India - Amritsar Airport to Lahore via Wagah/Attari - Questions

I will be flying from Delhi to Amritsar in order to reach Lahore, Pakistan (since there seems to be no flights between Delhi and Lahore at this time)...

Can I take a taxi from the Amritsar Airport directly to the Attari/Wagah border with Pakistan? If so, how much should I expect to pay?

Also, are taxis plentiful at the border to head onto Lahore and then back to Amritsar? Can I just get a cab at my hotel in Lahore back to Wagah?

I am traveling in mid-January. I am aware that the border may close at anytime depending on India-.... relations.

Thanks so much!!

You can get cabs as you describe. It may be "safer" to fly sri lankan airlines or emirates [or one of the other GCC carriers] to get from india - pakistan though.

You can get cabs as you describe. It may be "safer" to fly sri lankan airlines or emirates [or one of the other GCC carriers] to get from india - pakistan though.

Thanks! I looked into flying, and it looks like the only thing I could get was a 2 connection, 24 hr trip at around 2000 USD. Not really what I want to do!

It doesn't look like Sri Lankin Airlines flies to Lahore. The only air option I saw was Delhi to Lahore via Dubai and Riyadh (which poses a problem for me as a US citizen).

PIA is operating DEL-LHE per its regular schedule. In fact PIA was one of the few airlines that did not curtail flights to BOM during the terrorist attack there last week. You can also fly PIA from DEL-KHI-LHE.

Flying is not half as much fun as going overland through Wagah but then again maybe you don't need the excitement.

NON-STOP DEL-LHE:
PK 271 B-737 DEL-LHE MO,WE,TH,SA DEP DEL 1730 ARR LHE 1810

Via KHI:
PK 273 B-737 DEL-KHI MO,WE,SA DEP DEL 1430 ARR KHI 1600
PK 306 A-310 KHI-LHE MO,WE,SA DEP KHI 1900 ARR LHE 2045

http://www.piac.com.pk/

PIA is operating DEL-LHE per its regular schedule. In fact PIA was one of the few airlines that did not curtail flights to BOM during the terrorist attack there last week. You can also fly PIA from DEL-KHI-LHE.

Flying is not half as much fun as going overland through Wagah but then again maybe you don't need the excitement.

NON-STOP DEL-LHE:
PK 271 B-737 DEL-LHE MO,WE,TH,SA DEP DEL 1730 ARR LHE 1810

Via KHI:
PK 273 B-737 DEL-KHI MO,WE,SA DEP DEL 1430 ARR KHI 1600
PK 306 A-310 KHI-LHE MO,WE,SA DEP KHI 1900 ARR LHE 2045

http://www.piac.com.pk/

It doesn't look like I can book it online though?!?

EDIT: Called PIA res and they can book it for me, but I have to use an address in India. Strange. It might just be better to book it once I am in Delhi. Thank you!

Did you call the 786 line? That's the contact center in Pakistan (you'd know if you got them LOL).

If you call the NYC Office in the morning, they will help you, but you might be better off calling a DEL Travel Agent (price-wise). I'm sure some fellow FT'ers have some good recommendations...

Also, unless you have a POC, be sure to get your Pakistani visa before you leave the US and ensure it is stamped "Police Registration Not Required". You will have to ask the consulate/embassy for this and they might push back, but do ask. When arriving in Pakistan from India it's a good idea to have that little black or purple stamp on you visa as it prevents you having to deal with police registration which is about as fun as it sounds.

Did you call the 786 line? That's the contact center in Pakistan (you'd know if you got them LOL).

If you call the NYC Office in the morning, they will help you, but you might be better off calling a DEL Travel Agent (price-wise). I'm sure some fellow FT'ers have some good recommendations...

Also, unless you have a POC, be sure to get your Pakistani visa before you leave the US and ensure it is stamped "Police Registration Not Required". You will have to ask the consulate/embassy for this and they might push back, but do ask. When arriving in Pakistan from India it's a good idea to have that little black or purple stamp on you visa as it prevents you having to deal with police registration which is about as fun as it sounds.

I already have my .... visa. The only stamp says "Not Valid for CANTT/Restricted Areas"... I am only going to be in Lahore for 24-30 hours. Is that a problem?

Thanks! I looked into flying, and it looks like the only thing I could get was a 2 connection, 24 hr trip at around 2000 USD. Not really what I want to do!

It doesn't look like Sri Lankin Airlines flies to Lahore. The only air option I saw was Delhi to Lahore via Dubai and Riyadh (which poses a problem for me as a US citizen).

This is off topic, but I thought you could transit Saudi with no problem, just not enter.

I'd like to see Saudi start issuing non-Muslim tourists visas to visit.

I already have my .... visa. The only stamp says "Not Valid for CANTT/Restricted Areas"... I am only going to be in Lahore for 24-30 hours. Is that a problem?

