Karachi to Quetta-Ziarat Transportation Guide

This review is part of our recent Ziarat trip. Details of the trip here 

Hotel Review: Shalimar Hotel and PTDC Motel

Must See: Ziarat Residency, Apple Farm, and Tourist Traps

Al-Aziz Runs Comfortable Overnight Coaches between Karachi and Quetta - Rs. 2,100

This month we (family of 4) visited the hill station to enjoy the color of autumn and to utilize our long unused inventory of warm clothing. Initially, I planned to go by car but friends suggested otherwise due to the reported security situation especially around Khuzdar, which is halfway between Karachi and Ziarat on the RCD Highway, so we switched to Plan B, i.e. public transport.

Here goes a brief review of our experience on the road:

No Direct Transport between Karachi and Ziarat

There is no direct public transport from Karachi to Ziarat therefore one has to take a break in Quetta and then transfer to the Ziarat bound hiace/coaster. The transfer can be made immediately, in the earlier part of the day, as there are multiple vans going to the hill station each day.

Karachi to Quetta

For Karachi to Quetta there are many options available; one of the cheapest is the regular coach (Rs. 1,200 pp; twice a day) while the most expensive is Toyota 2.0D taxi (Rs. 3,500 pp, only in morning). Among those, I opted for the 30 seater 2x1 overnight luxury coach (Rs. 2,100 pp, twice a day) run by Al-Aziz, upon Zahoor’s advice who is the manager of Shalimar Hotel Ziarat.

Al-Aziz Coach

After a little googling I found Al-Aziz Coach contact numbers and booked our seats via phone a day before the journey. The coach had to depart at 7pm from Yousuf Goth Terminal, on the Hub River Road, which is way out of the city; however, they provided the shuttle service from their office located near Hassan Square, where we had to reach at 5:30pm to pay for the tickets and to catch the shuttle at 6pm. We did exactly that

Shuttle Service

The shuttle service was a bit uncomfortable and a little late too but not too annoying for the 45 minutes ride. We transferred to the big coach which left the Quetta bound terminal half an hour late as it had to wait for some confirmed passengers who were reportedly stuck up in the city traffic.

Journey Starts

Bus looked new with business class style seats; fully reclining and comfy. Most of the passengers were families with some having kids too. Lights were turned off after 15 minutes and the whole bus went into hibernation, except for the driver off course! There were 5-6 empty seats when we started the journey, which became a nuisance as the staff filled them up enroute with discounted passengers!

After two and a half hours, around 10pm, the bus took a stopover at Bela at a designated restaurant which was selling bad quality food in a disgusting environment. Surprisingly, the stopover on the way back, at Khuzdar, was much better with reasonable facilities.

Al-Aziz Coach Office at Hassan Square

Al-Aziz Coach Runs Shuttle Service Between Hassan Square and Yousuf Goth Terminal

Al-Aziz Coach Yousuf Goth Terminal on Hub River Road - Located Inconvenientl

Al-Aziz Caoch has 2x1 Comfy Seating

We Reached Quetta Before the Sunrise

Quetta to Ziarat

We reached Quetta around the sunrise and promptly took a rikshaw to the Ziarat bound bus station located at Spinzai Road. For Ziarat, I wanted to buy tickets in the coaster, rather than in the hiace, for the sake of comfort, however, I could not find the office of Kakar Transport.

When we reached the hiace stand, at around 7am, there was a van standing stuffed up with passengers and still selling seats. Touts there tried hard to convince me to get onboard but I insisted on the next van for better seating.

For Ziarat, I bought 4 seats, instead of 2, in the middle of the van to make the onward journey less uncomfortable. Next van departed at 8am, reached the hill station around 10:30 am, and dropped us right in front of Shlimar Hotel. http://mozumbus.blogspot.com/2012/11/shalimar-hotel-ziarat-and-ptdc-motel.html

In all, it took us around 18 hours, door to door!

Return Journey

Return journey was quicker and took 16 hours door to door. From Ziarat, I pre-booked 4 seats in the Kakar Transport’s coaster, which picked us up right from our accommodation at 2:10pm, a bit late than the given time.

We reached back Quetta before 5pm and took the rickshaw to Al-Aziz Coach Terminal at Saryab Road. Interestingly, we forgot to pick Mikael’s stroller while leaving the hotel but luckily there was another hiace following the coaster which picked that and brought it to Quetta, just in time!

There I made a mistake! Rather than booking the return seats in the Karachi coach – when we reached Quetta from Karachi – I thought doing it later via phone, which did not prove wise as the staff was very reluctant in making reservation on phone. Thankfully, the mistake did not turn into a trouble.

Coach left the terminal around 6:15 pm; again a few minutes late, however, it was full this time. It reached Khuzdar at around 10pm and took stopover for dinner. The hotel there was very reasonable with clean toilet facilities.

Finally we reached back Karachi Saddar at 5:30am where I took a rickshaw and reached back home safe and sound Alhamdulillah around 6am!

Kakar Transport Runs Coaster Between Quetta and Ziarat

A Fruit Laden Truck on the Highway

Mud Houses Between Ziarat and Quetta

Al-Aziz Coach Terminal at Saryab Road Quetta

Expense Sheet

Home to Hassan Square Rickshaw: Rs. 200

Karachi – Quetta Coach: Rs. 4,000 (2 seats)

Quetta Rickshaw: Rs. 100

Quetta – Ziarat: Rs. 520 (4 seats)

Ziarat – Quetta: Rs. 560 (4 seats)

Quetta Rickshaw: Rs. 200

Quetta – Karachi: Rs. 4,200

Saddar to Home Rickshaw: Rs. 300

Contact Numbers – Al-Aziz Coach Quetta

Hassan Square Karachi: (021) 34945778 – Saleem

Saryab Road Quetta: (081) 2450607 – Naseebullah

Contact Numbers – Kakar Transport Ziarat

Ziarat: 0333 7057573 – Musa Jaan

Quetta: 0333 7839642

Contact Numbers – Qadri 2.0D  Car Service

Karachi: 0301 2513311

Quetta: 0300 3800383

Lahore: 0302 3846001

Islamabad: 0321 5221057

This review is part of our recent Ziarat trip. Details of the trip here 

Hotel Review: Shalimar Hotel and PTDC Motel

Must See: Ziarat Residency, Apple Farm, and Tourist Traps