Islamabad to Muzaffarabad: Murree and Abbottabad Routes

There are two road routes from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad. The usual one goes over the Murree hills on the Murree Expressway and down to Kohala: about 130 to 140 km, typically three and a half to four and a half hours. The alternative runs up the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, then through Garhi Habibullah and over Lohar Gali: about 190 km, four to five hours, but mostly on motorway and useful when Murree is jammed or under snow.

There is no train and, at the time of writing, no scheduled flight, so the road is the only way in. This guide compares the two routes, explains what each road is like, and covers coasters, hired cars and the checkpoint at Kohala.

Route 1: via Murree and Kohala

This is the route most drivers and nearly all coasters take.

The drive

1. Islamabad to the Murree Expressway. Leave through Bhara Kahu and join the Murree Expressway (E75), which climbs into the Murree hills.
2. Over the hills. The expressway runs about 90 km in all, past the Murree area, Upper and Lower Topa and the Bhurban side, then drops steadily towards the Jhelum.
3. Kohala. The expressway ends outside Kohala, where a bridge crosses the Jhelum into Azad Kashmir. There is a checkpoint here; have your CNIC ready.
4. Kohala to Muzaffarabad. The last 40 km follow the Jhelum upstream on the Kohala–Muzaffarabad road, which the NHA upgraded in 2016, with new bridges at Dulai and Chattar Klas.

What the road is like

The Murree Expressway is a four-lane road for much of its length, and the Kohala–Muzaffarabad road is paved and well kept, but both are mountain roads: long climbs, sharp bends and slow trucks. In a normal car with a rested driver it is an easy drive in daylight. The final stretch follows the Jhelum closely, with the river below the road, so take it at a steady pace.

Traffic and winter

The weak point of this route is Murree. On summer weekends, holidays and at Eid, traffic around Murree can add an hour or more. In winter, heavy snow in the Murree hills can bring traffic to a standstill; in January 2022, 23 tourists died when vehicles were trapped by a snowstorm in Murree. On days when heavy snow is forecast for Murree, use the Abbottabad route instead, or wait.

In the monsoon, from July to August, the stretch along the Jhelum can also be hit by landslides after heavy rain.

Route 2: via Abbottabad, Mansehra and Garhi Habibullah

This route is longer in kilometres, but most of it is motorway, so it is only a little slower in normal conditions.

The drive

1. Islamabad to the Hazara Motorway. Take the M-1 west towards Peshawar and turn north onto the Hazara Motorway (M-15) at the interchange near Hasan Abdal.
2. North to Mansehra. The motorway runs past Haripur, Havelian and Abbottabad. It is six lanes as far as Haripur and four lanes from Havelian to Mansehra, and it is the fastest part of either route.
3. Mansehra to Garhi Habibullah. Leave the motorway at Mansehra and follow the road east for about 40 km to Garhi Habibullah, in the Kunhar valley.
4. Garhi Habibullah to Muzaffarabad. The last 20 km or so cross into Azad Kashmir and climb over Lohar Gali before dropping into Muzaffarabad from the west.

What the road is like

The motorway is fast and smooth, with tolls. After Mansehra, the road becomes an ordinary two-lane mountain road, with slow sections through Mansehra town and the villages beyond it. It is fine for any car in good condition.

Lohar Gali

The one serious caution on this route is Lohar Gali, just before Muzaffarabad. The slope there has a long history of landslides, and in 2024 a large slide closed the Muzaffarabad–Mansehra road; small vehicles were diverted over Shaheed Gali instead. After heavy rain, ask in Mansehra or Garhi Habibullah whether Lohar Gali is open before you go on.

Which route should you take?

For most trips, most of the year, take the Murree and Kohala route. It is shorter, coasters use it, and outside weekends and holidays it is the quicker drive.

Take the Abbottabad route when:

• Snow is forecast for Murree, from about December to February. The Hazara Motorway and the Mansehra road are much lower than Murree and less likely to be blocked by snow.
• Murree is jammed, on an Eid holiday or a summer weekend, especially in the afternoon.
• You are combining Muzaffarabad with Kaghan or Naran. Garhi Habibullah is in Balakot tehsil, close to the start of the Kaghan Valley road, so this route links the two naturally.
• You are coming from Peshawar or the rest of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, when the Hazara Motorway is on your way anyway.

In the monsoon, either road can be blocked by a landslide, and when one is closed the other is usually the way round. For which months are easiest on the roads, see our guide to the best time to visit Azad Kashmir.

If you are driving from Lahore, both routes start from the motorway: the M-2 to Islamabad for the Murree route, or the M-2 and M-1 to the Hazara Motorway for the Abbottabad route, which avoids driving through Islamabad and Murree.

By coaster or bus

Coasters and minibuses run from Rawalpindi and Islamabad to Muzaffarabad throughout the day, mostly by the Murree and Kohala route. Operators run from the Faizabad terminals in Rawalpindi, among others, and the journey takes about four hours, longer in heavy traffic. In 2026 one-way fares were listed at about PKR 1,500 to 2,200, depending on the operator and vehicle.

From Lahore, direct coaches to Muzaffarabad run in the morning and overnight, taking seven to eight hours, and were listed at about PKR 2,500 to 2,600 one way in 2026.

A few tips:

• Book a front or window seat if anyone in your group gets travel-sick; the Murree section is a long series of bends.
• Travel in daylight if you can, and take an early departure in summer to avoid the worst Murree traffic.
• In Muzaffarabad, vans for the Neelum Valley leave from the city's stands, so if you are going on up the valley, arrive with enough of the day left to connect.

By hired car or taxi

A car with a driver is the easiest option for families. One-way drops from Islamabad to Muzaffarabad in a sedan were advertised at about PKR 14,000 to 16,000 in 2026, and intercity ride-hailing apps also list the route. Agree whether tolls are included, and which route the driver will take.

If you are going on into the Neelum Valley, it usually makes more sense to hire the car for the whole trip than to change vehicles in Muzaffarabad. Our Neelum Valley Escape does exactly that, driving from Islamabad through Muzaffarabad to Keran on the first day.

Before you set off

• Carry your CNIC. There are checkpoints at the entry points to Azad Kashmir, including Kohala. Foreign nationals should carry their passport and visa and check current NOC rules for the areas they plan to visit.
• Leave early. An early start keeps you ahead of Murree traffic and means you reach Muzaffarabad by late morning, with time to see the city or carry on up the valley.
• Fill up before the mountains. Fuel is easy to find on both routes, but fill up in Islamabad or on the motorway rather than waiting for the hills.
• Avoid driving after dark. Both routes end on narrow mountain roads, and headlights coming the other way on the bends are tiring.
• Check the weather. Snow at Murree in winter and rain at Lohar Gali in the monsoon are the two things most likely to change your plan.

Once you arrive, our guide to places to visit in Muzaffarabad covers what to see in a few hours, including the drive up to Pir Chinasi. For the valleys beyond, see our Kashmir destination page.

Frequently asked questions