I apologize. It is perhaps not as big a deal as my original post may have insinuated but people have faced unnecessary problems because of it. If you are located near a Pakistani Consular Office, it won't hurt to stop in ask that they add the stamp that states "Police Registration Not Required".

The problem is that there is some confusion amongst both consular staff and immigrration officials as to when police registration is required and when it is not. Depending on the Consular Office, they might put any or none of the following stamps on your visa:
"Not valid for Employment"
"Not valid for admittance to Educational Institutions"
"Not valid for FATA"
"Not valid for Azad Kashmir"
"Not valid for FATA and Azad Kashmir"
"Police Registration Required"
"Police Registration Not Required"

As a general rule, most consular officials don't bother with the stamps. They are either too lazy, are unaware of which stamps to use, or the stamps are lost/broken.

The problem only arises if the US wants Pakistan to provide extra screening for a foreigner arriving there, or if you/your travel plans invite interest on arrival. At that point, the Immigration Officer must go through all the visa requirements and if you don't have the stamp exempting you from Police Registration, there is a slim to moderate chance you will be required to register at a police station. That will take a few hours out of your already short stay.

I already have my .... visa.

BTW, in case you are unfamiliar with it, the word "...." has negative connotations for many Pakistanis because its usage is tied with the racist gangs that used to and still do attack Indian and Pakistani immigrants in Britain. The word carries exactly the same weight as "......" and is used in a similar way. So, some youths of Pakistani extraction in the West End of London might refer to themselves as "....'s", while white middle aged men in Pubs in Northern England might use the same word as they lament the changes to British society over the past fifty years. However, many in Pakistan will consider it's use to be at best inapropriate and at worse outwardly racist - no matter what the backgound of the person using it. It's just a word but some words can be powerful and this is one of them.

This is off topic, but I thought you could transit Saudi with no problem, just not enter.

I'd like to see Saudi start issuing non-Muslim tourists visas to visit.

You can (upto 18 hours)

and

It does.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=68510&d=16&m=8&y=2005

I already have my Pakistani visa. The only stamp says "Not Valid for CANTT/Restricted Areas"... I am only going to be in Lahore for 24-30 hours. Is that a problem?

Thanks!!

Any clue on what I should expect to pay for a taxi from Amritsar Airport to the border and then from the border to Lahore center?

Thanks!

You can (upto 18 hours)

and

It does.

http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=68510&d=16&m=8&y=2005

This article is from August 2005, and Saudi Arabia apparently ever went through with this plan. One obviously can't get a tourist visa on arrival, and I am pretty sure that one can't get one just by walking into a Saudi consulate, either. (There is lots of discussion of this on the Middle East forum; sorry to take this thread off-topic.)

This is off topic, but I thought you could transit Saudi with no problem, just not enter.
I'm afraid anything and everything involving Saudi visa bureaucracy, including "free" transit visas, is very much a problem.

But there really shouldn't be any reason to have to venture into the KSA in the first place, as there are plenty of flights to Indo and Pak from the UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah).

Thanks to everyone for all of your help...

A couple more questions...

If I arrive at Amritsar Airpoirt from Delhi at around 1:15pm India time, will I have enough time to make it to the Pakistani border before closing? What time does it close? (not the ceremony, but the actual border)

Also, this was still out there...but what should I expect to pay for cabs:
- From Amritsar Airport to Wagah border?
- From Wagah border to Lahore centre?

Thanks so much again!

Thanks to everyone for all of your help...

A couple more questions...

If I arrive at Amritsar Airpoirt from Delhi at around 1:15pm India time, will I have enough time to make it to the Pakistani border before closing? What time does it close? (not the ceremony, but the actual border)

Also, this was still out there...but what should I expect to pay for cabs:
- From Amritsar Airport to Wagah border?
- From Wagah border to Lahore centre?

Thanks so much again!

Anyone? Anyone? Thanks :)

Anyone? Anyone? Thanks :)

Its only 30 to 40 kilometers. 400 to 600 rupees for a regular aircon cab (may be higher if you rent it directly at the airport but hell, 600 rupees is $12, so not much higher).

Its only 30 to 40 kilometers. 400 to 600 rupees for a regular aircon cab (may be higher if you rent it directly at the airport but hell, 600 rupees is $12, so not much higher).

Are the taxis legally allowed to operate across the borders, or does it require a taxi switch?

Are the taxis legally allowed to operate across the borders, or does it require a taxi switch?

You go to one side of the border, walk some distance to the customs post and complete departure formalities. Walk across some more to the pakistani customs post and complete arrival formalities. And then catch another cab from there to Lahore.

You'll actually find people running buses, shared ride minivans / SUVs etc so that if you dont mind sharing with a bunch of people, you can get a far cheaper ride. If you are making that trip with any kind of luggage you have quite a lot of schlepping across borders to do. Rivals trips between terminals at Heathrow.