Route · Twin cities up the Karakoram Highway

Islamabad to Hunza Bus Ticket Price, Timings and Online Booking

The Islamabad to Hunza ticket price starts at Rs 4,850 with K2 Movers and Rs 5,000 with Mashabrum Tours. The journey takes nineteen to twenty one hours up the Karakoram Highway, seated throughout, and services set down at Aliabad or Karimabad.

Ticket price from
Rs 4,850K2 Movers
Mashabrum Tours
Rs 5,000Luxury Daewoo
Distance
600 kmVia Chilas and Gilgit
Journey time
19h to 21hRoad dependent
Sleeper berths
NoneNo operator offers one

Islamabad to Hunza bus ticket price: K2 Movers charges Rs 4,850 and Mashabrum Tours Rs 5,000, with Faisal Movers also serving the corridor. The journey is nineteen to twenty one hours via Chilas and Gilgit, and no operator offers a berth.

Fares by operator

Islamabad to Hunza ticket price by operator

Hunza sits about three hours beyond Gilgit on the Karakoram Highway, so the operators are the same as the Gilgit corridor with fares stepped up for the extra distance.

Islamabad and Rawalpindi to Hunza fares
OperatorClassJourney timeTicket price
K2 MoversLuxury Daewoo, Yutong19h to 21hRs 4,850
Mashabrum ToursLuxury Daewoo19h to 21hRs 5,000
Faisal MoversStandard20h to 22hRs 5,200
Via Gilgit, then localBus plus van22h +From Rs 4,100

Fares are indicative published prices and vary with class, fuel adjustments and peak demand. Your live, confirmed fare appears on the seat map before payment.

Book through rather than changing at Gilgit

You can travel to Gilgit from Rs 3,760 with NATCO and continue by local van, which comes to around Rs 4,100. That saves roughly Rs 750 but adds a change after sixteen hours on the road, and Gilgit onward transport is not guaranteed on arrival. On this corridor the through booking is worth the difference.


Where you actually arrive

Hunza is a valley, not a town

Buses to Hunza set down at Aliabad, the commercial centre on the Karakoram Highway. Karimabad, where most visitors stay, is up the hill from there.

ALIABAD

The road head

The main settlement on the highway and where most services terminate. Shops, banks and onward transport are here.

KARIMABAD

Where you probably want to be

Up the hill from Aliabad, with Baltit and Altit forts and most of the guesthouses. A short taxi ride from where the bus drops you.

FURTHER UP

Gulmit, Passu, Sost

North along the Karakoram Highway toward the Chinese border. Local transport from Aliabad, and NATCO runs the Sost corridor.

Confirm the drop point before you book

Some services terminate at Aliabad and others continue or stop short. If you have accommodation booked in Karimabad, factor in the taxi up the hill and do not assume the bus goes there. Arriving at 2:00 PM after twenty hours is very different from arriving at 2:00 AM, so check the scheduled arrival too.


Schedule

Islamabad to Hunza bus timings

Departures are in the early evening from Pirwadhai so the hardest sections through Kohistan and Chilas are covered overnight.

Departure

5:00 PM to 9:00 PM

The standard northern window from the twin cities.

Overnight

Kohistan and Chilas

The mountain sections are covered in darkness, which is why the scenery disappoints some travellers.

Arrival

Next afternoon

Nineteen to twenty one hours later in good conditions. Delays are routine.

Booking

Days ahead in summer

K2 Movers does not sell online. Mashabrum is bookable through Bookme.


Where to board

Twin cities and Hunza terminals

RAWALPINDI

Pirwadhai

The main northern hub. Mashabrum boards at Pirwadhai Bus Stand and K2 Movers runs from the twin cities on 051-5163314. Several operators share the area, so ask for your company by name.

Faisal Movers also runs Hunza from its own terminals.

HUNZA

Aliabad

Services set down at Aliabad on the Karakoram Highway. Karimabad, where most visitors stay, is a short taxi ride up the hill.

