Book a Train, Bus or Flight in Pakistan with a Foreign Passport

To book a train in Pakistan with a foreign passport, go to the reservation office at the station with your passport and visa. Travellers have reported since 2020 that the Pakistan Railways online system will not register a foreign passport and takes only Pakistani cards; we could not find anything official saying that has changed. Coaches and flights are easier: Daewoo's booking form accepts a passport number, terminal counters sell for cash, and the airlines take passport details like any international carrier.

The obstacle in each case is the CNIC, the 13-digit national identity card number that Pakistani booking forms often insist on. This guide explains where it blocks you, what to do instead for each kind of transport, and what the UK government's travel advice says about using it at all.

Where does a CNIC field stop a foreign visitor?

Many Pakistani booking forms are built for Pakistani citizens. They ask for a CNIC number, check that it has 13 digits, and sometimes ask you to pay with a JazzCash or Easypaisa mobile wallet, which needs a local account. A passport number will not pass that check.

Don't type in a made-up number or borrow a friend's CNIC for a ticket in your own name. Tickets are issued to named passengers and checked against ID, and a mismatch is a problem at the gate. Instead, use one of these:

• The counter. Station booking offices and coach terminals sell tickets against a passport.
• A form that accepts passports. Some do; Daewoo's is one.
• Someone who can book for you. Your hotel, a licensed travel agent or your tour operator.

Trains: how do foreigners book Pakistan Railways?

Start with the official position for foreign visitors. The UK government's advice says: "Avoid using the railway network due to the risk of terrorist attacks and derailments." Its list of recent attacks includes the hijacking of the Jaffar Express in Balochistan in March 2025. Other governments may say something different, but if you hold a UK passport, travelling against that advice is something your insurer may notice. Many Pakistanis use the trains every day; the decision is yours, but make it knowingly.

If you do take a train, this is how it works on a foreign passport:

1. Go to the station's reservation or booking office with your passport, visa and a photocopy of both. Big stations such as Lahore and Rawalpindi have them.
2. Don't count on booking online. Travel writers reported in 2020 and 2021 that the online system would not register a foreign passport and accepted only Pakistani cards. The registration still asks for a CNIC, and we found no official note on foreign passports.
3. Ask about the foreigner discount. The same writers reported a discount for foreign visitors of 25% or more, obtained in person from the station's commercial office, which issues a form for each journey. They said it needed copies of the passport, visa and entry stamp, and was not available online. We could not confirm the discount still exists in 2026, so ask, but don't budget on it.
4. Carry the passport you booked with, because tickets are checked against ID on board.

Our guides to booking Pakistan Railways tickets and the train classes explain the system and which class to choose. They are written for CNIC holders, so use the counter route above for the booking itself.

Coaches: Daewoo and the other intercity companies

Intercity coaches are a popular way to travel between the big cities of Punjab and beyond, and the better companies run air-conditioned buses from their own terminals.

Daewoo Express is the easiest for a foreigner. Its registration form has a "CNIC/Passport No" field, so a passport number goes in. Travellers who have used it recommend paying in cash at the terminal, because international cards don't always go through online, and arriving well before departure. Its booking line is 042-111-007-008 (UAN).

Other companies vary. Faisal Movers, for instance, lists Easypaisa, JazzCash, Bank Alfalah's payment gateway and its own wallet as ways to pay online, most of which need a Pakistani account. The simplest answer is to buy at the company's terminal with your passport, or ask your hotel to book. Our ranking of intercity bus services compares the companies and seat classes.

For the north, the government-run NATCO and a few private lines run from Rawalpindi to Gilgit and Skardu. Carry your passport, visa and several photocopies for the checkposts. Some of these buses use the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, which the UK advises against all travel on; check the route before you book.

The UK advice also says, because of crime, to avoid public transport, naming the Metro Bus between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. If you follow it strictly, a private car with a driver is the alternative for intercity travel.

Domestic flights: can you book with a foreign card?

Usually this is the easy part. PIA, Airblue, AirSial and Fly Jinnah all sell international as well as domestic flights, so their booking systems are used to passengers with foreign passports.

• Book on the airline's own site or through a Pakistani agent such as Bookme or Sastaticket.
• If a foreign card is declined, it is often your own bank's fraud screening blocking an unfamiliar Pakistani merchant. Approve it in your banking app and try again, or ask an agent or your tour operator to issue the ticket.
• Carry your passport to check-in, and keep the e-ticket on your phone.
• Build in time for the mountains. The UK advice says flights to the northern mountain areas are frequently delayed or cancelled because of the weather. Never book a Gilgit or Skardu flight the day before your international flight home.

Our guide to domestic flights in Pakistan covers routes, fares and baggage.

Ride apps in the cities

In Lahore, Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Karachi the main ride apps are inDrive and Yango. Careem stopped offering rides in Pakistan in July 2025, so old advice to use it is out of date. Our comparison of Uber, Careem and inDrive explains how each works.

For a foreigner, two things get in the way:

• Registration needs a phone number that can receive an SMS code. A local SIM makes this simple. Our SIM card guide covers buying one on your passport.
• Payment is mostly cash. Carry small notes, and check in the app whether card payment is offered in your city before relying on it.

Again, the UK advice is stricter than local habit. It tells British travellers to avoid street taxis, e-taxis and online taxi apps, and to use licensed taxi companies you call, where the operator sends the driver. Hotels in the big cities can usually arrange one.

When is it easier to let someone else book?

If you are on a short trip, or most of your travel is in the north, the time spent on counters and forms can outweigh the savings. Many hotel desks will book coaches and cars, a licensed agent can issue flights, and a tour operator handles the whole chain.

On our Pakistan tours for international travellers, road transport is a private vehicle with a driver, and domestic flights are quoted with the itinerary and booked for you, so none of this applies. If you are travelling independently, the counters work; give yourself an extra hour the first time.

Frequently asked questions