Away With The Steiners

Experience the Pakistan Wagah Border Ceremony Lahore: A Foreigner’s Guide!

We have crossed many borders in our travels, but this border is something truly unique. This is the Attari Wagah border between Lahore, Pakistan and Amritsar, India. And every evening at sunset a border ceremony is performed – the Wagah Border Ceremony – known as the Beating Retreat.

Maybe you have crossed the Wagah Border from Amritsar to Lahore?   Or perhaps you are visiting Lahore in your travels of Pakistan.  But if you are in Lahore, then you are in luck!  And be sure to make time to experience the Wagah Border ceremony on the Pakistan side. 

Here is everything you need to know for how to visit the Wagah Border Ceremony from Lahore.  Including Wagah Border ceremony timings, costs, and all you need to know to be prepared! 

Views to the Indian grandstand while waiting for the Wagah Border ceremony on Pakistan side to start. How to visit the Wagah Border ceremony from Lahore.
Views to the Indian grandstand while waiting for the ceremony to start.

History of the Wagah Border

Wagah Border history dates back to when British rulers left the Indian subcontinent in 1947.  The border came into existence as the country was divided into Muslim-majority Pakistan and Hindu-majority India.  

Relations between the two countries have been tense throughout history.  But the Wagah Border ceremony and lowering of the border flags each evening at the Attari-Wagah Border has been a daily military practice and closing of the international border daily since 1959. 

Today the Wagah Border between Pakistan and India is an army outpost and one of the main access points to Pakistan. 

Entrance to the Wagah Border on the Pakistan side.

The Wagah Border ceremony – what is it all about? 

It’s slightly tricky to detail the official description of the Wagah Border Ceremony.  It is kind of like a competition of which side the soldiers can lift and kick their foot the highest and stomp their foot the hardest to the ground. 

The soldiers on both sides fulfil their duty of this unusual ceremony with a passion that is indisputably impressing.  Shouting, singing, kicking their feet high, thumping their feet, drumming, singing, dancing, and trying to outdo the other country’s soldiers. (This description alone makes it surely the worlds strangest border!). 

The performance of the Wagah Border Ceremony is a symbol of the two countries’ rivalry, as well as a display of brotherhood and cooperation between the two neighbours.

At sunset, after a grand performance of singing and dancing (and very LOUD music), the large iron gates that separate the two countries are opened.  And two soldiers from each country lower the flags simultaneously. 

The ceremony ends with a polite handshake between the soldiers before they retreat and the gates are slammed closed for the night. 

A vendor selling Pakistan flags before the ceremony.

How to visit the Wagah Border ceremony, Pakistan side

The Wagah Border ceremony is performed every evening.  

The ceremony is a formal event between Pakistan and India. You don’t need a booking. Seats are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

How much does it cost? 

There is no fare or fee for attending the Wagah Border ceremony for tourists at Attari- Wagah Border. There is no ticket. The parade is a free show.  

Wagah Border Ceremony Timings. What time does the ceremony start? 

The ceremony starts around 5:00pm – 5:30pm.  The ceremony lasts around 30 minutes but there is a lot of hype and music (LOUD) and shouting and support before it officially starts.  The timing changes slightly depending on the seasons (because sunset is later in summer).  And there is also a time difference on the Indian side (30 minutes difference).  

So, it is recommended to arrive at the Wagah Border Ceremony on the Pakistan side around 4:00pm.  And trust me there is a lot of hype and energy and lots going on before the ceremony starts.  (There is no risk of arriving too early and being bored!). 

The security check takes time.  So do arrive early. 

Hats, badges, flags and souvenirs on the Pakistan side.

Where is the Wagah Border located? 

The Wagah Border ceremony is located at the India-Pakistan border on the Grand Trunk Road . Wagah is a village in Pakistan on the way to Lahore. 

As a little side information, Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) is one of the oldest and longest roads cutting across South Asia. It is over 2,500km and extends from Kabul all the way through Lahore, to Delhi, Kolkata, and Chittagong in Bangladesh.

How to get to the Wagah Border Ceremony from Lahore

It is recommended to arrive at the Wagah Border Ceremony from Lahore around 4:00pm.  This means leaving Lahore no later than 3:00pm. 

(This may seem early to arrive at the Wagah Border Ceremony from Lahore but when we went in August the stadium was full and the queue to enter the grounds stretched right back to the carpark!). 

If you have a driver while you are in Lahore, then this makes it easy to get to the Wagah Border Ceremony.  Otherwise, you can ask your hotel to arrange a driver to take you to the border and wait for you during the ceremony and drive you back. 

Or you can ask an InDrive taxi driver (Pakistani Uber equivalent) to give you a fixed price to get to the Wagah Border Ceremony from Lahore and back.  But do be sure to confirm the fixed price before you embark. 

The distance from Lahore to Wagah Border Ceremony on the Pakistan side is just under 30km.  However, at that time of day (or any time of day in Lahore) be sure to allow time for traffic.  

I suggest booking a driver to leave Lahore at 3:00pm for arrival at the border around 4:00pm. 

The huge queue on the left for females on matching huge queue for males on the right!

What to bring – or what not to bring 

You don’t need to bring much to the ceremony except a great energy.  (Get ready for an uplifting experience!). 

You will have to go through a full security check before entering the ceremony. It’s a good idea to bring a hat and or sunscreen as you will be sitting in the direct sunlight and it is hot (like hot HOT). 

We took our small personal backpacks (although we had read that sometimes they do not let you take a backpack inside).  So do be aware that it isn’t recommend to bring a bag in case you are not allowed to enter with it. 

There is a scanner and a pat down upon entering (this time we had a huge queue to enter).  And if you do have a small bag they will check inside the bag.  

Entrance to the ceremony with body scanner on each side (male and female).

Snacks, drinks, face painting and flags 

You definitely need to get into the spirit of things! There are several small stalls offering face painting and selling ribbons and hats and Pakistani trinkets and souvenirs on entry to the Wagah Border Ceremony.  There doesn’t seem to be a fixed price for the face painting (either time we have been to the Pakistan side of the Wagah Border Ceremony).  The boys had Pakistani flags and colours painted on their face for a small donation.

There are several small tea houses and basic roadside cafes before you enter the Wagah Border Ceremony.  These shops sell large bottles of water, cold drinks, snacks, popcorn, and chai. 

Inside the stadium vendors will come around to the grandstand and seating area selling popcorn, cold drinks, water, and snacks. 

And if you haven’t already got one, they also sell Pakistan flags (and hand fans to attempt to beat the heat!). 

Face-painting and flags are pretty much a must.
Vendors trying to make their way through the very packed grandstand.

After the Wagah Border ceremony

Well, how was that?! We were absolutely buzzing after the ceremony! (And seriously hot and sweaty when we went in August). But what a rush! It is a humbling experience to witness this border ceremony as a foreigner and a reminder of how fortunate we are to be able to cross this border while many from each of these two countries cannot.

There is time afterwards to meet with the soldiers and get a quick photo by the open border and gates. The soldiers will usher you to ‘Point Zero’ where you can get a photo. But do be quick as there is a massive rush and it is then time to escort everyone away from the border.

We hope you enjoyed the Wagah Border ceremony from the Pakistan side!

A quick photo after the cermeony at Zero Point with our friends and the Pakistani soldiers.

Crossing the Wagah Border from India to Pakistan

Read all about crossing this unusual border from Amritsar to Lahore here

Where to stay in Lahore 

These are the hotels where we stayed in Lahore and can recommend for your visit. 

Our rather plush room at Grand Millennium Hotel in Lahore.

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. 

Read more from travel in South Asia

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