Onward transport to Gulmit, Passu and Sost departs from Aliabad.


Bus vs train vs flight

Islamabad to Hunza by bus, train and flight compared

There is no railway anywhere in Gilgit-Baltistan and no airport in Hunza itself. The bus is the only mode that runs the full route, and flying gets you as far as Gilgit if the weather allows it.

BUS Goes all the way

Islamabad to Hunza by bus

Rs 4,850K2 Movers, direct

Journey time
19h to 21h
Changes
None
Runs
Year round

K2 Movers, Mashabrum Tours and Faisal Movers all run the corridor through Chilas and Gilgit, setting down at Aliabad. It is the only mode that operates to a schedule regardless of cloud cover.

Cheapest by a wide margin and the only mode you can rely on for a fixed date.

FLIGHT Part way only

Islamabad to Hunza by air

Rs 15,000 +Islamabad to Gilgit, one way

Flight ends at
Gilgit
Road left
About 100 km
Total time
5h to 6h

PIA flies Islamabad to Gilgit, and from Gilgit it is roughly three hours by road to Aliabad. The catch is reliability. The approach is flown visually through the mountains, so cloud cancels the flight outright and cancellations are common rather than rare.

Fastest when it operates, but three to four times the bus fare and never something to depend on.

There is no train option on this route. Pakistan Railways has no line into Gilgit-Baltistan, and the network ends at Havelian with the whole Karakoram Highway still to cover by road.

Islamabad to Hunza: bus, train and flight compared
Mode Reaches Hunza Total time Changes Ticket price
Bus, direct Yes 19h to 21h 0 Rs 4,850
Bus to Gilgit, then local Yes, with a change 22h + 1 From Rs 4,100
Flight to Gilgit, then road Yes, with a change 5h to 6h 1 Rs 15,000 +
Train No service

Fares are indicative published prices. Air fares vary by date and availability, and Gilgit flights are weather dependent. Local transport from Gilgit to Aliabad is charged separately.


Common questions

Islamabad to Hunza bus FAQs

What is the Islamabad to Hunza bus ticket price?

K2 Movers charges Rs 4,850 and Mashabrum Tours Rs 5,000, with Faisal Movers at around Rs 5,200. Fares are the same from Rawalpindi.

How long is the Islamabad to Hunza bus journey?

Nineteen to twenty one hours for roughly 600 km via Chilas and Gilgit. Karakoram Highway conditions regularly add hours, so do not plan a fixed commitment for the day after your scheduled arrival.

Is there a train from Islamabad to Hunza?

No. There is no railway line anywhere in Gilgit-Baltistan. The network ends at Havelian, which still leaves around 500 km of Karakoram Highway to cover by road, so the bus is the practical option.

Can I fly from Islamabad to Hunza?

Not directly. Hunza has no airport. PIA flies Islamabad to Gilgit from around Rs 15,000 one way, and from Gilgit it is about three hours by road to Aliabad. The flight is flown visually through the mountains, so cloud cancels it and you should keep a bus fallback in mind.

Is there a sleeper bus to Hunza?

No, and no operator on any northern corridor offers berths. K2 Movers fits wide recliner seats with personal USB charging, which is the most comfortable option available on the route.

Where does the bus drop me in Hunza?

At Aliabad, the commercial centre on the Karakoram Highway. Karimabad, where most guesthouses and the Baltit and Altit forts are, is a short taxi ride up the hill from there.

Should I book through or change at Gilgit?

Book through. Travelling to Gilgit and continuing locally saves around Rs 750 but adds a change after sixteen hours, and onward transport is not guaranteed on arrival.

Can I continue to Khunjerab Pass from Hunza?

Yes, via Sost, with NATCO running that corridor and hired transport also available. The Chinese border crossing is seasonal and typically closed over winter, so check the current status before planning a through journey.

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