Daewoo Express, Pakistan's best-known bus company, does not run all the way into the northern areas. Its northernmost terminals are Abbottabad, Mansehra and Mingora in Swat, and travellers heading further, to Gilgit, Hunza or Skardu, need to switch to a different operator from one of those towns. Faisal Movers runs further, with a service from Islamabad to Gilgit and Hunza over the Babusar Pass, and NATCO covers the full network across Gilgit-Baltistan's own northern areas.
This guide sorts out which company actually reaches where, and how to connect if the bus you booked stops short of where you're going.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Daewoo Express | Reaches Abbottabad, Mansehra, Mingora; no service into GB |
| Faisal Movers | Islamabad to Gilgit and Hunza via Babusar Pass; also Naran |
| NATCO | Covers Gilgit, Hunza, Sost and Skardu; GB's own network |
| Onward from Abbottabad/Mansehra | Local vans or a taxi to a NATCO or private coach |
| Onward from Mingora | Local transport within Swat and Kohistan |
Where Daewoo Express actually goes
Daewoo Express serves more than sixty destinations across Pakistan, but its network stops at the edge of the mountains rather than going into them. Its terminals in this direction run as far as Abbottabad, Mansehra and Mingora in Swat, all comfortably reached from Islamabad or Rawalpindi on a normal AC coach with reserved seating. None of these is a base for the deeper northern areas: Abbottabad and Mansehra sit on the road toward Naran and the Karakoram Highway, and Mingora is the gateway to upper Swat, Kalam and Kumrat, but none of them is Gilgit, Hunza or Skardu.
If your plan is Naran, Kaghan or Swat itself, a Daewoo Express coach to Mansehra or Mingora gets you close, and you finish the trip by local van, hired car or a connecting service. If your plan is Gilgit-Baltistan, Daewoo's network doesn't help directly, and it's worth booking a company that runs the whole way instead of assembling the trip in stages.
Who actually reaches Gilgit-Baltistan
NATCO, the Gilgit-Baltistan government's own transport company, is the main operator that covers the region properly, running from Rawalpindi's Pir Wadhai terminal to Gilgit, Hunza, Sost and Skardu. It is the most established option and the one most likely to be running outside the summer season. Our guides to the NATCO bus to Gilgit and the NATCO bus to Skardu cover booking and what the ride is like in detail.
Faisal Movers, a large Punjab-based coach company, runs an executive-class service from Islamabad to Gilgit and Hunza that goes by way of Naran and the Babusar Pass rather than the lower Karakoram Highway route, with Naran itself also served as a stop along the way. It's a genuine alternative to NATCO on this corridor, and worth comparing on price and timing, though whether it's running in a given month depends on the Babusar Pass being open, which is roughly June to October.
Private Gilgit-Baltistan operators such as Mashabrum Tours and Silk Route also run from Pir Wadhai to Gilgit and on to Hunza, Sost and Skardu, alongside NATCO. They're worth comparing for departure time and fare, but read recent reviews before booking, since the individual bus matters more than the company's name.
Connecting onward if your bus stops short
If you've arrived in Abbottabad or Mansehra on a Daewoo Express coach and want to carry on north, you have a few practical options:
- Change to a coach that continues. NATCO and the private GB operators pass through or near these towns on the way from Rawalpindi, so it's sometimes possible to board partway rather than starting fresh at Pir Wadhai, though seats aren't guaranteed and you should confirm this by phone before relying on it.
- Take a local van or Hiace. Shared vans run from Mansehra toward Naran and Kaghan, and from Abbottabad toward Balakot, and are the normal way locals make these shorter hops.
- Hire a car for the onward leg. A taxi or a hired car with a driver from Abbottabad or Mansehra covers the rest of the journey on your own schedule, at a higher cost than the bus but without waiting on someone else's timetable.
- Start again from Rawalpindi. For Gilgit-Baltistan specifically, it's usually simpler to book NATCO, Faisal Movers or a private GB operator straight from Pir Wadhai rather than trying to piece the journey together from a midway stop.
Comparing the coaches themselves
Daewoo Express's reputation for comfort is deserved as far as its network goes: reserved seating, a proper AC coach and a fixed timetable on well-surfaced roads. That comfort is easier to deliver on the motorway and GT Road sections than it would be on the Karakoram Highway or the Babusar route, which is one reason Daewoo Express hasn't extended its own service into Gilgit-Baltistan, unlike NATCO and Faisal Movers, whose coaches and drivers are set up for the mountain roads specifically.
That matters when you're comparing fares. A Daewoo Express ticket to Mansehra will usually look cheaper than a NATCO or Faisal Movers ticket to Gilgit, but it's a shorter, easier journey on a different kind of road, not a discount on the same trip. Compare like with like: the through fare and journey time to your actual destination, not just the fare to the nearest town Daewoo Express happens to serve.
Which is actually the right choice?
If Swat, Naran or Kaghan is the destination, Daewoo Express is a sound, comfortable way to get most of the way there, with a short local connection to finish. If Gilgit-Baltistan is the destination, book NATCO, Faisal Movers or a private GB coach directly from Rawalpindi rather than counting on Daewoo Express to take you any further than Abbottabad or Mansehra. Trying to save time by breaking the journey into stages with different companies usually costs more time than it saves, between waiting for connections and the uncertainty of a seat on a coach you didn't book from its starting point.
Frequently asked questions
Does Daewoo Express go to Gilgit or Skardu?
No. Daewoo Express's network in this direction stops at Abbottabad, Mansehra and Mingora. For Gilgit-Baltistan, book NATCO, Faisal Movers or a private Gilgit-Baltistan operator directly.
Which bus company goes furthest into the northern areas?
NATCO, the Gilgit-Baltistan government's transport company, covers the widest network within the region, reaching Gilgit, Hunza, Sost and Skardu. Faisal Movers also reaches Gilgit and Hunza, by way of Naran and the Babusar Pass.
Can I take a Daewoo Express bus and then connect to Gilgit?
In principle, by taking local transport onward from Abbottabad or Mansehra, but it usually costs more time in waiting than booking a through service such as NATCO or Faisal Movers directly from Rawalpindi.
Is Faisal Movers a good alternative to NATCO?
It's a reasonable one on the Islamabad to Gilgit and Hunza route, running via Naran and Babusar rather than the lower Karakoram Highway. Compare timing and fare when you book, and check that the Babusar Pass is open for the season.
Does any bus company reach Skardu directly from Rawalpindi?
Yes. NATCO and private operators including Mashabrum Tours and K2 Movers all run a direct overnight service from Pir Wadhai to Skardu. Daewoo Express and Faisal Movers do not currently serve Skardu.
