So, you’ve made it to Pakistan and no doubt you have been welcomed with amazing Pakistani hospitality. Aside from choosing where to stay the next big question is how to travel around in Pakistan.
Well, it is our third time traveling in Pakistan and we have now tried multiple bus companies (and trains and taxis and everything in between) and can recommend the bus from Lahore to Islamabad.
This time round we took the Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad.
So here is our review of Faisal Movers bus and everything you need to know to book your bus ticket and enjoy the ride from Lahore to Islamabad!
Which bus to take?
There are many different bus companies in Pakistan that travel the larger distances between cities.
There are far too many to list them all here. But the three main bus services that operate between Lahore and Islamabad are:
- Faisal Movers
- Road Master
- Daewoo
This time we have taken the Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad.
Why take Faisal Movers bus?
We have already reviewed the trip by Road Master (and had a great journey).
However, one advantage of Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad is that you don’t need to book in advance.
This may not initially seem like an advantage as far as being organized for your travel in Pakistan. But in fact, booking a bus ticket in Pakistan is not that straightforward.
You are required to have a local phone number (great if you can buy a SIM card in Pakistan) and you need a Pakistani National ID number. And so because of this, it is easiest to ask your hotel or Tour Guide to assist with booking a bus ticket in Pakistan in advance.
Or you can opt to take the risk travel without prebooking a bus ticket and try Faisal Movers. Which we can now recommend!
How do you get a bus ticket for the Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad?
I admit I was a little skeptical when our friendly guide told us you don’t need to book in advance. And instead, just turn up at the Faisal Movers bus terminal in Lahore.
And in fact, this is exactly right.
The Faisal Movers Bus Terminal is operated by Abdullah Travels in Lahore.
We got a taxi to the bus terminal from our hotel and arrived at 12:20pm. The next available Business Class bus was at 2:00pm. And it was great!
I do suggest however that you turn up earlier. We had had far too many late nights and didn’t get up early.
Normally for big travel days we always try to travel in the morning so that we are on the road early and have time to get to our hotel and get check in while its daylight.
Which class of bus to take?
Faisal Movers Buses offers two classes of bus ticket from Lahore to Islamabad.
- Executive Class
- Business Class
I asked at the booking office (at the Faisal Movers Bus Terminal) what the difference of the two classes was. And I could see outside looking at the size of the buses that Business Class did look significantly more luxurious.
It turns out the Business Class busses have reclining seats, massage chairs(!), snacks and drinks as refreshments as well as WIFI and AC.
How much does a bus ticket cost from Lahore to Islamabad?
There are two options of ticket pricing with Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad:
- Executive Class: 2000 PKR ($6.00 USD)
- Business Class: 2600 PKR ($8.50 USD)
Payment for the bus tickets at Abdullah Travels Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in Lahore is taken by cash only.
- Tip: Payment for the bus ticket is cash only. There are no EFTPOS facilities.
Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in Lahore
On the Faisal Movers website there are two stations that are shown in Lahore.
- Faisal Movers, Band Road
- Faisal Movers, Chowk Yateem Khana
Faisal Movers has its main terminal at Abdullah Travels on Band Road in Lahore. This is where we got the Faisal Movers bus to Islamabad from.
You will know you are in the right place in Lahore to get the Faisal Movers bus to Islamabad as the whole stretch of road along Band Road has so many (I couldn’t even count how many!) different bus companies.
The larger companies are visible and stand out as you travel along Band Road. And Faisal Movers is one of the largest bus terminals.
What are the facilities like at the Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in Lahore?
There is a ticket office (operated by Abdullah Travels) at the Bus Terminal.
If you are travelling by Business Class there is a large air conditioned waiting room with clean toilets.
The staff are lovely and gave us a complimentary coffee and juice for the kids. And there is also a smaller waiting room for Executive Class.
There are public toilets outside in the main courtyard of the Faisal Movers Bus Terminal.
And there is a small convenience store with snacks and drinks and everything else you could think of that you might need for your journey by bus from Lahore to Islamabad!
How long is the journey by bus from Lahore to Islamabad?
The bus journey between Lahore and Islamabad takes around 5 hours.
It is slightly shorter if you are embarking or disembarking at Rawalpindi instead of the Faizabad Bus Terminal in Islamabad (more about that below).
- Faisal Movers Bus Terminal Lahore to Faizabad Bus Terminal: 5 hours
- Faisal Movers Bus Terminal Lahore to Rawalpindi Bus Terminal: 4.5 hours
Does the bus stop on the way?
The Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad stops once at a large highway stop about halfway into the journey.
There are restaurants and kiosks as well as public toilets.
The bus stops for 15 minutes only.
Arriving in Islamabad
The Faisal Movers bus from Lahore stops first at the large bus station in Rawalpindi.
This is not the closest stop to Islamabad, however. (Don’t make our mistake! We hopped off at this bus station on our last trip to Pakistan).
In fact, the Faisal Movers bus from Lahore to Islamabad stops in Rawalpindi and then stops at the bus station in Faizabad.
