Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Discuss issues and news related to PIA, Pakistani airlines and Pakistan's civil & military aviation.
faisal-777
Registered Member
Posts: 821
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:02 pm

Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by faisal-777 »

I am currently looking for any method in which one could save some bucks traveling between europe and pakistan. The ME carriers cost almost 700+ euros for round trip. Is it possible to fly on one airline to dubai/abu dhabi and then take any low cost carrier like shaheen/airblue to pakistan? Virtually it looks possible but would one need to go through passport/custom controls while changing terminals etc?
Once you have tasted flight, you will ever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward - Leonardo Da Vinci
haroon_ek
Registered Member
Posts: 445
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:52 am
Location: Trento, Italy

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by haroon_ek »

From where you want to depart in europe? Mostly here in Italy, travel agents have system to book cheap return fares, where if sometimes lucky, one can get return ticket in under €400.

Try skyscanner website
faisal-777
Registered Member
Posts: 821
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:02 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by faisal-777 »

haroon_ek wrote:From where you want to depart in europe? Mostly here in Italy, travel agents have system to book cheap return fares, where if sometimes lucky, one can get return ticket in under €400.

Try skyscanner website
I want to depart from Vienna. The cheapest return ticket I get is Turkish in 736 EUR, that too booking 3-4 months in advance. On sky scanner, it reduces up to 710.

One option seems is to use a low cost carrier (with 1 stop) to DXB, but I am not sure how to manage to get onto next flight to Pakistan, as the flight arriving and departing are from different terminals. Also I havent flown much internationally (not DXB), so no idea if I would have to go through passport/customs control in this case or not
Once you have tasted flight, you will ever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward - Leonardo Da Vinci
User avatar
Adnan Anwar
Registered Member
Posts: 967
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by Adnan Anwar »

Depending on your passport, you can get visa free entry, minimum 30 days , into UAE at port of arrival. Then you can switch terminals easily to catch Pakistan flight. I have done that in 2012 but I booked my both tickets via travel agent from my departing city in Canada before leaving for Dubai.
Adnan Anwar
faisal-777
Registered Member
Posts: 821
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:02 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by faisal-777 »

Adnan Anwar wrote:Depending on your passport, you can get visa free entry, minimum 30 days , into UAE at port of arrival. Then you can switch terminals easily to catch Pakistan flight. I have done that in 2012 but I booked my both tickets via travel agent from my departing city in Canada before leaving for Dubai.
Thank you. Obviously having a european/canadian/US/Australian passport would be beneficial in this case. However, with Pakistani passport, things are different.
Once you have tasted flight, you will ever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward - Leonardo Da Vinci
haroon_ek
Registered Member
Posts: 445
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2010 9:52 am
Location: Trento, Italy

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by haroon_ek »

faisal-777 wrote:I want to depart from Vienna. The cheapest return ticket I get is Turkish in 736 EUR, that too booking 3-4 months in advance. On sky scanner, it reduces up to 710.

One option seems is to use a low cost carrier (with 1 stop) to DXB, but I am not sure how to manage to get onto next flight to Pakistan, as the flight arriving and departing are from different terminals. Also I havent flown much internationally (not DXB), so no idea if I would have to go through passport/customs control in this case or not
Well, Vienna unfortunately is one of the expensive airports in Europe for Pakistanis. I checked and found that only Venice and Munich are two best options for you where you can find tickets as low as €450 depending from where you buy (agent, skyscanner etc.). Reaching Munich is faster as compared to Venice but it depends if you want to add the 5-6 hours journey time of train in your travel time or spend couple of hundred euros more to depart from Vienna.
faisal-777
Registered Member
Posts: 821
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:02 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by faisal-777 »

I dont understand why VIE-ISB cost 720 eur round trip and ISB-VIE costs 550 eur for same dates
Once you have tasted flight, you will ever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward - Leonardo Da Vinci
User avatar
Adnan Anwar
Registered Member
Posts: 967
Joined: Thu Aug 05, 2004 8:52 pm
Location: Toronto, ON

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by Adnan Anwar »

faisal-777 wrote:I dont understand why VIE-ISB cost 720 eur round trip and ISB-VIE costs 550 eur for same dates
Taxes , is the reason. If your journey begins from different aircraft some taxes are applied accordingly. When I go to Germany for business, sometimes I find if I travel via UK to Frankfurt my ticket is cheaper but I take none stop to Frankfurt , the ticket is $400 more expensive.

Vice Versa, I am going to UK, I have had that happened that my ticket from Germany or some other third country was cheaper than going non stop to UK.
Adnan Anwar
t_kaay
Registered Member
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:42 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by t_kaay »

Couple of ways I can suggest......

From Vienna you can get a train to Istanbul, then from Istanbul train to Iranian border and a train from border to Quetta ìn Pakistan. No flights involved. I'm planning on doing this from the UK all the way to Pakistan next year. Only downside is the visa through Iran which can be expensive and a pain to arrange. But think of the scenery and sights on the way.

Second option is train to Istanbul and fly to Islamabad which can be had for about 400 euros depending on time of year.

Lastly, cheap flight from Europe to UK and fly from here, about 400 euros again depending on time of year.
faisal-777
Registered Member
Posts: 821
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:02 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by faisal-777 »

t_kaay wrote:Couple of ways I can suggest......

