A Northern Areas trip from Lahore costs roughly PKR 130,000 to 200,000 for a couple for a week in Hunza in 2026 if you drive your own car the whole way, once tolls, fuel and an extra day or two of driving each way are counted. Taking the motorway to Islamabad and a coach or hired car onward from there usually works out cheaper and less tiring, because Lahore sits far enough south that the drive to Hunza is a genuine two-day undertaking, not a long single push.
This guide prices the Lahore-specific costs — tolls, fuel and the extra driving days — against the coach and flight alternatives.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Lahore to Islamabad | About 375 km, 3.5 to 4 hours on the M2 motorway |
| Lahore to Karimabad, Hunza | Roughly 900 to 950 km, 18 to 21 hours driving |
| M2 toll, Lahore–Islamabad, car | PKR 1,430 one way (2026) |
| Hazara Motorway (E35) toll, car | PKR 350 one way (2026) |
| Realistic own-car trip | 2 days driving each way, 3 to 4 days in Hunza |
What makes Lahore different from Islamabad-based trips
Most Northern Areas cost guides are written from an Islamabad starting point, because it's roughly a single long day's drive from there to Hunza or Skardu. Lahore adds the Lahore–Islamabad leg on both ends of the trip — about 375 km each way on the M2 — which turns a one-day drive north into a genuine two-day one if you're doing it by road the whole way, with an overnight stop somewhere around Besham, Chilas or further on depending on how far you get on day one.
The toll bill, added up
Tolls are a small but real part of a Lahore-origin road trip. For a car making the return journey Lahore–Islamabad–Hunza–Islamabad–Lahore:
- M2 motorway (Lahore–Islamabad), car: PKR 1,430 one way, so about PKR 2,860 for the return leg alone
- Hazara Motorway (E35), car: PKR 350 one way, roughly PKR 700 return, covering the stretch toward Abbottabad and Mansehra
- Beyond Mansehra, the Karakoram Highway toward Chilas and Hunza is a national highway rather than a tolled motorway, so there's no further toll on that stretch
All told, tolls add a modest PKR 3,000 to 4,000 to a Lahore round trip — small next to fuel and rooms, but worth having in the budget since toll rates have risen several times in the past couple of years. NHA reviews and adjusts these rates periodically, so treat the figures above as a 2026 snapshot rather than a fixed number.
Fuel for the extra distance
At roughly PKR 390 a litre for petrol in September 2026, the Lahore–Islamabad round trip alone (about 750 km) adds meaningfully to the fuel bill compared with starting in Islamabad — often PKR 6,000 to 9,000 more for a mid-size car over the whole trip, on top of what the Islamabad-to-Hunza leg already costs. Our fuel cost guide works through consumption on the mountain sections in more detail.
Own car vs coach vs flying, from Lahore
Your own car, all the way. Gives you full flexibility once you're in the north and avoids paying for a hired vehicle, but it means two extra driving days each way that someone starting in Islamabad doesn't have, plus wear on a car that then has to make the return trip. It suits families who prefer having their own vehicle throughout and are comfortable with a long mountain drive.
Coach to Islamabad or beyond, or fly, then a hired car from there. For many Lahore travellers this is the more comfortable option. A same-day bus or a short domestic flight covers the Lahore–Islamabad leg in a fraction of the time, and a hired car or coach picks up from Islamabad exactly as it would for someone who started there. It costs a little more in fares than fuel alone would, but it saves two full days that can be spent in Hunza instead. Our Northern Areas trip cost and Skardu and Deosai budget guides price the Islamabad-onward leg in detail once you've made that choice.
A private car with driver, Islamabad onward. Many rental firms in Lahore and Islamabad will run the whole route including the Lahore–Islamabad leg with a driver, which removes the fatigue of driving two long days yourself but costs more than doing it in stages. Our car with driver rates cover what that costs by vehicle type.
A realistic own-car budget for a couple
For a couple driving their own mid-size car from Lahore to Hunza and back, a week including 4 days actually in Hunza:
- Fuel, full round trip (roughly 1,800 to 1,900 km): PKR 35,000 to 45,000, depending on the car
- Tolls: PKR 3,000 to 4,000
- Rooms, mid-range, 6 nights including the overnight stops en route: PKR 60,000 to 90,000
- Food and extras: PKR 20,000 to 30,000
That comes to roughly PKR 120,000 to 170,000 for the two of you, which is close to or slightly above what a fly-drive or coach-plus-hired-car trip from Islamabad costs once the extra fuel and two lost travel days are weighed against it.
Is driving from Lahore worth it?
If you enjoy the drive itself and have the time — most people take the Hazara Motorway and Karakoram Highway route north, breaking the journey overnight — it's a genuinely good road trip, and having your own car in Hunza is convenient for day trips. If your holiday time is tight, getting to Islamabad quickly by coach or a short flight and picking up transport there gets you two extra days in the mountains for a modest extra cost. For a first trip with limited days off, that trade is usually worth making.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Lahore to Hunza?
Roughly 900 to 950 km and 18 to 21 hours of driving, which in practice means two days on the road with an overnight stop, most commonly somewhere between Besham and Chilas.
What do the tolls cost from Lahore to the Northern Areas?
Around PKR 3,000 to 4,000 return for a car, combining the M2 motorway (Lahore–Islamabad, PKR 1,430 one way in 2026) and the Hazara Motorway (PKR 350 one way). Beyond Mansehra the road is untolled.
Is it cheaper to fly to Islamabad and hire a car there?
Often close to the same total cost as driving all the way from Lahore, once the extra fuel, tolls and the value of two saved travel days are counted. It's generally the more comfortable option even if it isn't always the cheaper one.
Can I do Lahore to Hunza in one day?
Not comfortably or safely. It's close to a full day's drive from Lahore to Islamabad alone, before the roughly 12-hour Karakoram Highway leg to Hunza even starts. Plan on two driving days with an overnight stop.
Do toll rates change often on this route?
Yes. The National Highway Authority has revised motorway and highway toll rates more than once in recent years, so check current rates before budgeting a trip rather than relying on last year's figures.
