Pakistani border guard
Credit: Heather Carreiro | ©Heather Carreiro
In order to cross the border from into India from Pakistan, you need to have valid visas for both countries. If you are planning to return to Pakistan, make sure that you have another entry left on your visa before you leave the country, unless you are planning to apply for a new Pakistan visa in New Delhi.
There are often buses that go straight from Lahore to New Delhi, and sometimes there is a train service operating across the border, but these services are vulnerable to the state of government relations between the neighboring countries. Not only that, services that join the two countries directly are seen as symbols of friendship and cooperation, and these services are accompanied by heavy police escorts due to the fact that not everyone thinks friendship and cooperation are the best policies to pursue. It's safer and faster to stick with local transportation on each side of the border rather than to use a special service that operates between the two countries.
Lahore to Wagha Border
Depending where you are in Lahore and what level of comfort you like to travel in, you can take a local bus, a rickshaw or a taxi to the border. If the weather is pleasant and you don't have a lot of luggage, you can save money by taking the bus or an auto rickshaw. For the most comfort, you can take a taxi. At the time of writing, taking a taxi from the Defence Housing Authority in Lahore to Wagha cost about 700 Pakistani rupees ($8.50). Make sure you negotiate the price before you set off for the border. The border is not open 24-hours a day. It is usually open from about 10:00 am to 4:00pm, and it can take from one hour to three hours to cross the border, depending how busy it is and if all of your paperwork is in order or not.
Wagha Border Crossing
Once at the border, you enter the Customs/Immigration building on the left side of the road. Here your luggage and passport will be checked. You may be interviewed as to how long you have been in Pakistan and what you were doing there.
There are often buses that go straight from Lahore to New Delhi, and sometimes there is a train service operating across the border, but these services are vulnerable to the state of government relations between the neighboring countries. Not only that, services that join the two countries directly are seen as symbols of friendship and cooperation, and these services are accompanied by heavy police escorts due to the fact that not everyone thinks friendship and cooperation are the best policies to pursue. It's safer and faster to stick with local transportation on each side of the border rather than to use a special service that operates between the two countries.
Lahore to Wagha Border
Depending where you are in Lahore and what level of comfort you like to travel in, you can take a local bus, a rickshaw or a taxi to the border. If the weather is pleasant and you don't have a lot of luggage, you can save money by taking the bus or an auto rickshaw. For the most comfort, you can take a taxi. At the time of writing, taking a taxi from the Defence Housing Authority in Lahore to Wagha cost about 700 Pakistani rupees ($8.50). Make sure you negotiate the price before you set off for the border. The border is not open 24-hours a day. It is usually open from about 10:00 am to 4:00pm, and it can take from one hour to three hours to cross the border, depending how busy it is and if all of your paperwork is in order or not.
Wagha Border Crossing
Once at the border, you enter the Customs/Immigration building on the left side of the road. Here your luggage and passport will be checked. You may be interviewed as to how long you have been in Pakistan and what you were doing there.
Comments
Nice photos Heather - not really any interest in going to Pakistan though :)
Interesting :)
Yes, I never made it up here, but much like the border crossings into Burma, I can imagine it is interesting on the face of it.
Great information!
This is a really informative article. Thanks for outlining exactly what is required when crossing the border.
Sophie
I enjoyed reading it because I had been to waga border and I can relate to it. Very well written.
Great article, and a great reality check by saul relative, too.
To reinforce J L Carey Jr: America has a very limited view of every border...
I am glad that you write these articles because America at times has a very limited view of the Pakistan border.
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