The main Rawalpindi to Skardu bus is run by NATCO, the Gilgit-Baltistan government's transport company, from the Pir Wadhai terminal. Its coach has been listed leaving in the early afternoon, and private operators such as Mashabrum Tours and K2 Movers also list Skardu services from Pir Wadhai. A seat cost roughly PKR 5,000 to 6,200 one way on 2026 booking listings, and the ride takes about 20 hours when the road is clear, sometimes a lot longer.
It is the cheapest way to Skardu by a wide margin, and for one or two people travelling light it makes sense. This guide covers who runs the route, what you pay, how the long ride goes, how to pick a better bus, and when to drive or fly instead.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Main operator | NATCO (Northern Areas Transport Corporation) |
| Others listing the route | Mashabrum Tours, K2 Movers; Faisal Movers lists Skardu |
| Leaves from | Pir Wadhai bus terminal, Rawalpindi |
| Departures | NATCO early afternoon; some private coaches in the evening |
| Journey time | About 18 to 22 hours if the road is clear |
| Fare | Roughly PKR 5,000 to 6,200 one way (2026 listings) |
| Route | KKH to Jaglot, then the Jaglot–Skardu road |
| Booking | NATCO app and website, Bookme, the terminal, or by phone |
Which companies run buses from Rawalpindi to Skardu?
NATCO has run passenger services in Gilgit-Baltistan since 1974 and is owned by the government. It runs to Skardu throughout the year and has offices at both ends. Its fleet includes Yutong and Daewoo coaches alongside older Hino buses, and which one you get matters more than anything else about the trip.
Mashabrum Tours runs Daewoo coaches from Pir Wadhai to Gilgit-Baltistan, and in 2026 listed a Skardu service at about PKR 5,500. Reviews of its buses on directory sites are mixed, so ask what vehicle is running before you pay.
K2 Movers, a Gilgit-based company, listed an evening departure to Skardu at around 6 pm in 2026, at about PKR 5,200.
Faisal Movers lists Skardu among its destinations, but where its northern coaches leave from and how often they run varies with the season. Check with the company directly rather than assuming.
We would start with NATCO. It is not always the most comfortable coach on the road, but it has run the route longest, it has a Skardu office to deal with if anything goes wrong, and it is the operator most likely to be running in the off-season.
How much is the bus fare to Skardu?
Listed fares in August and September 2026 were:
| Operator | Listed one-way fare (2026) |
|---|---|
| NATCO, Yutong coach | About PKR 6,160 |
| NATCO, on Bookme | From about PKR 5,000 to 5,100 |
| Mashabrum Tours | About PKR 5,500 |
| K2 Movers | About PKR 5,200 |
These figures come from booking sites and directories, and they don't always agree, partly because different buses on the same route are priced differently. Older figures of PKR 3,000 to 4,000 still circulate online and are out of date. Confirm the price when you book.
Even at the top of that range, a bus seat costs well under half of the cheapest early-booked flight, which started at around PKR 13,000 one way in 2026. Our Skardu trip cost guide puts the bus alongside flights, fuel and hotels.
Timings: when do coaches leave and arrive?
NATCO's Skardu coach has been listed leaving Pir Wadhai at about 1 or 2 pm. K2 Movers has listed a 6 pm departure. Timetables shift with the season and with demand, so treat these as a guide and check when you book.
Leaving in the early afternoon, and allowing about 20 hours, a coach reaches Skardu the next morning or around midday. That is if nothing goes wrong: travellers' accounts run from 18 hours to well over a day, and a landslide or a road closure can add hours at any time of year.
Ignore the journey times of seven or eight hours that some booking sites show. Those are map estimates for a car, not what a bus does on this road.
The route and what the ride is like
Coaches follow the Karakoram Highway north through Abbottabad and Mansehra to the Indus at Thakot, then up through Besham, Dasu and Chilas. Near Jaglot they leave the KKH and take the Jaglot–Skardu road east up the Indus gorge through Rondu, reaching Skardu past the Kachura lakes and the airport. They do not go through Gilgit.
On an afternoon departure, you cross Kohistan in the dark and see the Indus gorge in the morning, which is the most striking part of the ride. What to expect:
- Stops every few hours for meals, tea and prayers at roadside hotels, plus police checkposts. Sleep comes in pieces.
