In 2026 the choice between the Patriata and Ayubia chairlifts is mostly made for you. The Ayubia chairlift has been closed since 1 October 2021 and, as far as we could confirm, had not reopened by October 2026. Patriata is the one that runs, although its upper cable-car stage was suspended in June 2026 for a rope replacement while the lower chairlift stayed open. If a ride is the point of the trip, go to Patriata. Go to Ayubia for the forest walk, and treat a working chairlift there as a bonus if it has reopened.
This guide sets the two side by side: what each ride is, where things stand, how to reach them and how to decide.
| At a glance | Patriata | Ayubia |
|---|---|---|
| Province | Punjab (New Murree) | Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Galiyat) |
| Run by | Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab (TDCP) | Galiyat Development Authority (GDA) |
| The ride | Open chairlift, then enclosed cable car to the top | A single open chairlift, Pakistan's first |
| Status, 2026 | Chairlift running; cable car suspended from June 2026 | Closed since 1 October 2021 |
| From Murree | About 15 km | About 24 km |
| From Islamabad | About 60 km | About 70 km |
| Top station height | Around 2,300 m | Chairlift hill at Khanspur, about 2,600 m |
| Best paired with | A half-day from Murree | The Pipeline Track and Ayubia National Park |
Weather now in Patriata
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Forecast from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0), updated every 30 minutes. Mountain weather changes fast: check again before you set off.
Distances are road distances from routing software; hill traffic decides the time.
The two rides
Patriata is at New Murree, about 15 km south-east of Murree town, on forested hills that reach roughly 2,300 metres. The ride has two stages on one ticket: an open chairlift over the pines to a middle station, then enclosed cable cars to Patriata Top. It is the bigger attraction of the two, and for most families it is the whole outing, not one stop among several.
Ayubia is older and simpler. Its chairlift was the first in Pakistan, imported from Switzerland and put up on the hill at Khanspur in the 1960s; Dawn has given 1962 as the year and the GDA 1965. It is one short open lift up a wooded ridge inside what is now Ayubia National Park. For decades it was the reason families drove to Ayubia.
Where each stands in 2026
Ayubia: closed since 2021
On 1 October 2021 the GDA shut the Ayubia chairlift with immediate effect. Its director general said the equipment was dilapidated and dangerous, and that the decision followed the advice of the Austrian firm that inspected it. The plan was to reopen after new equipment was installed.
That has taken years. The most recent official word we found is from 12 July 2026, when the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister's special assistant for tourism visited the site and said the chairlift would soon be made operational. He gave no date, and earlier promises have slipped. We found no report of passengers riding it since.
Until there is a clear announcement, assume it is shut. Any ticket price or timetable you see online for Ayubia dates from before the closure. Our Ayubia chairlift status guide follows the story in detail.
Patriata: running, with a caveat
Patriata's system is run by TDCP and is the working ride in the Murree hills. In early June 2026 TDCP suspended the cable-car stage after Austrian experts inspected it and recommended replacing the haul rope. The rope had to be imported, and officials said the work would take one to one and a half months. The chairlift stage kept running throughout.
We could not confirm the date the cable car resumed, so ask before you buy a ticket whether both stages are operating. With only the chairlift, you still get the ride over the forest but not the trip to the top.
Ticket prices are set by TDCP and revised from time to time. We have not printed a figure here because we could not verify the current rate; our Patriata chairlift guide tracks tickets, timings and closures, and the board at the ticket office is the final word. Bring cash.
Getting to each
Patriata. From Murree it is about 15 km, usually 30 to 45 minutes on the hill road. From Islamabad it is about 60 km by the Murree Expressway; allow an hour and a half, more on a summer weekend. You do not need to pass through Murree's Mall Road, which saves time. See Islamabad to Murree for the drive.
Ayubia. About 24 km from Murree on the Galiyat road towards Nathia Gali, and about 70 km from Islamabad. From Abbottabad it is about 53 km. The road is narrow and slow in season, and in winter snow can close it; our Murree to Nathia Gali guide covers the route.
Patriata and Ayubia are about 35 km apart by road, with Murree's traffic in between. Doing both in a day is possible with an early start but tiring with children.
Queues, crowds and timing
Patriata draws the larger crowds, and with Ayubia's lift shut it carries most of the demand in these hills. Queues are longest on summer weekends, on Eid and around 14 August, and from late morning to mid-afternoon. A weekday, or an arrival as the lift opens, cuts the wait sharply. TDCP has also sold a dearer executive ticket with its own shorter queue; ask at the window.
Both lifts stop in high wind, thunderstorms and heavy snow. In the monsoon weeks of July and August, cloud can hide the view even when the lift is running, so a clear morning is worth waiting for.
What to do at Ayubia without the lift
Ayubia is still worth the drive for what surrounds the lift. Ayubia National Park, set up in 1984, protects about 3,300 hectares of pine and oak forest at an average height of some 2,400 metres. The Pipeline Track, an almost level 4 km forest path from Ayubia towards Dunga Gali, is the easiest good walk in the Galiyat and suits children and grandparents alike.
Our guides to the Pipeline Track and Ayubia National Park cover the walking, and the Galiyat guide shows how Ayubia fits with Nathia Gali and Dunga Gali.
Which to choose
Choose Patriata if anyone in the car has been promised a ride. It is the one that is open, it has two stages, and it makes a clean half-day from Murree or a day trip from Islamabad.
Choose Ayubia if you want forest, quiet and a walk, and you are staying in the Galiyat anyway. Check on the day whether the chairlift has reopened, and enjoy it if it has.
Do both only on a two-day trip: Patriata from Murree on the first morning, then over to Nathia Gali for the night and the Pipeline Track the next day. Our Murree and Nathia Gali trip plan lays that out, and our trip planning page can fit it into a longer journey north.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Ayubia chairlift open in 2026?
It has been closed since 1 October 2021. In July 2026 the provincial government said it would reopen soon, but we found no confirmed reopening by October 2026. Ask your hotel before driving there for the ride.
Is the Patriata chairlift open?
Yes, the chairlift stage has kept running. The cable-car stage to the top was suspended in June 2026 for a rope replacement, so check on arrival whether both stages are operating.
Which is better, Patriata or Ayubia?
For a ride, Patriata, because it is open and has two stages. For a forest walk and fewer people, Ayubia.
Which chairlift is older?
Ayubia's. It was the first chairlift in Pakistan, installed in the 1960s. Patriata's system came later and is run by Punjab's tourism corporation.
Can I visit both Patriata and Ayubia in one day?
Yes, but it is a long day. They are about 35 km apart by hill road through or around Murree, and Patriata's queue alone can take a good part of the morning.
Which is closer to Islamabad?
Patriata, at about 60 km against about 70 km for Ayubia. The Patriata drive is also faster because most of it is on the Murree Expressway.
