Peshawar BRT for Visitors: Routes and Cards

Peshawar's BRT, branded Zu Peshawar, is a 27.6 km bus corridor running east-west across the city, from Chamkani to Karkhano Market, with around 30 stations along the main route and buses roughly every 3 to 5 minutes. For a visitor, it's the easiest way to move between Saddar, the old city edge and Hayatabad without arranging a car for every trip, once you understand how the card system works.

This guide covers the route, how to buy and use a Zu Card, fares, and which stations put you closest to the main sights.

The route

Zu Peshawar runs along a single main east-west corridor, elevated in parts, at street level in others, connecting Chamkani in the east to Karkhano Market in the west. Along the way it passes close to Saddar and the cantonment area, giving reasonably convenient access to that side of the city, though the old walled city itself sits north of the corridor and needs a short walk or a rickshaw from the nearest stop, Khyber Bazaar.

Beyond the main corridor, feeder routes run buses out into surrounding neighbourhoods on ordinary roads, using the same ticketing system, which extends the network's reach well past the elevated spine itself.

Buying and using a Zu Card

Access to the system is by Zu Card or the Zu mobile app; you can't pay cash on board. Cards are sold at ticket booths inside the stations, don't require registration, and can be topped up with whatever amount you want to travel with. Keep the card for the length of your stay in Peshawar rather than buying a new one each day.

• Buy your card at any station before your first journey; look for the ticketing booth near the entrance gates.
• Tap in at the gate on the way into the station, the same as any card-based metro or BRT system.
• Top up as needed at the same booths; there's no need to return the card when you leave the city, but there's also no refund for unused balance.

Fares

The minimum fare has been reported at around PKR 30 following a 2025 revision, rising with distance travelled. As with any fare structure, treat this as a starting point and expect it to have moved by the time you travel; the fare is shown when you tap in, so you'll always know what a given journey costs before you commit to it.

Which stations suit which sights

• Khyber Bazaar station is the closest stop to the old walled city, including Qissa Khwani Bazaar, Andar Shehr and the heritage trail; from there it's a short walk or rickshaw ride into the lanes themselves. See our old Peshawar walking tour for the route on foot.
• Karkhano Market, at the western end of the line, is the terminus and puts you directly at Peshawar's large market for imported goods, covered in our guide to shopping in Peshawar.
• Stations around Saddar and the cantonment put you near the Peshawar Museum and many of the city's older hotels.

Sights off the main corridor, including Peshawar Zoo on Palosi Road, aren't a comfortable BRT trip; a taxi or ride-hailing app is the more practical choice for those. Our travel guide covers transport, checkpoints and ID rules more widely across Pakistan.

Is it worth using as a visitor?

For journeys along the corridor itself, yes. It's fast, air-conditioned, cheap by comparison with a taxi, and avoids Peshawar's often heavy road traffic on the route it covers. For a first visit to the old city, though, factor in that the BRT gets you close rather than all the way in, and the final stretch through the bazaars is done on foot regardless of how you arrive. Combine BRT for the longer legs across the city with walking or a rickshaw for the old city's narrow lanes.

Practical notes

• Peak hours (roughly the morning and evening commute) get crowded; if you have flexibility, travel outside them.
• Keep bags and phones close on board and at busy stations, as with any crowded public transport.
• Check current security advice before travelling to Peshawar at all. As of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel to the city; see our guide to whether Peshawar is safe for the current picture, and if you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's advice too, since travelling against it can affect your travel insurance.

Frequently asked questions