Pakistan Driving Advice and Car Hire Info
Driving In Pakistan
Before planning on driving abroad in Pakistan you should check your Governments website for advice on travel within the country as there may be restrictions on travel to certain areas such as Peshawar, Kohat, Tank, Banu, Lakki, Charsadda, Hangu, Karak and Dera Ismail Khan. The UK Government also currently advises against travel on the Karakorum Highway between Mansehra and Chilas via Battagram, Besham City, Dasu and Sazin.
Pakistan drives on the left in right hand drive cars. You need an international driving permit plus your own licence to drive in Pakistan. Pakistan has an efficient and well maintained motorway system including tgoll roads denoted national highways which include the famous Grand Trunk Road, Indus Highway, Karakoram Highway and Makran Coastal Highway. Other roads are likely to be in a less satisfactory condition.
One of the most common reasons foreigners drive in Pakistan is the The Karakoram Highway (sometimes abbreviated to KKH).This is the highest paved international road in the world; it connects Western China and Pakistan via the world’s highest border crossing. The highway runs roughly north-south across the Karakoram mountain range and through the Khunjerab Pass at the border. In Pakistan, it runs from Abbottabad to the border through the provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan. After the border, it runs across part of China’s Xinjiang province to Kashgar. The route is best travelled in Spring or early Autumn as the Khunjerab Pass is closed from January through to April due to heavy snow. Landslides that can block the road are common at some places during the monsoon season (Jul-Sep) and parts of the route in China pass through desert regions which can be excessively hot in Summer. The Pakistan section of the highway starts from Hasan Abdal, 50 km northwest of Rawalpindi, while the Chinese section starts from Kashgar. If starting in Pakistan the N-5 — which runs between Karachi and Peshawar — or the Grand Trunk Road, both pass through Hasan Abdal.
Roads in Ppakistan are crowded, drivers are often aggressive and poorly trained, and many vehicles, particularly large trucks and buses, are badly maintained. Expect all manner of animals, pedestrians and slow moving, often unlit vehicles to be on the road. Roads, including most major highways, also suffer from poor maintenance and often have numerous potholes, sharp drop-offs and barriers that are not sign-posted You should avoid driving at night as the potential hazards become worse on roads which are usually not lit. Driving in major cities is chaotic with little attention to rules and large volumes of traffic. If you are forced to drive in a major city, ask the rental company to take you to / meet you at the outskirts and let them drive in the centre.
Although I try and keep the information in the site updated as much as possible, in a rapidly moving world, situations can change daily. Therefore please use the site as an approximate guide, and in conjunction with other resources in order to form your view on driving conditions, roads, safety etc.
Pakistan Car Rental –
Sixt, Hertz, Europcar,Avis, have outlets here.
We currently have no local car rental partners in Pakistan. If you are a local car rental company who would like to feature on DriverAbroad.com please check details on our Partnering page or contact us on ADriverAbroad@Outlook.com.
Pakistan Self Drive Rules-
there are different rules in place depending on the company you rent from and the location. Eg Sixt need you to advise them if you intend to drive outside Karachi. Hertz have locations in all main cities and one way rentals seem to be a possibility. Europcar mention restrictions on cars being taken out of Pakistan but don’t detail which countries.
5 comments