Lahore to Muzaffarabad by road covers roughly 520 to 550 km, on the M-2 motorway to Islamabad, the Murree Expressway over the hills to Kohala, and the last stretch along the Jhelum into the city. Driven yourself, with normal stops, it takes about eight to nine hours. Direct buses run the same road overnight in around eight hours, for a fraction of what the fuel and toll cost in a car.
This guide is written for the Lahore end of the trip: the motorway leg, what to expect for tolls and fuel, where to stop for food, and the coach operators running direct from Band Road. Once you reach Muzaffarabad, the road choices from Islamabad onward and what to see in the city are covered elsewhere, and linked below.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Distance | Roughly 520 to 550 km |
| Driving time | About 8 to 9 hours, normal traffic |
| Route | M-2 to Islamabad, Murree Expressway to Kohala, then the Jhelum road to Muzaffarabad |
| M-2 toll (car) | PKR 1,430, rate set July 2026 |
| Fuel | Roughly 40 to 45 litres one way in a family car; petrol was about PKR 390 a litre in late September 2026 |
| Direct bus fare | About PKR 2,500 to 2,700 one way (2026) |
| Bus journey time | About 8 hours, mostly overnight |
The route: M-2, Murree Expressway, then Kohala
The drive has three parts. The M-2 motorway runs 375 km from Lahore to Islamabad, and is the fast, easy stretch: four to six lanes, a proper carriageway, and nothing to think about except fuel and a lunch stop. At the Islamabad end you leave the motorway and cross the city to Bhara Kahu, where the Murree Expressway (also signed as the E75) begins.
The expressway climbs 90 km through the Murree hills to Kohala, where a bridge crosses the Jhelum into Azad Kashmir. There is a checkpoint at the crossing; keep your CNIC to hand. From Kohala, the S-2 highway follows the Jhelum upstream for the final 40 km into Muzaffarabad.
This is the route almost everyone uses, by car or by coach. There is also a longer way round from Islamabad, via the Hazara Motorway and Mansehra, which avoids Murree's traffic and snow but adds distance; our Islamabad to Muzaffarabad guide sets out that choice in detail, since it applies from the Islamabad end regardless of where you started.
Distance and driving time
Published distances for this route vary more than usual, because some route-planners send you through Gujranwala and Gujrat on the GT Road instead of via Islamabad. Sticking to the M-2 and Murree Expressway, the distance comes out at roughly 520 to 550 km.
Driving time breaks down roughly like this:
- Lahore to Islamabad (M-2): about four and a half to five and a half hours, more on a Friday or a long weekend.
- Across Islamabad to Bhara Kahu: 30 to 45 minutes outside rush hour, longer in the evening.
- Bhara Kahu to Kohala (Murree Expressway): around two hours, slower if Murree itself is busy.
- Kohala to Muzaffarabad: about an hour, on a two-lane road that follows the river closely.
Add it up with a proper stop for lunch and fuel, and eight to nine hours is a realistic day, not a rushed one. Leaving Lahore by six or seven in the morning gets you through Murree before the afternoon traffic builds and into Muzaffarabad with daylight to spare.
Toll and fuel costs
The M-2 toll for a car is PKR 1,430, the rate the National Highway Authority set from 5 July 2026, which holds until April 2027; motorcycles, buses and trucks pay different rates at the same plazas. There is also a smaller toll on the Murree Expressway at Phulgran, revised at the same time as the M-2 rate; the board at the plaza will show the current figure, so keep a little extra cash for it.
Petrol was priced at about PKR 390 a litre in late September 2026, and OGRA revises the rate roughly every fortnight, so treat that as a snapshot. A 1,300 to 1,600 cc family car will use somewhere around 40 to 45 litres for the one-way drive, more if it is heavily loaded. Between the toll, fuel and a meal on the way, a small car with one or two people on board costs several times a bus ticket to make the same trip.
Where to eat and fill up along the way
The M-2 has proper service areas, and the sensible plan is to eat there rather than in Islamabad or Murree, where you will want the time for driving. Bhera, close to the motorway's halfway point, is the bigger of the two: fuel, ATMs, prayer areas, and a run of familiar fast-food chains alongside local options, open around the clock. Kallar Kahar, further on near the Salt Range, is smaller and quieter, with fuel and simple local food.
