Car hire and driving in Kabul
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 KBL means 6 km (4 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 Kabul
| Route | Country | Distance | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kabul to Bagrām | Afghanistan | 50 km (31 mi) | about 45 min |
| Kabul to Gardez | Afghanistan | 104 km (64 mi) | about 1 h 35 min |
| Kabul to Jalālābād | Afghanistan | 118 km (73 mi) | about 1 h 48 min |
| Kabul to Ghazni | Afghanistan | 129 km (80 mi) | about 1 h 58 min |
| Kabul to Baghlān | Afghanistan | 183 km (114 mi) | about 2 h 48 min |
| Kabul to Kunduz | Afghanistan | 246 km (153 mi) | about 3 h 45 min |
| Kabul to Mazār-e Sharīf | Afghanistan | 306 km (190 mi) | about 4 h 40 min |
| Kabul to Balkh | Afghanistan | 322 km (200 mi) | about 4 h 55 min |
| Kabul to Kandahār | Afghanistan | 457 km (284 mi) | about 6 h 58 min |
| Kabul to Herāt | Afghanistan | 640 km (397 mi) | about 9 h 45 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 Kabul?
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.