If you are thinking about going to Pakistan by road, the easiest and safest entry point is the Attari/Wagah border in India. It is on the west of India. You may also go to Pakistan by KKH from China, from Afghanistan, or from Iran. However, none except India has cross-border bus.

All you need to do is buy the ticket, and take the bus. Then you are in Pakistan. And the cost is only 20% to the air ticket.

About this Cross-Boder Bus Option

1.Price

The bus service is run by Delhi Transport Corporation and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation. Here’s where you will find more information on this bus. An adult ticket is Rs. 2400 (Indian Rupees, so about $40) (foreigners and locals pay the same price, yay!)

http://www.delhi.gov.in/wps/wcm/connect/DOIT_DTC/dtc/all+services/delhi-lahore+bus+service

& for departure from Lahore, the current price is Rs. 4000 (Pakistani Rupees, so it’s also about $40).  Check current price here:

http://www.tourism.gov.pk/ldbs.htm

2.Schedule

They run Monday to Saturday at 6am (report at 4 a.m. to 5 a.m.) It’s convenient but you will need to buy tickets in advance.

3. Booking

It can only be done on the spot in their office (map is provided below), though not necessarily by the person traveling. It can even be done a day before traveling, but not on the same day. Here’s what you’ll need to bring:

1. Your original visas (Indian and Pakistani) and Passport
2. Copy of your passport and visas

Otherwise you will have to waste a lot of time get photocopies…

4.Location

Here’s what you will be glad to know– the location of DTC Ambedkar Terminal (near Ambedkar stadium). It’s on Jawaharlal Nehru Marg.

It’s not easy to find, and trust me, most rickshaw drivers have never heard about this. So try to look it up on the map once and firmly tell the drivers that it is close to Delhi gate, and ask them to ask anybody in this area. Or if your hotel  (in Paharganj supposedly) can book you a taxi, then expect to pay Rs.400 for the ride.

My Experience

Here’s my experience with their service. It’s fine. A cheap way to travel, and very easy too. (although when you go to the station, the guards are harsh and rude. My explanation is they like to treat everyone going to Pakistan from India as traitors)

And the bus is air conditioned.

The Bus Meals and Stops

This is a basic itinerary of the halts:

1. Pipli Tourist Resort

• New Delhi -> Lahore: You will be offered breakfast (around 8:00am-8:10 am) here
• Lahore -> New Delhi: Tea break around 3:45 pm.

Breakfast vs. Afternoon tea.

2. Floating Restaurant

• New Delhi -> Lahore: You will make a 10 minutes toilet break here. No food.
• Lahore -> New Delhi: Lunch break at around 2pm

This was in Jan 2016.

When I took this bus again in June 2016, it was remodeled! 

Indian lunch: Rice, chapati, bean curry, yogurt, cauliflower curry. And of course tea is provided!

3. Mongolia Complex

• New Delhi -> Lahore:  Lunch at 12:00 pm.
• Lahore -> New Delhi :  Toilet Break

4. PTDC Cafe at Wagah Border

• New Delhi -> Lahore:  Tea time! (2:00-2:30pm)
• Lahore -> New Delhi :  Breakfast at 7am!

Border Crossing

For some reason, you cannot carry more than INR500 per person to Pakistan. You’d be requested to convert your Indian rupees into other currency.

Porter’s Tip

Also remember to tip porters (both sides) Rs.50 per head (your head, not theirs). So bringing small change would be a good idea. For Delhi-Lahore bus, you’d have to pay Rs.50 at the bus station in Delhi, and then again Rs.50 at Indian border, and then Rs.50 at Pakistani border. But for Lahore-Delhi bus, you’d not pay Rs.50 at the bus station in Delhi.

If you don’t have Pakistani currency, ask other passengers. Otherwise there is a guy there for money exchange. I don’t know his rates though.

Wagah Border to Lahore City Center-Getting into the City by Rickshaw

When you get to the Pakistani side, there will be rickshaws waiting for you. Try to haggle hard for your destination. Aim for Rs.400 ($4) to Rs.500 ($5) for wherever you want to go. They’d charge Rs.1000, but still, try. Wagah border is some 30 km away from the city center. So Rs.400-500 should be fine.

*2016 Update: They now drop you to Gulberg! So from Gulberg to most places, rickshaw shouldn’t charge more than Rs.200!

The Delhi to Lahore Itinerary

• Reporting Time: 4am-5am.
• Delhi-Breakfast Place Travel Time: 2 hours 10 minutes, halt: 30 minutes
• Breakfast Place-Lunch Place Travel Time: 3 hours, halt:30 minutes
• Lunch Place-Indian Border Travel Time: 85 minutes
• Border Crossing (Indian Side): 30 minutes
• Border Crossing (Pakistani Side): 45 minutes
• Estimated Arrival Time: 2:15pm- 2:30pm (Pakistani time)
• Total Duration: 11 hours

*My experience, the bus left at 6am from New Delhi and arrived Wagah border in Lahore at 2:15-2:45pm (Pakistani Time).

The Lahore to Delhi Itinerary

*From Lahore, you would need to catch the bus from Wagah Border at 6am.

• Reporting Time: 6:30am-7:00am (Pakistani time)
• Breakfast at Wagah Border: 40 minutes
• Border Crossing (Pakistani Side): 55 minutes
• Border Crossing (Indian Side): 75 minutes 
• Indian Border-Rest Stop Travel Time: 85 minutes, halt: 15 minutes
• Rest Stop-Lunch Place Travel Time: 2 hours, halt:30 minutes
• Lunch Place-Tea Place Travel Time: 100 minutes, halt:15 minutes
• Tea Place-New Delhi Station Travel Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
• Arrival Time: 6:30pm (Indian Time)
• Total Duration: 12 hours

*The border crossing will take longer time, possibly one hour on each side. This simply is because it’s more complicated to enter India.