For an ATM in Neelum Valley, plan on Muzaffarabad and treat everything after it as a bonus. Banks do have branches up the valley: the published branch lists show three banks in Athmuqam, one in Sharda and one in Kel. None of those lists says which branches have a cash machine, and a machine in a mountain bazaar is only useful when it has power, a network link and notes in it. Fuel follows the same pattern, with Athmuqam the last town to rely on.
This guide sets out what we could confirm from the banks' own lists, town by town, and how to plan cash and fuel around it.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Draw your cash in | Muzaffarabad |
| Banks with branches in Athmuqam | HBL, National Bank, Bank of AJK |
| Bank branches beyond Athmuqam | Bank of AJK in Sharda; HBL in Kel |
| ATMs confirmed by the banks' lists | None; the lists do not show ATMs |
| Fill the tank in | Muzaffarabad, and again in Athmuqam |
| Card payments | Assume cash only beyond Muzaffarabad |
Weather now in Keran, Neelum Valley 1,524 m
Live weather loads here.
When it snows: Heavy snow through the winter, still likely in February; snow lingers above Sharda into March. More on the seasons
Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated every 30 minutes. Mountain weather changes fast: check again before you set off.
Banks in Neelum Valley, town by town
Distances are by road from Muzaffarabad. The branch information comes from HBL's branch list dated 31 January 2026, the Bank of AJK's branch list checked in October 2026, and National Bank's published list of designated branches.
| Town | From Muzaffarabad | Bank branches listed |
|---|---|---|
| Muzaffarabad | 0 km | All the main banks; Bank of AJK alone lists 14 branches in the city and district |
| Chella Bandi | Edge of the city, on Neelum Road | Bank of AJK |
| Patika | Lower valley | HBL, Bank of AJK |
| Jura | Lower valley | Bank of AJK |
| Kundal Shahi | About 72 km | Bank of AJK |
| Kutton | Side valley above Kundal Shahi | Bank of AJK |
| Athmuqam | About 80 km | HBL, National Bank, Bank of AJK |
| Keran | About 93 km | None found |
| Sharda | About 131 km | Bank of AJK |
| Kel | About 150 km | HBL |
| Taobat | Beyond Kel by jeep track | None found |
A few things follow from this table.
A branch is not an ATM. A counter serves that bank's own customers during office hours on weekdays. If you bank with HBL you should be able to cash your own cheque at its Athmuqam or Kel branch on a working day, which is worth knowing in a pinch, so carry your cheque book and CNIC. If you bank elsewhere, a branch without a working machine is no use to you.
Athmuqam is the realistic last stop. With three banks in one bazaar, it is the only place past Muzaffarabad where you have a fair chance of finding a machine in service. It is also the district headquarters.
Keran has no bank that we could find, even though it is one of the valley's main overnight stops.
Sharda and Kel each have one branch. Do not build a plan on either. One machine, if there is one, means a single fault leaves the whole town without cash.
Why the machines fail
A cash machine needs steady power, a data link and regular deliveries of notes up a road that closes for landslides. None of the three is dependable in the upper valley. During the unrest of 2026, mobile and internet services in Azad Kashmir were shut for weeks at a time, and an ATM cannot work without its network link.
So even where a machine exists, assume it may be off, offline or empty on the day you need it. That is the reason for drawing everything in Muzaffarabad, not a lack of banks.
Where to refuel
We could not find an official list of fuel stations for the valley, so this section rests on the same advice every driver gives: fill up in Muzaffarabad before you set off, and top up in Athmuqam whatever the gauge says.
The reasoning is distance. Athmuqam to Kel is about 70 km each way of slow mountain road, and a day that adds the jeep roads to Ratti Gali from Dowarian or onward to Taobat is done in a hired jeep, not your own car. A full tank at Athmuqam covers the paved valley and back with room to spare. A quarter tank does not leave room for a detour or a long wait at a landslide with the engine running.
Motorcyclists should think harder about it. We could not confirm any fuel station beyond Athmuqam, so carry a reserve if your range is short. Our Neelum Valley by car guide covers the road itself.
How much cash to carry
Work it out before you leave, since you will not be able to top up. These are the things you will pay for in notes once you are past Muzaffarabad:
- Hotels and guesthouses, almost all of which want cash, often with an advance on arrival
- Jeep hire for the side roads: Dowarian to Ratti Gali, Kel to Taobat, Kel towards Shounter
- The chairlift across the river at Kel for Arang Kel
- Meals, tea stalls and small shops
- Fuel
- Any repair, puncture or tow
Our guides give current figures for each: the Neelum Valley trip cost breakdown, jeep rent in Neelum Valley, the Ratti Gali jeep fare and the Arang Kel chairlift ticket. Add those up for your own route, then add a third on top for the day that goes wrong.
Carry a mix of notes. Jeep drivers and tea stalls struggle to change a PKR 5,000 note, so bring plenty of PKR 500 and 1,000 notes. Split the money between two people and two bags.
Cards and mobile wallets
Card machines are rare outside Muzaffarabad. A few larger hotels may take a card or a bank transfer, but ask when you book and do not count on the terminal working when you check out.
Mobile wallets are widely used across Pakistan, and a hotel owner may be willing to take a transfer if you ask. The catch is the same as for the ATMs: both you and the person you are paying need a working data connection, and not every mobile network operates in Neelum. Read our guides to mobile signals in Neelum Valley and to JazzCash and Easypaisa for travellers before relying on your phone to pay.
A simple plan
- The day before, check your daily ATM limit with your bank. A single card may not give you enough for a week in one go, so start drawing a day or two early.
- Draw the full amount in Islamabad or Muzaffarabad.
- Fill the tank in Muzaffarabad.
- At Athmuqam, about 80 km on, refuel and use an ATM only if you find one working. Our Athmuqam guide covers the town.
- Beyond Athmuqam, spend from what you are carrying and keep an emergency reserve untouched until you are back.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ATM in Athmuqam?
HBL, National Bank and the Bank of AJK all list branches in Athmuqam, which makes it the likeliest place in the valley to find a working machine. The banks' lists do not confirm which branches have ATMs, so treat it as a backup.
Are there ATMs in Keran, Sharda or Kel?
We found no bank branch in Keran. The Bank of AJK lists a branch in Sharda and HBL lists one in Kel, but neither list confirms an ATM. Do not plan around one.
Where should I fill up on fuel before Neelum Valley?
In Muzaffarabad, and again in Athmuqam about 80 km up the valley. Supply beyond Athmuqam is not dependable.
Can I pay by card in Neelum Valley?
Rarely. Assume cash for hotels, jeeps, food and fuel everywhere beyond Muzaffarabad, and ask larger hotels in advance if you hope to pay by card or transfer.
How much cash should I carry for a Neelum Valley trip?
Enough for every night, every jeep and all your fuel, plus about a third extra. There is no dependable way to get more once you are past Athmuqam.
Is the Neelum valley safe for overseas visitors?
Pakistani tourists visit every summer, but as of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel in Azad Kashmir within 10 miles of the Line of Control, which covers most of the Neelum valley, and against all but essential travel to the rest of AJK. Foreign passport holders should check their own government's advice, because travelling against it can void insurance. Everyone should check local news and police advice first; see our guide to whether Neelum Valley is safe.
