Getting between Pakistan's major cities is one of the practical challenges every traveller faces. The country is large — Karachi to Lahore is 1,200km, roughly the distance from Paris to Warsaw — and the transport options are numerous, frequently confusing, and wildly variable in quality. This guide breaks down what actually works, what to avoid, and how to book it.
Trains: The Underrated Option
Pakistan Railways operates an extensive network connecting Karachi to Lahore, Lahore to Rawalpindi/Islamabad, and onward to Peshawar in the north and Quetta in the west. Trains are not fast — a Karachi-to-Lahore journey takes 20–24 hours — but they are comfortable on the right services, scenic, and afford you a genuine view of Pakistan's landscape that planes and motorways deny you.
Services worth booking:
- Tezgam Express (Karachi–Lahore): Pakistan Railways' flagship train. AC Sleeper class has clean 4-berth compartments with bedding, reasonable food service, and a more comfortable berth than most buses. Departs Karachi Cantonment station nightly. Book 7–14 days ahead for AC Sleeper.
- Green Line (Karachi–Islamabad): The premium service — newer rolling stock, better punctuality record, slightly higher fares. The AC Business class seats are genuinely comfortable for daytime travel.
- Lahore–Rawalpindi Shuttle: Multiple departures daily. A good alternative to the motorway for those who prefer not to drive or book a bus.
How to book: Pakistan Railways website (pakrail.gov.pk) has an online booking system. It works — somewhat. For reliability, use the Avanza app which aggregates Pakistan Railways tickets. Alternatively, book in person at major train stations (Karachi Cantonment, Lahore Junction, Rawalpindi) up to 30 days in advance. Booking a few days ahead is generally sufficient except for Eid holidays when trains fill weeks in advance.
What class to book: Economy class is functional but crowded and not recommended for long journeys. AC Sleeper is the sweet spot for overnight trips. AC Business is better for daytime journeys where you want to work or read.
Long-Distance Buses: Daewoo and Beyond
Daewoo Express is the gold standard of Pakistani intercity buses — reserved seats, air conditioning, no standing passengers, punctual by local standards, and reasonably priced. It connects Lahore, Islamabad, Multan, Faisalabad, Peshawar, and several other Punjab/KP cities. Notably, it does not serve Karachi directly (the route is too long for a single operator's network).
- Book online: daewooexpress.com. Booking 24–48 hours ahead is usually sufficient. During Eid, book a week ahead.
- Lahore–Islamabad: Most popular route. 5–5.5 hours via motorway. Departures every 30–60 minutes from 6am to midnight. Fare: approximately PKR 800–1,200.
- Lahore–Multan: 4 hours. Good option for onward connection to Sindh by train.
For routes Daewoo doesn't serve, Faisal Movers, Skyways, and PITCO offer reasonable alternatives on major routes. Quality varies more; read current reviews before booking.
For Karachi–Lahore by bus, Bilal Daewoo and several other operators run overnight services on the M-9 and then M-5 motorways. The journey is 18–20 hours. This is only recommended if you genuinely cannot afford the flight or train — overnight buses are an endurance test.
Domestic Flights: When to Just Fly
Pakistan's domestic aviation sector has three main players: PIA, Airblue, and Serene Air. For Karachi–Lahore, Karachi–Islamabad, or Islamabad–Gilgit/Skardu routes, flying often makes far more sense than surface travel.
- PIA: The national carrier. Has the widest network including small northern airports (Skardu, Gilgit, Chitral, Moenjodaro). Reliability is variable; schedule changes and delays are common. Book well ahead for Skardu and Gilgit — these flights are heavily booked May–September and can be cancelled in bad weather.
- Airblue: Consistently better punctuality than PIA on the main trunk routes (Karachi–Lahore–Islamabad triangle). No northern routes. Online booking works reliably.
- Serene Air: Youngest carrier, reasonable track record, serves Karachi–Lahore–Islamabad plus some secondary cities.
Fare reality: Last-minute domestic fares in Pakistan can be surprisingly reasonable — PKR 8,000–20,000 for Karachi–Lahore is common. Book 1–3 weeks ahead for best prices. During Eid, fares triple and availability disappears.
Ride-Hailing Within Cities
Careem and InDriver are the dominant ride-hailing apps in Pakistan's major cities. Careem (owned by Uber) has the widest coverage and most reliable driver supply. InDriver allows fare negotiation. Both require a Pakistani phone number for registration — international tourists can often register with a WhatsApp-registered international number, but results vary. Having a local SIM (easily obtained at any city airport with a passport) solves this entirely.
In smaller cities and towns, Bykea (motorbike taxis) is popular and cheap for short urban hops. In Lahore and Islamabad, the Orange Line Metro (Lahore) and Islamabad BRT are both fully operational, cheap, and reliable for specific corridors.