From Vienna you can get a train to Istanbul, then from Istanbul train to Iranian border and a train from border to Quetta ìn Pakistan. No flights involved. I'm planning on doing this from the UK all the way to Pakistan next year. Only downside is the visa through Iran which can be expensive and a pain to arrange. But think of the scenery and sights on the way.

Second option is train to Istanbul and fly to Islamabad which can be had for about 400 euros depending on time of year.

Lastly, cheap flight from Europe to UK and fly from here, about 400 euros again depending on time of year.

I don't think that is possible. Haven't heard of train to Istanbul and you would have to pass through eastern Europe states like serbia, bulgaria etc who are not part of Schengen. You need visa to pass through them.
Once you have tasted flight, you will ever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward - Leonardo Da Vinci
t_kaay
Registered Member
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:42 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by t_kaay »

faisal-777 wrote:
t_kaay wrote:Couple of ways I can suggest......

From Vienna you can get a train to Istanbul, then from Istanbul train to Iranian border and a train from border to Quetta ìn Pakistan. No flights involved. I'm planning on doing this from the UK all the way to Pakistan next year. Only downside is the visa through Iran which can be expensive and a pain to arrange. But think of the scenery and sights on the way.

Second option is train to Istanbul and fly to Islamabad which can be had for about 400 euros depending on time of year.

Lastly, cheap flight from Europe to UK and fly from here, about 400 euros again depending on time of year.

I don't think that is possible. Haven't heard of train to Istanbul and you would have to pass through eastern Europe states like serbia, bulgaria etc who are not part of Schengen. You need visa to pass through them.
DEFINATELY possible from UK and, in your case, Vienna........See the page here : http://seat61.com/India-overland.htm

I'm a British passport holder so the only visas I would require are through Turkey ($20) and Iran which at the moment is around £180. Iranian visa cost may decrease soon as it opens up to tourism from UK. Like I said, I'm planning to do this next summer. Will stop at a number of cities on the way to enjoy sights and culture.
ammad
Registered Member
Posts: 1710
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:52 am
Location: San Francisco. C.A.

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by ammad »

I think he is not looking for leisure trip as you are planning for next summer. Best bet is to take train to IST and fly from there.
Fortune favours brave.
t_kaay
Registered Member
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:42 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by t_kaay »

ammad wrote:I think he is not looking for leisure trip as you are planning for next summer. Best bet is to take train to IST and fly from there.
Nope he's looking for one that saves him some money as stated in his op. The methods I suggested all save him money. Your "best bet", even though its one of my suggestions, isn't actually the cheapest. Don't think there's any need for you to be so dismissive of people's posts.
ammad
Registered Member
Posts: 1710
Joined: Sat Dec 17, 2005 10:52 am
Location: San Francisco. C.A.

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by ammad »

t_kaay wrote:
ammad wrote:I think he is not looking for leisure trip as you are planning for next summer. Best bet is to take train to IST and fly from there.
Nope he's looking for one that saves him some money as stated in his op. The methods I suggested all save him money. Your "best bet", even though its one of my suggestions, isn't actually the cheapest. Don't think there's any need for you to be so dismissive of people's posts.
Don't be judgmental, i didn't condemned your post/thoughts. Happen to know what make you write dismissive for other's posts?. In the giving situation if you already did the train route all the way to Pakistan including all of the hurdles which might come while entering into Iran and then into Pakistan UET and then to ISB then only your opinion for this route constitute reasonable weightage as you already been to it.

He want to save money but he haven't mention that he have 6 plus days to accomplish this one sided train journey and get back via same route spending another 6 days. Best bet is the same one you mention earlier so i was basically saying it could be his best bet in giving situation.

So this two way train ticket hoping into multiple countries including Iran, visa processing fee, plus money spend on food as he will be spending multiple days in travel will turn out to be the most expensive option.
Fortune favours brave.
t_kaay
Registered Member
Posts: 258
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 9:42 pm

Re: Cheapest method of traveling between Europe and Pakistan

Post by t_kaay »

ammad wrote:
t_kaay wrote:
ammad wrote:I think he is not looking for leisure trip as you are planning for next summer. Best bet is to take train to IST and fly from there.
Nope he's looking for one that saves him some money as stated in his op. The methods I suggested all save him money. Your "best bet", even though its one of my suggestions, isn't actually the cheapest. Don't think there's any need for you to be so dismissive of people's posts.
Don't be judgmental, i didn't condemned your post/thoughts. Happen to know what make you write dismissive for other's posts?. In the giving situation if you already did the train route all the way to Pakistan including all of the hurdles which might come while entering into Iran and then into Pakistan UET and then to ISB then only your opinion for this route constitute reasonable weightage as you already been to it.

He want to save money but he haven't mention that he have 6 plus days to accomplish this one sided train journey and get back via same route spending another 6 days. Best bet is the same one you mention earlier so i was basically saying it could be his best bet in giving situation.

So this two way train ticket hoping into multiple countries including Iran, visa processing fee, plus money spend on food as he will be spending multiple days in travel will turn out to be the most expensive option.
Yes you have valid point regarding time and other costs. His best plan would be to get to another airport in Europe or Istanbul.

To the op......is there any reason you want to avoid going through multiple immigration/customs checks?