Islamabad to Murree: Distance, Routes and Travel Time

Islamabad to Murree is about 64 km, and in normal traffic the drive takes around an hour and a half. Most people take the four-lane Murree Expressway (E-75) through the Phulgran toll plaza; the older two-lane road via Tret and Ghora Gali is the alternative. On summer weekends, at Eid and after snowfall the same trip can take three hours or more, and in heavy snow the police close the roads altogether.

This guide compares the two routes, gives realistic timings for each season, covers vans, buses and ride-hailing if you are not driving, and explains the traffic plans that now control entry to Murree in winter.

The two routes

Both routes start on the Murree Road out of Islamabad through Bhara Kahu, which is usually the first slow stretch. After that they split.

The Murree Expressway (E-75)

This is the main road and the one the police recommend. The Expressway is a four-lane dual carriageway that climbs steadily from Bhara Kahu, through the Phulgran toll plaza, past Lower and Upper Topa to Murree, and carries on beyond the town to Bhurban and Kohala.

It is well engineered, with wide bends, proper lane markings and a divided road, so it is the safer and less tiring drive, especially at night or in fog. It is also the natural route if you are heading to Patriata, Lower Topa or Bhurban, which are all reached from the Expressway.

The toll at Phulgran was raised on 10 July 2026, to Rs 300 for a car. Toll rates in Pakistan have changed often in recent years, so treat that as a guide.

The old road via Tret and Ghora Gali

The older Rawalpindi–Murree road, often called the GT Road locally, passes the 17 Mile toll plaza and climbs through villages and bazaars: Tret, Bansra Gali, Ghora Gali and Sunny Bank, entering Murree on the Jhika Gali and Kuldana side.

It is narrower, busier with local traffic and slower, but it is greener and useful in two cases: if you want to stop at Ghora Gali or the roadside tea stalls, and if you are going straight on to Nathia Gali, since it brings you out near the start of the Galiyat road at Kuldana.

In July 2026 the old road was closed from the 17 Mile toll plaza between 16 and 20 July for resurfacing, and the Murree police advised tourists to use the Expressway while carpeting work continued. Check its status before choosing it.

Which route should you take?

• The Expressway for almost every trip, and always with a family car, at night, in rain or fog, or if you are going to Patriata, Lower Topa or Bhurban.
• The old road if you know it, want the slower drive through the villages, or are heading for Ghora Gali or the Galiyat, and only once you have checked it is open.

Whichever you pick, check Google Maps for live traffic before setting off, as the Murree police themselves advise. The road that is quicker on a Tuesday morning is not always the quicker one on a Saturday afternoon.

How long does the drive really take?

The distance never changes; the traffic is everything.

The time goes in the same places each trip: Bhara Kahu on the way out of Islamabad, the queue at the toll plazas on busy days, and above all the last few kilometres into Murree, where traffic backs up into the town and hunts for parking. Once you reach the edge of Murree, getting to your hotel or a parking space can take as long as the whole climb.

When to leave, and when to come back

• Going up: at weekends and on holidays, leave Islamabad by 7 or 8 in the morning and you will be in Murree before most day-trippers.
• Coming down: leave by mid-afternoon. On Sunday afternoons and the last day of Eid holidays, everyone heads down at once.
• In fog or after dark: stay on the Expressway. Cloud settles on the hills in the evening, especially in the monsoon, and visibility on the bends can drop to a few metres.

Getting to Murree without a car

Vans and coasters

Public vans and coasters to Murree leave from the Faizabad area and from the Pir Wadhai general bus stand in Rawalpindi through the day, with most departures in the morning. They are the cheapest way up by far, but they are cramped, stop often and are slow on busy days. Fares change with fuel prices, so ask at the stand.

Ride-hailing and hired cars

The intercity services on the big ride-hailing apps cover the route. In September 2026 one of them suggested a fare of about Rs 2,000 one way from Islamabad, with the final price agreed before you set off. For a family or a group with luggage, hiring a car with a driver for the day is often the easiest option, and nobody has to drive tired on the way down.

Buses within Murree

In July 2026 the Punjab government launched an electric bus service in Murree district at a flat fare of Rs 20. Routes and timings are still settling, so ask at the Murree bus stand. You may also have read about a "glass train" from Lake View Park to Murree. It was announced in November 2025 and was still at the bidding stage in 2026, so don't plan around it.

Winter: the traffic plans and closures

Since the snowstorm of January 2022, when 23 people died, many of them trapped in cars on the roads around Murree, entry to Murree in winter is actively controlled. The rules are worth knowing before you set off.

• Vehicle counts. Vehicles are counted at the 17 Mile toll plaza, and police and tourism staff are posted at Phulgran and the other entry points. Once Murree reaches its safe capacity, the police stop further tourist traffic, even if the roads themselves are clear.
• Closures in heavy snow. On 1 January 2026 the Expressway was closed to general traffic from the Phulgran toll plaza to Murree. During the heavy snow of late January 2026 both the Expressway and the old road were closed to tourists at 17 Mile, and for a period tourists were allowed in only with a confirmed hotel booking.
• Facilitation centres. In December 2025 the administration opened 19 round-the-clock tourist facilitation centres on the routes into Murree, and snow-clearing machinery is kept at points such as Jhika Gali, Kashmir Point and Sunny Bank.
• One-way roads and parking bans. Inside Murree several roads become one-way in winter and parking is banned on the main roads, with illegally parked cars impounded.

Carry snow chains (buy them in Islamabad or Rawalpindi, where they are cheaper), keep the tank full, and turn back if the police say the road is closed. The Murree police's Safe Tourism app, launched in March 2026, carries live traffic, weather and parking updates and connects you to the police and Rescue 1122. For how the snow season works and when it becomes risky, see our Murree snowfall guide.

Monsoon: fog and landslides

July and August are Murree's wettest months. Rain brings thick fog to both roads, especially in the evening, and occasional landslides on the smaller link roads. After heavy overnight rain, check the road before leaving, drive with lights on, and avoid the old road in poor visibility.

Is Murree a good day trip from Islamabad?

It can be, if you go on a weekday or leave very early at the weekend. An hour and a half each way for a day on the Mall and at Kashmir Point is a fair trade. Five or six hours in traffic for three hours in Murree, which is what a late start on a summer Saturday can mean, is not.

If you are coming from further away, or want to see Patriata and Bhurban as well as the town, stay a night. Our guide to places to visit in Murree shows what fits into one day and what needs two. If you are carrying on along the ridge, our guide to the drive from Islamabad to Nathia Gali picks up where this one ends, and if you would like us to put a longer trip north together, send us your dates.

Frequently asked questions