Travel - International

AIR

Afghanistan’s national airline is Ariana Afghan Airlines (FG) (website: www.flyariana.com). At the time of writing, there are regular flights from Kabul to Ankara and Istanbul (Turkey), Delhi (India), Dubai (UAE), Amristar (India), Tehran (Iran), Frankfurt and Munich (Germany), Moscow (Russian Federation), Urumqi (China), Dushanbe (Tajikistan), Kuwait City (Kuwait), Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Baku (Azerbaijan) and Sharjah (UAE). Pakistan International Airlines (PK) (website: www.piac.com.pk) also flies three times a week from Islamabad to Kabul. There is a United Nations presence in the country, with aid mission flights in operation. For further information, consult a local embassy or the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (website: www.fco.gov.uk). Currently, the FCO advises against its employees (and therefore all travellers should take note) travelling to Afghanistan on Ariana Airlines or Kam Air due to suspected safety concerns that have not yet been fully addressed and assessed.

International airport

Kabul Airport (KBL) is 16km (10 miles) from the city. The airport was largely destroyed during the fighting at the end of 2001 but has now re-opened for limited international commercial flights as well as military and aid flights. To/from the airport: Taxis are available to the city centre (travel time - 30 minutes). Facilities: Bank, bar and restaurant.

ROAD

Overland travel is currently very dangerous in some parts of the country, with rural roads often unpaved, and the official advice is that it should be avoided. Prior to US bombing, buses used to operate along the Asia Highway, which links Afghanistan to Iran and Pakistan. There were also good road links from Mazar-i-Sharif and Herat to the countries in the north. It is, however, now known that 80 per cent of all roads and bridges have been destroyed. It will be a slow process to repair the damage.

Travel - Internal

AIR

There are limited internal flights; Kam Air operates twice-daily flights between Kabul and Herat. Main airports: Kabul Airport (KBL) is 16km (10 miles) from the city.

ROAD

Prior to the fighting, there were over 22,000km (13,000 miles) of roads, some of which were paved. This network has largely been destroyed. Traffic drives on the right. Documentation: International Driving Permit required.

URBAN

Buses, trolleybuses and taxis used to operate in Kabul but often proved unreliable. Since the fighting, some services have resumed, but are less reliable than ever due to the extensive infrastructure and vehicle destruction incurred.

Resorts & Excursions

Afghanistan's capital, Kabul, had preserved only a fraction of its historic past until the recent fighting, after which even less is still standing. It is estimated that one-third of all public buildings and 40 per cent of the houses have been completely destroyed. The Garden of Babur and a well-presented museum are among the few conventional attractions for tourists. There are plans to re-open the National Gallery in the near future. Travel outside Kabul is not generally permitted to tourists but, if allowed, it is worth trying to visit the Valley of Paghman, 90 minutes by road west of the capital, where the rich had second houses; and, to the north, Karez-i-Amir, Charikar and the Valley of Chakardar

Jalalabad, the capital of Nangarhar Province, used to be an attractive winter resort, with many cypress trees and flowering shrubs.

Consisting of two huge mountain ranges, the Hindu Kush is a wild and remote region. Although travelling by car is possible, the steepness of the routes makes vehicles prone to breakdowns. The Hindu Kush is best left for travellers prepared to rough it. For those who make the journey, the mountains, valleys and lakes provide stunning scenery. Bamian is the main centre.

It should be noted that much of the land in Afghanistan is still mined and, therefore, trips outside urban areas are ill advised and dangerous.