey itself.

How to Go from Islamabad to Lahore

You have five realistic ways to make this journey: private car or taxi, train, bus, flight, or ride-hailing. If this is just going from A to B, then you’ll make a very different decision than if you want to see some of the attractions along the way.  Places I recommend for stops?

• Rohtas Fort – and my guide is here
• Khewra Salt Mine – read about it here.

Now, let’s go through the options of how you can go from Islamabad to Lahore.

Private Car or Taxi from Islamabad to Lahore

This is the most flexible option — and my recommended way to travel this route. Driving allows you to turn what would otherwise be a long transit day into part of the experience.  Now, when I write driving, I don’t *actually* mean driving.  I mean, getting someone else to drive.  This is one country where I would not relish getting behind the wheel. 

The route between Islamabad and Lahore usually goes via the M-2 Motorway, which is in good condition and easy to navigate.

The big advantage is the ability to stop en route, especially at UNESCO World Heritage Rohtas Fort or Khewra Salt Mine, both of which are relatively close to the route to make it worth a stop. You can do this in one day (but you’ll need to leave Islamabad no later than 08:00 – and if I were you, I’d make it an 07:00 start).

You can self-drive or hire a car with a driver. Hiring a driver with your car removes the stress of traffic, navigation, and the intensity of traffic entering Lahore. Fuel costs and motorway tolls need to be factored in, but for flexibility, comfort, and sightseeing, this option is hard to beat.  You can get an all-inclusive price from providers like Rozefs Tourism or Royal Taxis.

Train from Islamabad to Lahore

The train is one of the easiest and most predictable ways to travel between the two cities. The most difficult part of the train journey is getting the tickets.  The second most difficult part is getting to and from the train stations in Islamabad and Lahore.

Pakistan Railways operates several services on this route, offering a range of seat classes and comfort levels. Trains are generally reliable and relatively comfortable.

You can only buy train tickets 90 days in advance, and you can technically buy them online, but you’ll need an account set up with Pakistan Railways, and for this, you need a Pakistan ID number.  It doesn’t work with foreign passports.  You can buy tickets in person at train stations or via a travel agent, for which you’ll pay a fee.  The agent is the best option.  You can also (allegedly) buy train tickets for Pakistan via https://bookkaru.com/train, but we couldn’t get it to work.  (Let me know if you have any luck.)  There’s also an option for train booking on https://bookme.pk.  Again, we didn’t have any luck.

Now, the next challenge.  The train from Islamabad to Lahore actually leaves from Rawalpindi, which is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) from the Blue Area in Islamabad, so you’ll need to factor in getting a taxi there.  Use Indrive or Yango to get an idea of the rates to pay, or book it via their apps (pay cash for your drive when you arrive).  There are no rickshaws allowed in Islamabad, so you’ll have a car, but don’t expect an A/C even if you order one.

There are several trains from Rawalpindi to Lahore, and they take from 4.5 hours to 8 hours, depending on the train you catch.  Check timetables with Pakistan Railways here.

Trains arrive in Lahore at Lahore Junction, which is here.  Indrive and Yango work in Lahore as well for your onward transport to your hotel.  I recommend the fabulous Faletti’s Express, 1 Davis Road, Shimla Hill, for a fabulous escape from Lahore’s noise, but located easily enough to get around.  The rooms really do look like the photos, the staff are superb, and the breakfast is great!  Check them out here.

Bus from Islamabad to Lahore

Bus travel is the cheapest way to get between Islamabad and Lahore, but it comes with a few practical realities that are important to understand. Most long-distance buses do not depart from Islamabad itself, but from Rawalpindi, which means you need to factor in the time and cost of getting there, plus waiting at the depot.

Even the highly recommended Faisal Movers is a 20-minute drive from the Blue Area to their Islamabad Terminal (New City Terminal, Street Number 26, Jhangi Syedian, Islamabad).  Map location here.

Many departures cannot be booked online (although Bookaru might let you book online) and usually must be arranged in person at the specific bus terminal, which tends to mean that you’ll arrive at the bus terminal by around 08:00 and just wait until there is an available bus.  And there are lots of buses throughout the day.

There are a variety of different bus companies, each with its own terminal.  The best, by all accounts, is Faisal Movers, which offers surprisingly luxurious buses for very little money, with comfortable seating and good air-conditioning.  Faisal Movers has its own website, where you can book with a card.  A local card.  You can try it with an international card here.

Arrival in Lahore is at Abdullah Travels, Band Road, Lahore (map location)– still quite some distance from where your hotel is likely to be.  So factor in getting a rickshaw or a car from there.  Again, Indrive and Yango work best for at least indicating what price you should be paying.

Flight from Islamabad to Lahore

There’s no logical flight from Islamabad to Lahore, as there are no direct flights.  To fly from Islamabad to Lahore, you’ll need to change.  In Karachi.  It doesn’t make sense, so don’t.

Using Ride-Hailing to go from Islamabad to Lahore

Ride-hailing apps can sometimes appear cheaper than hiring a private taxi, but they’re a gamble for a journey this long. There’s no guarantee of vehicle quality, and even if you book an A/C or premium option, it doesn’t always turn up as expected.

Indrive offers a “City to City” option; you’ll pay around 5,000 PKR for a seat in a shared ride, or around 13,000 to get the car to yourself.   When you book it, you need to state whether you want a private ride or a shared ride and how many people are riding.  And the same as in city rides with Indrive, you make an offer, and drivers can counteroffer until you agree on an amount.  Try it here.

However.  For a trip of this length, ending up in an uncomfortable or poorly maintained car is more than just annoying — it can make the journey miserable.

Travel Tips for Islamabad to Lahore

• Avoid peak departure times if possible, especially late afternoons and weekends
• Expect heavy traffic leaving Islamabad/Rawalpindi and entering Lahore
• Build in time to arrive at bus terminals or train stations at both ends of your journey
• Build in buffer time if you have onward plans
• Bring snacks and water for road or bus journeys
• Carry cash, especially for buses and drinks/snacks
• Plan ahead for transport within Lahore, as distances are large and traffic is heavy

Final Words on Traveling from Islamabad to Lahore

There’s no single best way to travel from Islamabad to Lahore, just the best option for your priorities. Driving gives you flexibility and sightseeing opportunities, the train offers comfort and predictability, buses keep costs low, and flights work for tight schedules. Factor in traffic, city size, and how you’ll get around once you arrive, and you’ll have a much smoother journey overall.  For us, it was a private transfer, with stops at Rohtas Fort and Khewra Salt mine.  What about you?

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