- Bends, all night. The Kohistan section winds constantly. Anyone prone to motion sickness should take medicine before it starts, not after.
- A cold coach. Between the air conditioning and the mountain night, it gets chilly. Keep a warm layer and a shawl with you, not in the hold.
- Seating. Families and couples sit together, and women travelling alone are normally seated next to other women. Mention it when you book.
- Arrival. Coaches arrive at the operators' terminals in Skardu town. Taxis are easy to find, and most hotels will send someone if you call ahead.
How to book, and how to get a better seat
You can book NATCO through its own app and website, through Bookme, at the Pir Wadhai terminal, or by phone on 051 9334556 for Rawalpindi and 05815 920290 for Skardu, the numbers given on the NATCO website. Private operators mostly sell at the terminal and by phone.
A few things make a long ride easier:
- Book a day or two ahead in June to August, before Eid and on long weekends. NATCO closes for the Eid holidays themselves, so the days either side fill up.
- Ask which bus is running on your date. A newer Yutong or Daewoo with reclining seats and working air conditioning is a different trip from an old bus with fixed seats.
- Choose your seat. Seats towards the front ride more smoothly on the bends than those over the back axle.
- Carry your CNIC. Foreign nationals need their passport and visa and a few photocopies, because the crew may hand one in at checkposts.
- Book the return in Skardu early, especially at the end of the summer holidays.
In your hand luggage, keep water, snacks, cash for food on the way, a power bank, earplugs and an eye mask.
Is the bus to Skardu safe?
Most coach journeys on this route are long and tiring rather than dangerous, but the road deserves respect.
The UK government currently advises against all travel on the Karakoram Highway between Mansehra and Chilas, the stretch through Battagram, Besham and Dasu that the coaches cross at night. Pakistani travellers use the road in large numbers, but overseas visitors should know their own government may advise against it, and that doing so can affect travel insurance. Check the UK travel advice or your own government's before you book.
Road accidents are the more common risk. In October 2020 a landslide hit a Skardu-bound passenger coach on the Jaglot–Skardu road, killing 16 people, and in October 2024 a private coach travelling from Skardu to Rawalpindi went into a ravine in Upper Kohistan, killing the driver and a passenger and injuring 36. The Jaglot–Skardu road itself was shut for about five days in late July 2026 after flood damage, until a temporary bridge went in.
Sensible habits: choose an established operator, wear a seatbelt if there is one, and check the news and road situation on the day you travel. Our guide to Karakoram Highway road status explains where to look.
Bus, car or plane to Skardu?
Take the bus if you are one or two people on a budget, you don't want to drive, and you can spare a day each way. It also saves a hotel night on the road, which a car does not.
Drive or hire a car if you are a family or group of four or more, want to stop where you like, or would rather cross Kohistan in daylight with a night in Chilas. Our guide to driving from Islamabad to Skardu covers the route and the stops.
Fly if your trip is a week or less and you can keep a spare day for a cancellation. The flight takes about an hour; see our Islamabad to Skardu flight guide. Many people fly one way and take the bus the other, which halves the time on the road and keeps a fallback if the plane doesn't go.
If you are heading to Hunza rather than Baltistan, our Rawalpindi to Gilgit bus guide covers that route. For the wider picture of getting around the north, see our travel guide.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the bus journey from Rawalpindi to Skardu?
About 18 to 22 hours when the road is clear, leaving in the afternoon and arriving the next morning or around midday. Landslides or closures can add many hours.
What is the bus fare from Rawalpindi to Skardu?
Listings in 2026 ranged from about PKR 5,000 to 6,200 one way depending on the operator and bus. Fares change with fuel prices, so confirm when you book.
Where does the Skardu bus leave from in Rawalpindi?
From the Pir Wadhai bus terminal. NATCO and the private operators that list the route, including Mashabrum Tours and K2 Movers, all leave from there.
Does the Skardu bus go through Gilgit?
No. Coaches leave the Karakoram Highway near Jaglot and take the Jaglot–Skardu road up the Indus gorge, bypassing Gilgit.
Can I book the NATCO bus to Skardu online?
Yes. NATCO sells seats through its own app and website and through Bookme, and you can also book at Pir Wadhai or by phone.
Does the bus to Skardu run in winter?
NATCO runs the route through the year apart from the Eid holidays. Winter snow, ice and rockfall can slow or stop the road for a day or more, so allow extra time.
