Arriving By Plane, Train or Bus
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Arriving by Plane
Islamabad/Rawalpindi Airport, also known as Benazir Bhutto International Airport, situated in the middle of Rawalpindi and receives flights from several international destinations, including London, Amsterdam, Geneva, Frankfurt, Paris, Dubai etc. Pakistan International Airlines offer the largest network of domestic and global flights. But besides PIA, there are three other private airlines – namely Airblue, Shaheen Air International and the recently introduced Air Indus.
A taxi from the airport to Islamabad is around Rs. 400 (in a yellow non a/c cab). The white Toyota Corolla air-conditioned radio cabs is also a good option and is only slightly costly than regulars taxis.
Airport Info: Islamabad Airport (Call: 051 99280300)
But if you are travelling from within Pakistan, it is cheaper or more adventurous to take a train or bus to reach Islamabad.
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Arriving by Bus
Niazi Express, Skyways and Daewoo some of the nicer long-haul bus operators. It’s best to book bus by phone in advance if possible. At the moment they serve Karachi, Peshawar, Lahore, Murree, Sialkot, Abbottabad, Bahawalpur, Faisalabad and Multan. Most bus stations are located at Faizabad Main I.G.P Road. Daewoo Bus is the first and only one to offer online bus ticket booking service.
Contact for Booking:
Luxury Bus Travel Islamabad-Lahore:
Q-Connect: The Volvo buses have been launched by Q-connect to offer premium traveling between Lahore and Islamabad. These buses have ully reclining seats and facilities like live TV, laptop and mobile phone charging stations, Wi-Fi, multimedia touch screens for entertainment, food items and onboard restroom. The one-way ticket is Rs3300/-. Contact: 0335 7777777 (details)
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Arriving by Train
Pakistan Railway has a large network of routes that link the major destinations around the country, including Islamabad. Islamabad railway station (formerly Margalla railway station) is located in sector I-9 Islamabad. Green Line Express Train offer travel to and from Islamabad to Karachi via Hyderabad, Rohri, Khanewal, Lahore and Rawalpindi. Rawalpindi railway station connect the city various major cities. The fare for Greeline train is 5500 from Islamabad to Karachi vice versa. The services offered by Pakistan Railways in Greenline train include breakfast, dinner, evening tea with snacks, LCD TV, wifi.
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Public Transport
Visitors to Islamabad have a number of options for getting around and include by car, train, bus, and taxi.
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Metro Bus
Metro Bus is the most convenient and cheap way to visit different places in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Metro Bus covers all of Blue Area and most of the 9th Avenue. Metro Buses have good air conditioning systems and free wi-fi. Cost is fixed at Rs. 20 for all distances. Since the Metro system is not yet spread all across the city so you have to take a taxi to reach the exact destination.
Metro Bus route
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Cabs
Taxis are a good way of getting around the immediate city of Islamabad. Taxis in Islamabad are abundant, popular and generally safe. But is appropriate to reach an agreement on the fare before traveling. Cost starts from around Rs. 100 and charges can be Rs. 30 per km. Charges will be higher at night time especially if you are going to or departing from posh places like F-10 Markaz or Jinnah Super (F-7). Taxis usually have a Taxi sign and are generally found in yellow or black in color.
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Ride-Hailing Apps
These days ride-hailing apps are the most convenient, safest and affordabe way to move around the city.
1. Careem
Careem has best car fleet, well-trained drivers, and good customer service. Simply pick the car type that you prefer, choose to pay the way you want for your ride and enjoy your ride. Careem cars can be booked by using three different methods: 1. Careem App. 2. Careem Website 3. Careem Hotline.
Careem offers 4 different car experiences. You can estimate fare for each car type here. Here are car categories to book:
- Taxi (everyday cab)
- Go (economy class)
- Go+ (more comfortable than Go)
- Business (premium class)
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2. Uber
Uber is one of the most popular ride-hailing company which is also available in Islamabad. Currently, only uberGO can be availed in Islamabad, offering Islamabad and Rawalpindi safe, reliable, and affordable rides.
Estimate an Uber fare in Islamabad here.
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Car Hire
There are a number of hire car companies in Islamabad where cars can be hired with drivers. Most major hotels have their own car hire services and are relatively cheap. If there is a particular make/model of car that you want, you may have to wait until it becomes available but generally, the process around hiring cars is expeditious.
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