The Kohat Tunnel is 1.89 km long (about 1.2 miles), a road tunnel on the N-55 Indus Highway that carries traffic under the Khigana hills and the Kohat Pass between Dara Adam Khel and Kohat city. By road it is about 47 km south of Peshawar's Saddar, about 17 km north of Kohat city and about 179 km from Islamabad (OSRM route planner). Built with Japanese development funding and opened in 2003, it is officially known as the Pak-Japan Friendship Tunnel and replaced the older, narrower road over the Kohat Pass.
This guide covers the tunnel's history, what the route through it involves, and the current security situation, since it sits inside a district the UK government currently advises against all travel to.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Length | 1.89 km (about 1.2 miles) |
| Location | N-55 Indus Highway under the Kohat Pass, about 33.65° N, 71.54° E |
| From Peshawar | About 47 km from Saddar, roughly an hour (OSRM) |
| From Kohat city | About 17 km (OSRM) |
| From Islamabad | About 179 km via the N-80 through Fateh Jang and Khushalgarh, past Kohat (OSRM) |
| Cost | Rs 662.6 million (Wikipedia) |
| Opened | June 2003 |
| Built with | Japanese development assistance (Pak-Japan Friendship Tunnel) |
| Width | 10.3 m overall: a 7.3 m carriageway plus shoulders (Wikipedia) |
| UK advice (13 October 2026) | Against all travel to Kohat district |
Why the tunnel was built
Before 2003, traffic between Kohat and Peshawar on the Indus Highway had to climb over the Kohat Pass, a narrow, winding road through the hills that was slow for ordinary traffic and difficult for larger vehicles. The tunnel was built to cut that journey, funded mainly through Japanese official development loans, which is why it carries the Pak-Japan Friendship Tunnel name.
Construction began in 1999 and the tunnel opened to traffic in June 2003, at a reported cost of Rs 662.6 million. At 1.89 km it was, at the time, one of the longer road tunnels in Pakistan, cut through the Khigana range north of Kohat city. Along with the tunnel itself, new approach roads were built on each side: about 7.7 km on the northern side and about 22.2 km on the southern side. Wikipedia credits it with cutting about 20 minutes from the old drive over the pass, and with opening the route to long-bodied vehicles that could not manage the pass's hairpin bends.
Its history has not been quiet. In January 2008 militants seized the tunnel, and security forces retook it on 27 January, according to Wikipedia.
Where is the Kohat Tunnel?
The tunnel sits on the Peshawar to Kohat road, the N-55, where it crosses the hills that separate Dara Adam Khel tehsil from Kohat. Coming from Peshawar you drive south through Matani and Dara Adam Khel, and the tunnel is about 47 km from Peshawar's Saddar, roughly an hour's drive. From the southern side it is about 17 km on to Kohat city. The whole tunnel is inside Kohat district.
How far is the Kohat Tunnel from Islamabad?
About 179 km by road, measured with OSRM. The shortest route does not go through Peshawar: it takes the N-80 west through Fateh Jang and Khushalgarh, passes Kohat, and then runs north on the N-55 to the tunnel. Going via the M-1 motorway and Peshawar is longer, and either way you cross districts covered by the UK advice below.
What the drive is like
The tunnel itself is a straightforward, lit, two-lane bore, wide enough for trucks and buses as well as cars. It shortens the journey and avoids the switchbacks of the old pass road, and it is used constantly by the heavy commercial traffic that runs the length of the Indus Highway between Peshawar, Kohat, Bannu and further south.
On the far side, the road runs into Dara Adam Khel, historically known across Pakistan as a centre for locally made firearms sold from shops along the road. Both the tunnel approach and Dara Adam Khel sit within Kohat district and carry the same current security advice.
Is the Kohat Tunnel safe to use?
The tunnel and the district it sits in are covered by the UK government's advice against all travel to Kohat. The advice was last updated on 13 October 2026 to add the emergency and governor's rule the federal government imposed on Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on 11 October, and it now warns of road closures, possible disruption to public transport, a heavier security presence and internet disruption in parts of the province. The law minister said the emergency applies to the whole province (Dawn).
Kohat has also had its own recent violence: a serious attack on Kohat's Police Lines on 18 September 2026, when a suicide car bomb and armed assault on a mosque inside the police compound killed at least 23 people, including 17 police officers, and injured more than 100 (Dawn). Kohat and the surrounding districts have also seen a longer pattern of militant activity connected to the former tribal areas nearby.
The road through the tunnel remains the main route south from Peshawar for freight and local traffic, and it functions day to day. It is not, at present, a stretch to travel for its own sake as a tourist. If your route genuinely requires it, travel in daylight, check recent local news beforehand, and follow any checkpoint or police instructions along the way. Visitors from overseas should check their own government's current advice, since travelling against it can affect travel insurance. Our guide to whether Kohat is safe for tourists covers the district in more detail.
Who needs to use this route?
Mostly through-traffic: freight moving along the Indus Highway, and people travelling between Peshawar and points further south such as Bannu or Dera Ismail Khan. It is not a scenic drive or a destination in itself, and there is little reason to route a leisure trip through it while the current advisory stands.
For places on the Indus Highway further south, our guide to Dera Ismail Khan covers the safer alternative of travelling via the M-14 motorway rather than the Indus Highway through Kohat and Bannu. Our wider guide to places to visit in Kohat covers the rest of the district.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the Kohat Tunnel?
About 1.89 km (1.2 miles), running under the Khigana hills on the N-55 Indus Highway between Kohat city and Dara Adam Khel.
Where is the Kohat Tunnel located?
On the N-55 Indus Highway between Peshawar and Kohat, under the Kohat Pass, inside Kohat district. It is about 47 km south of Peshawar Saddar by road and about 17 km north of Kohat city.
What is the distance from Islamabad to the Kohat Tunnel?
About 179 km by road via the N-80 through Fateh Jang and Khushalgarh, then north from Kohat on the N-55, measured with OSRM.
When was the Kohat Tunnel built?
Construction began in 1999 and it opened to traffic in June 2003. It was funded largely through Japanese development assistance, which is why it is also called the Pak-Japan Friendship Tunnel.
Is it safe to drive through the Kohat Tunnel?
The tunnel sits within Kohat district, which the UK government currently advises against all travel to; Kohat's police lines were attacked in September 2026, and an emergency was imposed on the province on 11 October 2026. Check current local news and travel in daylight if the journey is necessary, and avoid the route for leisure travel at present.
What is on the other side of the Kohat Tunnel?
Dara Adam Khel, a town long known for shops selling locally made firearms. It sits within the same district covered by the current UK travel advisory.
