Hello everyone!

How was your winter break? Hope you enjoy this vacation time before the spring semester began. So today we want to share to all of you about my experience of one day trip to Murree by public transportation!

Murree is mountainous resort town located in Galayat region of the Pir Panjal Range within the Rawalpindi District of Punjab, Pakistan. It is about 30 km northeast of Islamabad. It takes 1 hour and 45 minutes approximately from Islamabad by car. This area is a perfect place to spend your winter vacation time and suitable for family as well.

The town is the nearest area from Islamabad to reach. So, people could find snowy area during winter compared to the northern area which is too far for a family vacation without complete preparation such as Naran, Gilgit Baltistan, Hunza, and other places.

There are many ways to reach Murree. Usually, the tourists are joining travel agent to explore Murree with a little bit expensive cost. And if you are a backpacker, solo traveler, or anybody who love exploring new places by your self and pressuring your budget, this article is suitable for you. So, let’s get started!

How to Reach Murree?

There are many ways to reach Murree and these are the way to reach the place. If you are staying in Islamabad you possibly drive to Murree by yourself or renting a car from G-9 Sector Karachi Company that approximately would cost PKR 3,000 (USD 22) per 24 hours for the cars only and PKR 1,500 (USD 11) for the gas. Means you spend PKR 4,500 (USD 33) for the transportation only. This choice is perfect for the family trip, or if you are traveling with friends, the cars could fit for 5 persons including the driver seat. You could share this cost by 5 persons and comes with PKR 900 (USD 6.5) per person. When you made a family trip and you are staying outside Islamabad like Lahore or Karachi, you could take a hotel in Islamabad and rent a car for the next day.

Click this link to lead you to car rental location Car Rental

The second way to reach Murree is using public transportation. We have two options for you to go.

First

This option is perfect when you are traveling with six to eight persons. If you stay in Islamabad, you could take Uber which fit four persons to Bhara Kahu for PKR 320 (USD 2.3) approximately. When you reach there, you could hire a driver with his car or Suzuki Bolan—small car fit for 7 persons in the backside and one in the front—and asked the driver to drive you to Mall Road, Murre. It cost PKR 150 (USD 1.05) per person and PKR 1,200 (USD 8.6) per car. The price is negotiable. Mostly the drivers are asking a higher price than it should be when they see the foreigners. Once you made a deal with them, voila! You safely reach Murree.

This is Bhara Kahu stop to reach Murre Bhara Kahu

Second

If you are a solo traveler or traveling with less then six or more than 8 persons. This is the proper choice for you. You could take a Metrobus in any bus stop in Islamabad and reach Faizabad Station. It cost PKR 20 (USD 0.15) per person to stop at any bus station.

When you arrived in Faizabad, look for the bus that brought people to Murree, you can see the picture below for the bus, and ask the officers if you are confused and beware of the scammers that would give you a high price. It cost PKR 120 (USD 0.9) per person to reach General Bus Terminal in Murree. And be careful that you should look for the early buses so you could find a seat or you will stand inside the bus throughout the trip until you find an empty seat to reach your destination.

Faizabad Terminal is here

These two options are the best way that we found to help you. And our suggestion is, you should depart from Islamabad to Murre trough Bhara Kahu and going back by bus that you could find in general bus terminal in Murree. You could go back from Murree to Islamabad by this bus terminal and will bring you back to Faizabad. There are many drivers that will offer you with the high price, but just look for the bus that would bring you back for PKR 120 only. But it is fine though when you find any car with negotiable price and you agree with it.

Murree General Bus Terminal location.

Where we should stay?

If you have arrived already in Murree, you could take a walk over the Mall Road just for shopping or looking for a meal. So, before checking in to the Hotel, we suggest you take lunch or dinner previously, buying any snack and some water, bread, milk, cereal, or Nutella for the breakfast. because it would be difficult for you to eat when you reach the hotel and it would be costly if you ask the receptionist to buy for you.

When you finished your dinner and done with all the necessities, you could start looking for the hotel. There are many hotels in Mall Road, you could find the expensive and the cheap one which doesn’t have any heater and hot water. But we recommend you to take a hotel in Cecil Homes. It cost PKR 5,000 (USD 35.8) per night. The hotel is comfortable with good facilities with two twin bed and wide room completed with a heater and hot water. It fit for four to six persons for one room. If you are staying up to eight persons, you could take two room or one room with extra PKR 1,000 (USD 7.2) and they would give you extra bed, pillow, and blanket.

Cecil Homes is here

The view is just perfect to me. You could see the whole Murree on the balcony in two separated both side and back windows. And the price is worth it for us to stay overnight in this hotel and you could explore Murree on the next day. Above this hotel, you could find a beautiful place to enjoy the view, taking pics, or whatever you want.

Timing

And the last thing you should pay attention the most is timing. First thing first. You should go there when the snowfall. Because you will get nothing but mud if the rain or snowfall lasted after 4 to 5 days. Most people go to Ayubiya Park above Murree and it would cost more and takes more time if the found nothing in Murree. So how you know that it would be snowfall when you go there? Just check the forecast and you could see the whole weather in Murree within a month.

The second is the trip timing in a day. We suggest you leave Islamabad before 11.00 or 12.00 am. So, when you departed on 09.00 am is just perfect. You could wake up early and reach Faizabad before 08.00 am and have time to look for the bus, or reach Bhara Kahu and have time to bargain the transport cost. Because it takes up to 2 hours to reach and could be longer caused by bad traffic during vacation days. The early you go, the easier you arrived and have much time to take lunch or dinner, buying some necessities, and have more time to look for the hotel. It could be difficult for you if you went late and have no time to take rest when the night fell.

And that’s all we got for you guys hope this post is helpful and enjoy your winter breaks before it last. Visit new places, interact with new people and have a nice winter vacation fella! Hit the share button if you think it’s helpful and informative. And comment down below if you have any question and see ya in the next Post!