Mazār-e Sharīf: how to get there and around
Airports, stations, ports, where the hotels are and what the numbers say, from public data rather than a brochure.
Mazār-e Sharīf is a city of 523,300 people in Afghanistan (Balkh), 361 m (1,184 ft) above sea level. The nearest large airport is Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport (MZR), 9 km (6 mi) from the centre.
Key facts
Open Mazār-e Sharīf in Google Maps
Daylight in Mazār-e Sharīf runs from about 9 h 42 min a day in late December to 14 h 44 min in late June (computed for 36.71° latitude), which matters more than the forecast when a day is built around one flight or one crossing.
Getting there
Mazār-e Sharīf is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport (MZR), 9 km (6 mi) from the centre, whose 10,437-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are Termez Airport (TMJ, 67 km).
Flights to Mazār-e Sharīf: every airport, routes and times
Buses to Mazār-e Sharīf · Driving and car hire
Nearby cities, and how to get between them
- Kabul, 306 km — flights · trains · buses · car rental
- Dushanbe, 251 km (Tajikistan)
- Samarkand, 328 km (Uzbekistan)
- Qarshi, 266 km (Uzbekistan)
- Istaravshan, 393 km (Tajikistan)
- Jalālābād, 395 km — buses · car rental
- Kŭlob, 272 km (Tajikistan)
- Tirmiz, 59 km (Uzbekistan)
- Jizzax, 386 km (Uzbekistan)
- Kunduz, 156 km — buses · car rental · tours
Twin towns and sister cities: Mashhad, Dushanbe.
Common questions
Which airport serves Mazār-e Sharīf?
Mazar-i-Sharif International Airport (MZR), 9 km (6 mi) from the centre, plus 1 other airport with scheduled flights within 100 km.
How big is Mazār-e Sharīf?
About 523,300 people live in Mazār-e Sharīf, across 83 km² (GeoNames and Wikidata).
What time zone is Mazār-e Sharīf in?
Asia/Kabul, currently UTC+4:30.
What currency is used in Mazār-e Sharīf?
The Afghani (AFN). Traffic drives on the right.
Which cities are near Mazār-e Sharīf?
Kabul (306 km), Dushanbe (251 km), Samarkand (328 km), Qarshi (266 km), Istaravshan (393 km).
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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.