How to Get a Zu Card for Peshawar BRT in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa: Fee, Fares and Hours
Buy a Zu Card for the Peshawar BRT with your CNIC. Zu lists Rs 300 and Rs 400, minimum fare Rs 30, open 6 am to 10 pm. See fares, top up and lost card rules.
To ride the Zu BRT in Peshawar, buy a Zu Card at any Zu Station ticket office with your CNIC, then top it up and tap in and out at every station. Zu's own pages give two different card prices, Rs 300 and Rs 400, so ask the counter which one applies before you pay. The minimum BRT fare is Rs 30.
The service runs from 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. The helpline is 111-477-477. We read the Zu Peshawar FAQ, the card registration page, the fares notice and the operating hours page on the operator's website on 14 October 2026. Here is what each one says.
Buy the Zu Card at a station ticket office with your CNIC
You buy the card at a Zu Station ticket office. The registration page asks for a valid national ID card and says biometric verification is mandatory. After that you register the card in the free Zu mobile app.
Zu is the Peshawar BRT, which means bus rapid transit: buses that run on their own lanes. The FAQ says the system has 30 stations, 244 buses, 360 bicycles and 32 bicycle stations. The same card works on buses and on Zu bicycles. For bicycles, you must activate the card first.
Zu Peshawar lists the card at both Rs 300 and Rs 400
The FAQ page says a Zu Card costs Rs 300 and is bought at Zu Stations. The card registration page says the fee is Rs 400 at any Zu Station ticket office. We could not find a note that explains the gap.
We cannot say which page is newer. The safest step is to ask the ticket office for the current price and a receipt. If the counter charges more than either published figure, call 111-477-477 before you pay. Neither page says the card price includes any starting balance.
| Item | What Zu Peshawar says | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Card price | Rs 300 in one place, Rs 400 in another | FAQ and registration pages |
| Minimum BRT fare | Rs 30, up from Rs 20 | Fares notice |
| Hours | 6 am to 10 pm, seven days | FAQ and hours page |
| Card or balance expiry | None | FAQ |
| Zu app | Free to download | FAQ |
| Helpline | 111-477-477 | Site header |
The minimum BRT fare is Rs 30, and express routes use a flat fare
The fares notice says the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Urban Mobility Authority raised BRT fares by Rs 10 at all stages. The minimum fare moved from Rs 20 to Rs 30. Express routes keep a flat fare, so they did not change.
One warning. The notice gives 1 July 2025 as the effective date, but the page carries a date of 28 April 2026. We could not tell if a later change exists. The full fare table is a picture file that we could not read, so we do not list every stage price here. Open the fares page or call the helpline for your exact trip.
Before you travel, you can check a fare with the journey planner on the site. The FAQ says fare validators show the amount taken, and the website, ticket machines and app show your fare history. Peshawar is one of several cities with metro bus and BRT fares to compare, while Karachi's Red Line BRT is still being built.
Top up at stations, in the app or through a wallet
You can add balance at Zu ticketing booths and ticket vending machines, through online banking, and at Easypaisa or JazzCash franchises. Banks and wallet services charge their own fees, and Zu's FAQ does not list them.
- Go to a Zu Station ticket office with your original CNIC.
- Buy the Zu Card and keep the receipt.
- Download the free Zu app and complete the registration form.
- Add balance at a booth, a vending machine, online banking or a wallet franchise.
- Tap the card on the turnstile when you enter the station.
- Tap it again when you leave, so the correct fare is taken.
Tapping out matters. The FAQ says that if you do not tap at exit, the maximum fare is charged. At a bicycle dock, forgetting to tap blocks your card, and you must unblock it at a kiosk. A low balance can also stop you at the gate: the validator shows a negative fare and beeps, and you cannot leave the station until the fare is paid.
Pay cash with a single journey ticket on main routes only
You can pay cash without a card or app by buying a Single Journey Ticket. It covers one journey. The FAQ says it is sold only on on-corridor routes, not on feeder routes.
A feeder route is a bus that carries passengers from side streets to the main BRT line. If your trip starts on a feeder, you will need the card or the app. The FAQ also lists features on board: Wi-Fi, USB ports, air conditioning, a women's area, reserved seats for elderly and disabled passengers, and wheelchair access.
A lost card is not refunded, and a faulty card is replaced free
If your card is lost or stolen, there is no refund. Zu can transfer the balance only for cards registered against a CNIC. A card that fails because of a technical fault is replaced free of charge at the ticket office, and the balance moves to the new card.
The FAQ says replacement takes up to five working days. You can also hand in a broken card at a Zu Station, buy a new one and have the balance moved. The registration page adds that passengers are responsible for a lost or stolen card and gives no replacement fee. Register the card with your CNIC on day one, because that is the only case where a balance can be moved.
Common questions about the Zu Card
How much does a Zu Card cost in Peshawar?
Zu's FAQ says Rs 300, and its card registration page says Rs 400. Both pages are on the operator's site. Ask the ticket office for the current price and keep the receipt.
What is the minimum Zu BRT fare?
The minimum fare is Rs 30, after a Rs 10 rise from Rs 20 at all stages. Express routes use a flat fare. The notice gives 1 July 2025 as the start date, so check the fares page for any newer change.
What are the Zu BRT timings?
The service runs about 16 hours a day, from 6 am to 10 pm, seven days a week. Changes to hours are posted on the website, social media and the Zu app. Call 111-477-477 for a route schedule.
Can I pay cash on the Peshawar BRT?
Yes, with a Single Journey Ticket for one journey on on-corridor routes. It is not sold for feeder routes. For feeders, use the Zu Card or the app.
Does my Zu Card expire?
No. The FAQ says neither the card nor the balance expires. Registering the card with your CNIC lets Zu move your balance if the card is lost.
Can children ride on the Zu BRT?
We did not find a child fare or an age rule in the FAQ. Ask at a ticket office or call 111-477-477 before travelling with young children.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 14 October 2026. Card details, hours, facilities and replacement rules come from the Zu Peshawar FAQ and card registration pages on the TransPeshawar website. The fare change comes from the fares and recharge page. We have not ridden the service for this update. The card price differs between two official pages and we have not resolved it. Check the current price with Zu before you pay.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
