Two roads connect the cities and they are not the same journey. The M-2 motorway is about 380 km and four to five hours, with a PKR 1,430 toll. GT Road is shorter at about 357 km, takes six hours or more, and costs about PKR 300 in tolls.
Below are both routes with every stop and its kilometre mark, what each road costs in tolls, and how the drive compares with the train and with the straight-line distance. Figures for the motorway were checked against Google Maps on 12 September 2026.
Lahore to Islamabad by Road, Rail and Air
The shortest way to cover it is not a road at all: 272 km in a straight line. By rail it is 290 km, by GT Road 357 km, and by the motorway 380 km — the longest of the four and still the quickest.
| How you travel | Distance | Journey time | Tolls |
|---|---|---|---|
Motorway, the M-2 | 380 km | 4 to 5 hours | PKR 1,430 per car |
GT Road, the N-5 | 357 km | 6 hours or more | About PKR 300, Rs 50 at each plaza |
Train, Lahore Junction to Rawalpindi | 290 km by rail | About 4¼ to 5 hours | Fare set by Pakistan Railways |
Straight line, as an aircraft flies | 272 km | — | — |
The rail figure is the track distance from Lahore Junction to Rawalpindi, and that is the catch with the train: there is no mainline station in Islamabad. Trains terminate at Rawalpindi, which leaves another 17 to 19 km and roughly half an hour by road to reach Islamabad itself.
What the Tolls Cost on Each Route
This is the part route planners leave out. The M-2 is a single end-to-end charge of PKR 1,430 for a car, paid at the exit. GT Road charges you plaza by plaza instead — Rs 50 at each — and the route passes six of them: Kala Shah Kaku, Gujranwala, Chenab at Gujrat, Jhelum, Tarakai at Sohawa and Mandra. That comes to roughly PKR 300 for the full run.
So GT Road saves about PKR 1,130 in tolls and costs you two hours. Fuel is close to level between the two, because the motorway is longer but steadier, and the shorter road is spent braking through towns. On a booked car with a driver the toll is itemised rather than buried, and the car rental charges and terms set out how tolls and fuel are handled.
Motorway Route (M-2): Every Stop and Its Kilometre Mark
The M-2 is a controlled-access highway built for high-speed travel, fenced along its length, with service areas at intervals and no cross traffic. It swings west out of Lahore through Pindi Bhattian, which is why it covers more ground than GT Road and still arrives earlier.
| Stop | Km from Lahore | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Lahore | 0 | Starting point |
M3 Interchange | 20 | Connects to the Multan motorway |
Sharaqpur | 23 | Minor interchange |
Pindi Bhattian | 98 | Rest stop |
Sial Service Area | 146 | Fuel and refreshments |
Bhera Service Area | 207 | The popular stop |
Salt Range | 227 | Mountain section |
Kallar Kahar | 295 | Scenic stop |
Chakri | 321 | Last stop before Islamabad |
Islamabad motorway toll | 364 | Motorway exit |
Islamabad | 380 | Destination |
Bhera at 207 km is the stop most drivers plan around, a little past halfway. If you are travelling with children or want a single break, Bhera is the one to take.
GT Road Route (N-5): Every Stop and Its Kilometre Mark
The Grand Trunk Road is the older way north and the shorter one on paper. It runs through the centre of every town on the list, so the distance falls and the time rises.
| Stop | Km from Lahore | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Lahore | 0 | Starting point |
Kala Shah Kaku toll plaza | 29 | First toll |
Gujranwala toll plaza | 78 | Traffic builds here |
Gujranwala | 95 | Major city |
Wazirabad | 130 | Town stop |
Chenab toll plaza, Gujrat | 146 | Cross the Chenab |
Kharian | 189 | Optional stop |
Jhelum toll plaza | 198 | Cross the Jhelum |
Dina | 236 | Break stop |
Tarakai toll plaza, Sohawa | 258 | Chakwal–Jhelum road |
Gujjar Khan | 287 | City area |
Mandra toll plaza | 307 | Last toll |
Rawalpindi | 337 | Enter the city |
Islamabad | 357 | Destination |
Worth knowing before you commit to it: the towns are the point. If you have no reason to stop in Gujranwala, Gujrat or Jhelum, GT Road is two hours you spend for PKR 1,130.
Rivers You Cross, and the Salt Range
Both roads cross the same three rivers of Punjab, but only GT Road crosses them somewhere you would notice. The Ravi goes by as you leave Lahore, the Chenab at Gujrat around the 146 km mark, and the Jhelum at Jhelum city around 198 km. These are the crossings that set where the towns grew, and the reason the road runs where it does.