The Faizabad bus station is only 10km or 20 minutes by taxi from the bus station to F7 in Islamabad.
Getting to and from the Faisal Movers Bus Station in Lahore
It’s easy to get around in Lahore by rickshaw or taxi.
Even if you don’t have a SIM card in Pakistan you can ask your hotel to call you an InDrive taxi (or rickshaw taxi).
Getting to and from the bus station in Islamabad
Arriving at the Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in Faizabad (Islamabad) is slightly overwhelming with regards to taxi drivers hawking their services.
We were lucky (check out our YouTube video of the bus from Lahore to Islamabad) and got a very friendly taxi driver who drove us from the Bus Terminal to our hotel in F-7 Islamabad for 1000 PKR ($3.30 USD).
We gave him a good tip as he was so kind – and honest – and it seems like a very reasonable fare for a 20-minute drive.
Anyway, there is no shortage of transport options once you arrive at the Faisal Movers Bus Terminal in Faizabad!
Where to stay in Islamabad
These are the hotels we have stayed at in Islamabad and can recommend.
- F7, Islamabad: Shelton’s Rezidor Islamabad
A good base for exploring Islamabad with basic breakfast included. Located in the F-7 Sector neighbourhood this is a good starting point in Islamabad. - F-7, Islamabad: Grand Peace House II
A friendly small hotel set back from the main road with great security. A basic breakfast is cooked on request (eggs and toast with tea/coffee/juice). The room was very clean and WIFI is available. - F-7, Islamabad: Shelton Mellton
A friendly, simple small guesthouse with basic rooms. The hotel is a converted large home and is operated by the family. Very reasonably priced for Islamabad and includes a basic breakfast delivered to your room (eggs, paratha and chai).
Each of these hotels in Islamabad is within walking distance of the F-7 Markaz (and more importantly within walking distance of the amazing Kabul Restaurant!).
Where to stay in Lahore
These are the hotels where we stayed in Lahore and can recommend for your visit.
- Gulberg, Lahore: Rose Palace Hotel
Another great friendly hotel choice we recommend (we’ve stayed here three times!) and a good base for your first night in Pakistan. A basic hotel but with large plush rooms. A large buffet breakfast included each morning. Gym onsite and a small shop and bakery just at the entrance to the hotel. - Davis Road, Lahore: Grand Millennium Hotel
We have stayed here multiple times as well. GMH has spacious comfortable rooms with great AC and a basic buffet breakfast upstairs. The location is closer towards the old city and a short rickshaw ride to Savour Foods and Anarkali Bazar.
More about travel planning for 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.
- 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?
- Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan.
- 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.
10 thoughts on “Lahore to Islamabad by Bus: A Complete Review.”
hello dear ..
i traveling for 10 year’s in Faisal movers services… sometimes this service very nice but now this service third class i want say no good service waste of money no comfortable seats no any alarm for calling airhostes so fuck her Faisal movers services go hell
Poor Service and no wifi and refreshment facility
GOOD PEOPLE STILL LIVE!!
I pay solute to Bus Hostess Miss Anila and Faisal Movers Services LHR to BWP who find out my misplaced package which I lost at service area on Motorway.
I just informed her and Yes! She made it possible with diligence and honesty within her next shift to same service area.
Faisal Movers Services are highly recommended. Thank you Anila?
It’s 3rd class bus service I purchase 3 tickets sahiwl to Rahim yar khan the already late one&half hour once I asked to driver why r u late and he saying I’m giving you uan number tell them I called the uan number very rubbish bulshed people I told them bus is late one&half hour he saying ok i said o Bhai talk to your haigh authority everbudy busy isaid registr my complaint didn’t get answer and cut the line …. I have question about this harami khawaja group nowa days your lavel is 3rd class buses even some one else better than you kohte k bachy
ghatiya tareen bus h koi heater nai door kharab sardi ma Thandi Hawa pass or passenger ko sardi ma Marna very bulshed company
I purchased 3 tickets of business class to travel from bahawalpur to lahore. As they greed for more business seats they extended by modification of business class portion in bus but there is pathetic nuisance during 6 hours long distance of cabin.Even than passengers couldn’t sleep due to pathetic nuisance by paying 7200 rupees for business class.Such a rubbish service.I never ever travel on faisal movers dring my life.
What the rubbish service provided by you in business class now a days.
The complaint cell is sleeping whole the day for fulfilling the moral as well as legal obligations.
Like daewoo service this service also totally failed.
very 3rd class service
every time bed experience
What the rubbish service provided by you in business class now a days.
The complaint cell is sleeping whole the day for fulfilling the moral as well as legal obligations.
Like daewoo service this service also totally failed.
As we purchased 4 tickets from Isb to Karachi on super executive bus. As the bus timings were 12:40 for departure but the bus is late for 4 hours. As said we bought tickets of super executive bus and we are waiting in economy class lounge we were not allowed to sit in business class lounge.
I’m complaining this to provide better service to super executive bus pessengers. I’m suggesting that passengers of super executive class should also be treated like of business class passengers and they should be allowed to sit in business class.
Thanks
Regards