Not sure if I should carry coins for public transport in Pakistan or if card payments are common. Advice?
Karachi’s buses were a headache for me. I only had Rs. 1000 notes after withdrawing from a Standard Chartered ATM, and no conductor would take them. Twice I had to skip buses until I found change. Lahore’s system was easier with the smart card, but still cash-dependent for loading. Honestly, Pakistan is not card-friendly for daily transport - just keep small bills ready.
I actually liked how easy the Metrobus system in Lahore was. I grabbed a card at the station, loaded Rs. 200, and used it all week without any stress. In Islamabad, the Metrobus to Rawalpindi also worked with a similar setup. For Karachi, small rupee notes did the trick. I withdrew from an MCB ATM in Saddar and used those for local rides. The mix of smart cards in some cities and cash elsewhere felt manageable.
I stayed near Saddar in Karachi and quickly learned to keep a stack of Rs. 50 notes. Minibuses only took cash, and conductors got annoyed when I tried to hand over Rs. 500. In Lahore, I bought a Metrobus card at Kalma Chowk station and topped it up with cash at an HBL kiosk - it worked smoothly for the whole Orange Line too. ATMs from UBL in Karachi dispensed large bills, so I often broke them at small grocery shops before catching a ride.
Public transport in Pakistan is mostly cash-based. In Karachi, buses and minibuses take only rupees. Lahore’s Metrobus and Orange Line trains use a reloadable smart card, which you top up with cash at stations. Islamabad has a similar Metrobus system. ATMs from HBL, UBL, and MCB are common in cities. Always carry small rupee notes (Rs. 20-100) as conductors rarely have change. Outside big cities, long-distance vans and rickshaws are strictly cash-only.