Beyond Islamabad, fuel is easy to find in Murree and at Kohala, but stations thin out on the last stretch into Muzaffarabad. Fill up before you leave the motorway network if the tank is getting low, and again in Muzaffarabad itself before heading further into the valley.
Direct buses and coaches from Lahore
Several operators run direct coaches from Lahore to Muzaffarabad, mostly overnight, with departures from the Band Road terminals around 10 pm. Skyways, Niazi Express, Srinagar Express and Muzaffarabad Express all serve the route, on Daewoo-type or similar coaches, with fares in the region of PKR 2,500 to 2,700 one way in 2026, depending on the operator and the seat. Journey time is around eight hours, so a late-evening departure gets you into Muzaffarabad in the early morning.
Fares and schedules change without much notice, so confirm the current price and departure time with the operator or a booking site before you travel. Tickets can be booked at the terminal or through the usual intercity booking platforms.
A few practical points:
- Book early for a weekend or holiday departure. Seats on the evening buses sell out first.
- Ask for a front seat if anyone in your group is prone to travel sickness; the Murree Expressway has a long run of bends.
- An overnight bus means arriving tired. If you plan to see Muzaffarabad or push on into the Neelum valley the same day, build in time to rest first.
Driving yourself or the bus: which makes sense
A coach suits most solo travellers and couples better, purely on cost: the fare is a small fraction of the fuel and toll a car will use over the same distance. Driving your own car earns its keep once three or four people are sharing the cost, or you want the car with you in Muzaffarabad and beyond.
If you would rather not drive from Lahore at all, our five-day Neelum Valley Escape starts from Islamabad with a mountain driver and a fixed itinerary; Lahore travellers can reach Islamabad by motorway coach and join from there, which avoids the Murree Expressway leg in a hired car entirely.
Whichever way you travel, this is the same road that continues north into the valley beyond Muzaffarabad. Our Lahore to Neelum Valley guide picks up from here for anyone going on to Keran, Sharda or Kel.
Before you set off
- Carry CNICs for every adult. There is a checkpoint at Kohala, where you cross into Azad Kashmir.
- Have the car checked, particularly brakes and tyres, before the Murree Expressway; it is a genuine mountain road with sustained climbs and descents.
- Travel in daylight where you can. The expressway and the Kohala road are both manageable after dark but more tiring, and headlights on the bends slow everyone down.
- Check conditions before a winter trip. Snow on the Murree hills between December and February can close or badly slow this route; our guide to the best time to visit Azad Kashmir covers the seasons in more detail.
- Check current travel advice for Azad Kashmir. Pakistani visitors travel to Muzaffarabad regularly, but conditions in parts of AJK have changed at short notice in 2026; see our guide on whether Azad Kashmir is safe to visit before you go.
Once you arrive, our guide to places to visit in Muzaffarabad covers the city itself, and our Kashmir destination page has an overview of the valleys beyond it.
Frequently asked questions
How far is Muzaffarabad from Lahore by road?
Roughly 520 to 550 km, using the M-2 motorway to Islamabad and the Murree Expressway to Kohala. Routes through Gujranwala and Gujrat exist but are less direct and not what most drivers or bus operators use.
How many hours does it take to drive from Lahore to Muzaffarabad?
About eight to nine hours with normal stops: roughly four and a half to five and a half hours on the M-2 to Islamabad, then another three to three and a half hours on the Murree Expressway and the Kohala road.
Is there a direct bus from Lahore to Muzaffarabad?
Yes. Operators including Skyways, Niazi Express, Srinagar Express and Muzaffarabad Express run direct overnight coaches from Lahore's Band Road terminals, taking about eight hours, with 2026 fares in the region of PKR 2,500 to 2,700 one way.
What is the toll on the M-2 from Lahore to Islamabad?
PKR 1,430 for a car, at the rate the National Highway Authority set in July 2026. There is a smaller additional toll on the Murree Expressway at Phulgran.
Should I take the Murree route or go via Abbottabad?
From Islamabad there are two routes into Muzaffarabad, via Murree and Kohala or via the Hazara Motorway and Mansehra. Our Islamabad to Muzaffarabad guide compares them; for most of the year the Murree route covered here is the shorter and quicker choice.
Is the drive from Lahore to Muzaffarabad safe?
The road itself is paved and driven every day, with the usual mountain-road cautions around Murree in winter snow and the monsoon months. For the wider security picture in Azad Kashmir, check our guide on travelling safely in Azad Kashmir before you set off.