Five motorways and expressways carry most road traffic towards Pakistan's northern areas, and which one you need depends entirely on where you're going. The M-2 and M-1 get you to Islamabad and then to the Hazara Motorway (E-35), the road to Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu. The Swat Motorway (M-16) branches off separately towards Swat and Kalam, and the Islamabad–Murree Expressway (E-75) heads instead towards Murree, the Galiyat and on to Azad Kashmir.
This guide goes through each one: where it starts and ends, which destinations it actually serves, and where the tolled motorway network hands off to the ordinary mountain roads that carry you the rest of the way.
| Motorway | Connects | Leads towards |
|---|---|---|
| M-2 | Lahore to Islamabad | Everything further north, for travellers starting in Lahore |
| M-1 | Islamabad to Peshawar (partial use) | The Hazara Motorway interchange at Hasanabdal |
| Hazara Motorway (E-35) | Hasanabdal to Mansehra (and on towards Thakot) | Naran, Kaghan, and the Karakoram Highway to Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu |
| Swat Motorway (M-16) | M-1 at Karnal Sher Khan to Chakdara | Swat valley, Kalam |
| Islamabad–Murree Expressway (E-75) | Islamabad to Kohala, extending towards Muzaffarabad | Murree, the Galiyat, Azad Kashmir |
M-2: the on-ramp for anyone starting in Lahore
If you're driving from Lahore, the M-2 to Islamabad is simply the first leg of every one of these routes, whichever destination you're aiming for further north. It's the most heavily used and best-maintained of Pakistan's motorways, with a toll schedule of its own separate from the others, and a car with a working M-Tag has paid around PKR 1,330 for the full length in recent listings. Confirm the current rate before you travel, since tolls have moved more than once in 2026.
M-1 and the Hazara Motorway: towards Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu
From Islamabad, the route to Gilgit-Baltistan joins the M-1 briefly at the Hasanabdal interchange, then turns onto the Hazara Motorway (E-35), which runs to Mansehra and continues in stages towards Thakot. A car pays about PKR 700 for using the M-1 and about PKR 400 on the Hazara Motorway, under the rates the National Highway Authority set from July 2026. At Mansehra, the motorway hands off to the N-35, the Karakoram Highway proper, which is a national highway rather than a limited-access motorway from that point on. Our Hazara Motorway guide covers the exits in detail, including where to turn off for Naran and Kaghan rather than continuing towards the Karakoram Highway.
One safety note applies to this route specifically. As of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, through Besham and Dasu. In summer, the Babusar Pass route through Naran avoids that stretch entirely, and anyone travelling on a foreign passport should check their own government's current advice, since disregarding it can void travel insurance.
Swat Motorway: the separate branch to Swat and Kalam
The M-16 leaves the M-1 at the Karnal Sher Khan interchange, well before the Hazara Motorway turn-off, and runs to Chakdara at the mouth of the Swat valley. It's a distinct route from the one to Gilgit-Baltistan, so don't confuse the two if Swat and Kalam, rather than Hunza or Skardu, are your destination. A car has paid about PKR 270 on this stretch, with a rise to around PKR 324 proposed and awaiting provincial cabinet approval as of August 2026. Our Swat Motorway guide covers its exits and rest stops.
Islamabad–Murree Expressway: towards Murree, the Galiyat and Kashmir
The E-75, commonly called the Murree Expressway, runs from Islamabad towards Kohala on the Jhelum river, and a car has paid about PKR 300 under the July 2026 revision. It's the route for Murree and the Galiyat hill stations, and it also continues towards Muzaffarabad and the rest of Azad Kashmir, with an extension of the expressway a further 70 km towards Muzaffarabad approved in July 2026. This is a different corridor entirely from the roads to Gilgit-Baltistan or Swat, and it's worth knowing that in case your itinerary combines a Kashmir leg with a northern areas one.
Where the motorways end and the mountains begin
None of these roads carry you all the way to Hunza, Skardu, Kalam or Muzaffarabad. Each hands off to a national highway or mountain road, the Karakoram Highway, the road through Kaghan to Babusar, the Swat valley road, or the Jhelum valley road into Azad Kashmir, and from that point the driving is slower and narrower. Keep some cash on hand even after the tolled network ends, since smaller highway toll points exist on some onward roads. Our motorway toll tax guide has the fuller cost breakdown for a Northern Areas round trip.
What's coming: a motorway all the way to Chilas
The federal government approved a four-lane motorway from Mansehra through Kaghan and Naran to Chilas in 2026, including a 13.5 km tunnel under Babusar Top that would let traffic bypass the pass and its winter closure. It's planned in two phases, and no completion date has been set, so treat it as a future change rather than something to plan a trip around. For now, the Hazara Motorway to Mansehra, followed by the Karakoram Highway or the seasonal Babusar route, remains the way to reach Gilgit-Baltistan by road.
Putting a route together
Work out your destination first, then your motorway follows: Lahore travellers add the M-2 to whichever of the routes below they need. For Hunza, Gilgit or Skardu, it's M-1 to the Hazara Motorway, then the Karakoram Highway. For Swat or Kalam, it's the M-1 to the Swat Motorway. For Murree, the Galiyat or Kashmir, it's the Murree Expressway on its own, without the Hazara Motorway at all. Our travel guide has more on planning the rest of a Northern Areas trip once you're off the motorway network.
Frequently asked questions
Which motorway do I take from Islamabad to Hunza or Gilgit?
The M-1 to the Hasanabdal interchange, then the Hazara Motorway (E-35) to Mansehra, where you join the Karakoram Highway for the rest of the drive.
Is the Murree Expressway the same road as the one to Gilgit-Baltistan?
No. The Islamabad–Murree Expressway (E-75) is a separate route towards Murree, the Galiyat and Azad Kashmir, and it doesn't connect to the Hazara Motorway or the road to Gilgit-Baltistan.
Do I need a different motorway for Swat than for Hunza?
Yes. Swat traffic leaves the M-1 at the Karnal Sher Khan interchange onto the M-16, well before the Hazara Motorway turn-off used for Gilgit-Baltistan.
Will there ever be a motorway all the way to Gilgit-Baltistan?
A four-lane motorway with a tunnel under Babusar Top, from Mansehra to Chilas, was approved in 2026, but it has no confirmed completion date. Until it's built, the route runs via the Hazara Motorway and then the Karakoram Highway or the seasonal Babusar Pass road.
Do these motorways use M-Tag?
Yes, M-Tag is compulsory across Pakistan's motorway network. Make sure it's registered and topped up before you leave, since cash top-ups are no longer accepted at the plaza.
