How to Travel to Karachi in 2025

Alexander
July 17, 2025
No Comments

How to Travel to Karachi, Pakistan in 2025 – The Ultimate Travel Guide

Karachi is the 13th largest cities in the world and to be honest I ended up here entirely accidental. After missing a Connection Flight to Islamabad I just booked the next cheapest flight into Pakistan and ended up here. While Pakistan draws more and more travelers into its mountain in the north, Karachi is still mainly overlooked by travelers. This massive metropolis pulses with life and whereever you go there is a good chance you’ll end up being the main attraction to the people.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through how to get to Karachi, what to expect, and how to explore Pakistan’s most dynamic city in 2025.

Travelling through Pakistan? Check out:

Pakistan – A Travel Guide

📜 Quick History of Karachi

What is now a megacity was once a small fishing village called Kolachi, founded in the 18th century by Balochi tribes. Thanks to its strategic location along the Arabian Sea, the village slowly grew into a port of regional importance.

After the British arrived they took control of Sindh in 1843 and turned Karachi into a key hub of their colonial empire. Railways, roads, and shipping infrastructure followed and with them, trade, migration, and rapid urbanization.

By the time Pakistan was created in 1947, Karachi was already thriving. It briefly served as the first capital of the country and absorbed massive waves of migrants fleeing India during Partition. This turned Karachi into a melting pot of cultures, ethnicities, and languages.

🚕 How to get to Karachi

Karachi is Pakistan’s main international gateway, so getting here pretty straightforward.

✈️ Getting To Karachi By Air

Jinnah International Airport (KHI) is one of the busiest in South Asia and has direct connections to dozens of international hubs. Round-trip fares from Europe typically start around 500€, depending on the season. Domestic flights from cities like Islamabad, Lahore, and Skardu are frequent and cheap.

🚗 Reaching Karachi By Land

Overland travel into Pakistan is possible but a bit tough.

If you’re coming from Iran, you’ll need to cross through Balochistan, which is a rather unsafe part of the country. There is a good chance you’d get asked to travel with a police escort.
The Wagah border crossing near Lahore (from India) is open to tourists. From there, you can continue south toward Karachi via train or bus.

🚆 Getting To Karachi By Train

You can take the famous overnight train from Lahore to Karachi. It takes roughly 24 hours and costs 7.000 Rupees for AC Sleeper Class or 3.100 Rupees for Economy Class. I took the train from Karachi to Lahore myself and it was actually a fun experience. However bring some food and don’t order any food in the train if you don’t want to get food poisoning.

🚌 Getting To Karachi By Bus

Long-distance buses run to Karachi from most major cities, including Lahore and Islamabad. Buses are usually cheaper than flights but take more than 24 hours. I haven’t taken any buses myself and would definetly recommend the train instead.

🕌 What to do in Karachi

In a city as massive and lively as Karachi, it’s no surprise that there’s plenty to see and do. I spent nearly a week exploring its chaos and charm so here are some of my favourite spots.

⚓ Port Grand

Located at the very southern tip of the city, Port Grand is a waterfront promenade, where families come to spend time together, eat and celebrate. There’s even a small amusement park, live music, and performers in costumes roaming around. There is a big security check in front of the dock, which is why it will take some time to enter.

💡 There is a security checkpoint at the entrance and you’ll need to wait quite some time. Additionally the entrance fee is 100 Rupees.

🪦 Chaukhandi Tombs – Ancient Sandstone Graveyard

This giant graveyard outside of Karachi dates back to the 15th century. These intricately carved sandstone graves belong to the Jokhio and Baloch tribes (It’s the first time I hear of this myself while writing this Blog lol). What makes them unique are the detailed geometric and floral engravings carved directly into the stone. The site is entirely abandoned, no tourists, no locals and no ticket booth.

You will need to hire a TukTuk Driver to get here and also wait for you as there are no taxis around. I hired a TukTuk Driver for the entire day for 5.000 Rupees.

🐪 Clifton Beach

I only passed by Clifton Beach, so I won’t pretend I spent hours lounging here. It’s one of the sites you might have seen on youtube before and the only place in Pakistan where I heard of frequent scams. Camels are everywhere and when you take a picture or ride the camel for a minute a guy will ask for a ridicoulus amount of money, that’s equivalent to a 3 day income for a karachi person. This is also the reason I haven’t taken any pictures

🌴 Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim

Right near Clifton lies Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim, one of the largest urban parks in Karachi. It’s full of locals hanging out in the evening and there is a good chance you’ll spot a freshly married couple taking pictures here. The Park is also right next to Monhatta Palace.

🍛 Burns Road – The World’s Most Chaotic Place

If you only have one night in Karachi, Burns Road is where you would want to go. You’ll find all kind of street food and drinks here. The street is loud, busy and fucking chaotic. 10 out of 10!

💡 Newroz usually takes place on March 21st, but also on the 19th and 20th. Look up the exact date before going.

🛏️ Where to stay in Karachi

You can find accommodation in Karachi starting from 5€ a night. However it might not be the best to stay in the sketchiest neighbourhoods. Descent areas to stay include Jamshed Town, Saddar, Clifton and DHA .

Royal Inn Hotel – Located in Jamshed Town, this hotel offers clean, spacious rooms, a 24/7 guard, and friendly staff. It’s located in a central area and is 40€ a night.

Season Inn Guest House – Located right next to the airport for 15€ a night. It’s a good choice if your plane arrives late at night but quite far outside the city center.

Travel Lodge Clifton – 25€ a night right next to Clifton Beach.