The motorway’s own landmark is the Salt Range, from about 227 km, where the road climbs into hills and the driving changes. Kallar Kahar sits just past it at 295 km and is the stop people remember, with the lake below the road.
Lahore to Islamabad Route Map
The full route between the two cities, with both the motorway and the GT Road options.
Making the Trip Without Driving It Yourself
Five hours at the wheel each way is the part of this journey people underestimate, and it is why most of our Islamabad bookings are one-way drops rather than self-drive. A car with a driver is quoted as a fixed fare for the trip with the fuel and the motorway toll already inside it, so the figure quoted is the figure paid.
Fares by vehicle, both routes priced separately, are on the rent a car Lahore to Islamabad page. Coming the other way, Islamabad to Lahore runs the same cars and drivers. For a trip that carries on past Islamabad, or several cities in one booking, the intercity car service covers it.
If you are arriving in Islamabad by train or by air and only need the last leg, or a car once you are there, that is an ordinary booking too — the Rawalpindi station run and the airport run are both short.
And if the trip you are actually planning stays inside Lahore, day rates for every car start at PKR 4,000 on the rent a car Lahore page.
Lahore to Islamabad Distance: Common Questions
What is the distance from Lahore to Islamabad?
About 380 km by the M-2 motorway and about 357 km by GT Road. The motorway is the longer road and still the faster one. Google Maps currently measures the motorway run at 378 km centre to centre.
How long does it take to travel from Lahore to Islamabad?
Four to five hours on the motorway — Google Maps puts the drive at 4 hours 51 minutes without stops — and six hours or more on GT Road, because that road runs through towns and traffic signals.
How much is the motorway toll from Lahore to Islamabad?
PKR 1,430 for a car on the M-2, end to end. GT Road works out far cheaper at Rs 50 a plaza, about PKR 300 across the six plazas on the route, which is why the saving on GT Road is in the toll rather than the fuel.
How far is Lahore from Islamabad by air?
272 km in a straight line between the two city centres. Every road figure on this page is longer than that because roads bend and the motorway swings west through Pindi Bhattian.
How far is Lahore to Islamabad by train?
290 km of track from Lahore Junction to Rawalpindi, in about four and a quarter to five hours depending on the service. Note the destination: there is no mainline station in Islamabad, so trains terminate at Rawalpindi and you finish the trip by road.
Which route is better from Lahore to Islamabad?
The motorway, for almost everyone. It is a controlled-access road with service areas, a lower accident rate and a predictable journey time. GT Road earns its place when you want to stop in Gujranwala, Gujrat or Jhelum, or when you would rather spend PKR 300 on tolls than PKR 1,430.
What are the main stops on the Lahore to Islamabad motorway?
Bhera Service Area at 207 km is the one most people use. Sial at 146 km, Kallar Kahar at 295 km and Chakri at 321 km are the others, and each has fuel, food, washrooms and a prayer area.
Which cities are located on the GT Road route?
Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Kharian, Jhelum, Dina and Gujjar Khan, then Rawalpindi before Islamabad. That string of towns is both the appeal of the road and the reason it takes two hours longer.
Which rivers are crossed during the Lahore to Islamabad journey?
On GT Road you cross the Ravi leaving Lahore, the Chenab at Gujrat around the 146 km mark, and the Jhelum at Jhelum city around 198 km. The motorway crosses the same three rivers further west, where there is nothing to see from the road.
Is the Lahore to Islamabad motorway safe for travel?
It is the safer of the two roads. The M-2 is fenced and access-controlled, with motorway police patrols, an emergency number and no cross traffic, junctions or pedestrians — which is what makes GT Road slower and less predictable.
Can tourists travel from Lahore to Islamabad by car?
Yes, and it is the usual choice for visitors, because a car stops where a train does not — at Kallar Kahar, in the Salt Range, or in Jhelum on the GT Road version of the trip.
Which route is shorter between Lahore and Islamabad?
GT Road, at about 357 km against 380 km. It is shorter and slower, which is the whole trade-off of this journey.
Is the Lahore to Islamabad journey suitable for a day trip?
It can be done — five hours each way plus whatever you do at the other end makes for a long day. Most people going up and back in one day book a car and driver for it rather than drive both legs themselves.
Content Accuracy & Service Standards
Content Reviewed By: Muhammad Furqan
Lead Content Strategist, Sher Brothers Rent a Car.
Operationally Verified By: Noman Nazar
CEO & Founder, Sher Brothers Rent a Car. 20+ years of industry experience.
Motorway distance and drive time checked against Google Maps on 12 September 2026. Stop distances and the GT Road total are our own route records. Rail distance is the Lahore Junction to Rawalpindi track distance. Toll figures current as of September 2026.
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