For many travellers despite much Googling and anticipation there is still the somewhat dreaded wonder if it is truly possible to cross the Wagah border overland from Amritsar to Lahore.
But be assured; it definitely is.
The Wagah border crossing is the most convenient way of traveling overland between India and Pakistan.
We first crossed the Wagah Border in mid-2022 from India to Pakistan and have crossed again from Amritsar to Lahore twice more over the last 12 months.
Here is our updated guide to the Wagah border crossing from Amritsar to Lahore (Attari to Wagah) between India and Pakistan.
About the India Pakistan border
The Wagah Border is the international border separating India and Pakistan between Amritsar and Lahore. The border derives its name from Wagah, a village which is located in the Punjab province of Pakistan.
On the Indian side the border town is called Attari. But the border crossing between India and Pakistan from Amritsar (Attari) on the Indian side to Lahore (Wagah) on the Pakistan side is most commonly described as the Wagah border.
Wagah is the only border crossing between India and Pakistan’s 3000 kilometre long border.
What kind of visa do you need to cross the Wagah border from Amritsar to Lahore?
Crossing the India Pakistan border from Amritsar to Lahore means you will need a visa for Pakistan. For most nationalities you can apply for a Pakistan Tourist Visa online.
Once you have received electronic approval (your electronic tourist visa for Pakistan has been granted) you need to print the document out to bring with you for the border crossing.
How to get from Amritsar to the Wagah border (Attari)
The Wagah border is about 25km from Amritsar. By taxi, the drive from Amritsar to Attari and the Wagah border crossing takes about 40 minutes.
How much does it cost to get a taxi from Amritsar to the Wagah border?
We crossed the Wagah Border in December 2023 and a taxi from our hotel in Amritsar to the India Pakistan border crossing cost 1500 INR ($18 USD).
A return taxi would be more economical but we aren’t coming back this way…
Crossing the Wagah border on the Indian side (Attari)
Arriving by taxi from Amritsar, your driver will drop you at the main gates of the border terminal. Here there is a first checkpoint as your enter the gates. (You will need to show your passport and visa).
It is a 200m walk to the border terminal (you will need to show your passport again on entry). There is a baggage scanner just through the entry for personal items and your passport details will be recorded again here.
Proceed to the immigration booths. Your passport will be checked and stamped and you will need to fill in an immigration card with basic questions.
After this is customs and your luggage will all be scanned before exit outside to board the bus for a short 2-minute ride to the border.
As you hop off the bus your passport will be checked again and you proceed out to the main gates of the Wagah border crossing. (If you have already experienced the Wagah border ceremony you will recognise the large gates!) There is one final passport check on the Indian side at the border line before you step across and into Pakistan.
Can you change money at the India Pakistan border?
Technically no. There is a dilapidated ATM in the Pakistan border terminal but it definitely hasn’t worked for a long time. But; despite this technicality there are porters/money-changers between the Pakistan border line and entering the border terminal building.
The rate isn’t fabulous but I would recommend exchanging a small amount of INR for PKR to get a taxi and find your hotel until you get your bearings.
Crossing the Wagah border on the Pakistan side (Wagah)
Just past the porters and money-changers on the Pakistan side of the Wagah border you will see signs for immigration and the Pakistan border terminal. (It is a brick building to the right of the main border-crossing road).
On entering the building you will be directed to the immigration booths where your passport and visa will be processed and stamped.
Either here or at the final passport check just before the exit door you will be asked where you are staying tonight with the exact name, address and phone number of the accommodation. You will likely also be asked where else in Pakistan you plan on visiting and your intended departure airport.
Exit to the back of the building and head on out to Pakistan.
Getting to Lahore from the Wagah border crossing (Wagah)
As you exit the Pakistan border terminal (welcome to Pakistan by the way!) there is a short walk of 100m to the main parking area with a few small food kiosks and chai shops. (These are the busy food stands selling snacks each night to the Wagah border ceremony).
From here you have two options – you can walk along the road to the closest town (Wagah) and get an auto-rickshaw or taxi from there. Wagah is about 600m from the border crossing. Or you can negotiate with the very limited selection of (possibly two or three) taxis that will likely want your business to get from the border to Lahore.
This time the drivers started their negotiations at 5000 PKR. But having done this crossing before we know it shouldn’t cost that much.
