Car hire and driving in Balkh
Driving distances to the cities around, the rules that change at the border, and where to compare rental prices.
In Afghanistan traffic drives on the right. Picking up at MZR means 29 km (18 mi) into the centre before the trip starts. The emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648793 / http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q25648794.
Drives from Balkh
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Balkh to Kunduz | Afghanistan | 175 km (109 mi) | about 2 h 40 min |
| Balkh to Baghlān | Afghanistan | 176 km (110 mi) | about 2 h 41 min |
| Balkh to Bagrām | Afghanistan | 292 km (181 mi) | about 4 h 27 min |
| Balkh to Kabul | Afghanistan | 322 km (200 mi) | about 4 h 55 min |
| Balkh to Ghazni | Afghanistan | 382 km (237 mi) | about 5 h 50 min |
| Balkh to Gardez | Afghanistan | 410 km (255 mi) | about 6 h 15 min |
| Balkh to Jalālābād | Afghanistan | 413 km (256 mi) | about 6 h 18 min |
| Balkh to Herāt | Afghanistan | 502 km (312 mi) | about 7 h 40 min |
| Balkh to Kandahār | Afghanistan | 582 km (362 mi) | about 8 h 53 min |
Distances are straight-line; road and rail routes run about 15–25% longer. Times are estimates from distance and typical speeds, not timetables.
Where to compare car hire
We take no bookings for these providers and hold no reservation with them. The provider you choose handles payment, confirmation, changes and refunds. How that works.
Common questions
Which side of the road do they drive on in Balkh?
The right, as everywhere in Afghanistan.
How are the journey times on this page worked out?
From straight-line distance and typical speeds for each mode, so they are estimates for planning, not timetables. Road and rail routes run 15–25% longer than the straight line.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.