Albeit you do also need to be realistic as there are limited taxis waiting at the border. At the time we crossed the Wagah border in December 2023 there was a total choice of three taxis…
In the end, we negotiated a fare of 3000 PKR ($10 USD) for the 40 minute drive from the Wagah border to our hotel in Gulberg, Lahore.
Crossing the Wagah border from Amritsar to Lahore
We had a very smooth border crossing from Amritsar to Lahore. It takes around 40 minutes on each side to get from the city to the border crossing. And the actual Wagah border crossing takes around two hours.
Our border crossing was smooth with nothing outstanding to report. Staff on both sides are friendly and the process of immigration (both) and visa (for Pakistan) was straightforward.
If you have any questions about crossing the Wagah border from Amritsar to Lahore leave us a message below. And happy travels!
Where we stayed in Amritsar and Lahore before and after crossing the Wagah border
- Amritsar: Hyatt Regency
We highly recommend the Hyatt Regency in Amritsar for a great base to explore the holy city and as a refreshing starting point to cross the Wagah border from Amritsar to Lahore. The hotel has a huge restaurant (delicious food!) and amazing buffet breakfast. There is a spa onsite and swimming pool with gym. And the staff are amazing!
- Amritsar: Hotel Sapphire
This is a friendly small hotel with an amazing view from the upstairs room balconies looking out over the beautiful Golden Temple. (The hotel is only a two minute walk from the entrance to the Golden Temple!). Staff are very helpful and can book you a taxi one-way before crossing the Wagah Border from Amritsar to Lahore.
- Lahore: Grand Millennium Hotel
This is also our third time staying here in Lahore. We tend to spend half our time in Lahore in Gulberg (see Rose Palace Hotel below) and Davis Road in Grand Millennium. This hotel is closer to the old city (and also closer to Savour Foods for an easy dinner!). Breakfast is a simple buffet with eggs to order. And all of the rooms have a nice bathroom and a window (definitely a luxury!).
- Lahore: Rose Palace Hotel
Another great friendly hotel choice we recommend (we’ve stayed here twice) and a good base for your first night in Pakistan. Simple, large rooms with a sizeable buffet breakfast included. Rose Palace is also a five minute walk to our favourite restaurant in Lahore: Spice Bazaar (highly recommend!).
More about travel planning for India and Pakistan and beyond…
These are the companies we use while traveling fulltime as a family and that we would recommend to anyone planning and booking travel.
- Booking.com – The best all-around accommodation booking site that constantly provides the cheapest and lowest rates. They have the widest selection of budget accommodation and it’s easy to filter and sort into price and availability with all the extras you are looking for personally. (We love the flexible cancellation policy!).
- Hostelworld– The largest inventory of hostel accommodation in the world.
- Skyscanner – This is by far our favourite flight search engine. They are able to search small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites often miss. We book all our flights through Skyscanner.
- GetYourGuide– Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions offered all around the world including everything from walking tours, to street-food tours, cooking classes, desert safari’s and more!
- SafetyWing – A global travel insurance that covers people from all over the world while outside their home country. You can buy it short or longterm; and even if you are out of the country.
- World Nomads – Travel insurance tailored for longterm travel and nomads (including those who have already left home).
Read more from travel in South Asia
- Taking an overnight train in Pakistan from Islamabad to Karachi.
- How to apply for a Pakistan e-Visa: And can you use it at the Wagah Border?
- Pakistan with kids: A complete guide to travel in Pakistan.
- Money in India: Using ATM’s, withdrawing and carrying your money safely.
- How to use a squat toilet: Everything you didn’t want to ask…
- Our complete packing list for travel in India.
4 thoughts on “Crossing the Wagah Border from Amritsar to Lahore (Updated Guide).”
Hi, thanks for sharing your experience. I’ve been to Pakistan two times by plane and always did the ETA (I am German). Do you know if ETA is also sufficient for crossing the Wagha Border? Thanks a lot, Corinna
Hi Corina,
If you have already arrived in India and have your Pakistan visa already you can cross the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan.
Hi I was wondering if it’s possible to enter India via Wagah border as second entry on a multiple entry e visa that’s already been validated (stamped) in my passport at at airport? Have you done so in the past? If yes, may I please know how recently as guidelines on Indian govt. website are quite unclear
Thank you! Super useful!! Jenny