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Help centre

Frequently asked questions

Everything you need to know about booking a seat, offering a ride, fares and staying safe on Sawarri.

Getting started

What is Sawarri?

Sawarri is a carpooling platform for Pakistan. Drivers who are already making a trip post their route and the empty seats in their car. Passengers going the same way book one of those seats and share the cost of the journey.

It is not a taxi service. Nobody drives just for you — you travel with someone who was going there anyway.

Do I need to create an account?

You can browse rides on Find a ride without signing up. To book a seat, contact a driver or post your own ride, you need a free account. Sign up here — it takes less than a minute.

Is there an app I can install?

Yes. Sawarri works as an installable web app. Open the site on your phone and tap the Install button when it appears, or use your browser menu and choose Add to Home screen. It then opens like a normal app icon, no Play Store download needed.

Which cities and routes are covered?

Sawarri is community-driven, so coverage grows with the drivers who post. Intercity routes around Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Abbottabad, Mansehra and the northern belt are the most active, and we also list local pick and drop inside a single city.

The live list on Find a ride is always the accurate picture of what is available right now.

For passengers

How do I book a seat?
  1. Go to Find a ride and enter where you are travelling from and to.
  2. Open a ride that matches your date and time.
  3. Call or WhatsApp the driver first if you want to confirm details.
  4. Request the seat. The driver approves it, and you will see it as approved on your dashboard.
Can I talk to the driver before I book?

Yes, and we recommend it. Every ride card has call and WhatsApp buttons. Agree on the exact pickup point, timing and fare before you commit to the seat.

How do I set my pickup point?

Once a booking exists, open your passenger dashboard and add or edit the pickup point on that booking. This keeps it tied to your trip instead of being buried in a chat, and the driver can see exactly where to stop for you.

What is a pick and drop ride?

Pick and drop rides are daily local trips inside one city — office commutes, university runs and similar routes — rather than long intercity journeys. Use the Pick & Drop link in the menu to see only those.

What if I need to cancel?

Tell the driver as early as you can, by call or WhatsApp, so the seat can go to someone else. A last-minute cancellation leaves the driver and the other passengers stuck, so please avoid it unless something genuinely goes wrong.

For drivers

How do I offer a ride?

Open Offer a ride and post your route, date, time, number of empty seats and the fare per seat. Your ride goes live straight away and passengers can start requesting seats. You manage all of it from your driver dashboard.

I signed up as a passenger. Can I also offer rides?

Yes, on the same account. Open your passenger dashboard and use Offer a ride in the sidebar. Driver features are added to your existing account — you do not need a second login or a second phone number.

Do I have to accept every request?

No. Every seat request comes to you for approval, and you decide who travels in your car. If a request does not suit your route or timing, simply decline it.

How long does my ride stay listed?

Rides stay visible while they are still upcoming. Once the travel date has passed, or every seat is taken, the ride drops off the public list automatically so passengers only ever see trips they can actually join.

Can I post the same route every week?

Yes. Regular commuters usually post their route again for each travel date. Repeat routes get seen the most, because passengers searching that corridor keep finding you.

Fares & payment

What does Sawarri cost?

Nothing. Searching rides, posting rides and booking seats are all free. Sawarri does not take a commission and does not hold your money.

How do I pay for my seat?

Directly to the driver, in cash or by whichever method you both agree on, at the time of the trip. There is no online payment step on the site.

Why does a ride say “Negotiable” instead of a price?

Some drivers prefer to agree the fare with the passenger rather than fix it in advance. Message the driver before booking and settle the amount so there is no confusion on the day.

Is the fare per seat or for the whole car?

Per seat. If you are booking for two people, you pay for two seats — and you should tell the driver up front so both seats are held for you.

Safety & trust

What does the Verified badge mean?

A verified driver has had their details checked by the Sawarri team. It is an extra signal of trust, but it does not replace your own judgement — always speak to the driver first and share your trip with someone you know.

Are there women-only rides?

Yes. Drivers can mark a ride as women-only, and it is labelled clearly on the ride card. Female drivers also carry a badge on their rides so women travelling alone can choose accordingly.

Can my family follow my trip?

Yes. On an approved booking, your dashboard has a Share my ride button. It builds a WhatsApp message with the route, date, time and driver details so you can forward it to family in one tap. You can also save an emergency contact and use the SOS button on your dashboard.

How do I report a driver or a problem?

Every ride card has a report option, and there is a report form on your dashboard for anything that happened on a trip. You can also hide a driver so their rides stop appearing in your search results. Serious issues go straight to our team — please also contact us so we can act on it.

Does Sawarri insure the journey?

No. Sawarri connects drivers and passengers; the trip itself is a private arrangement between you. The driver is responsible for their vehicle, their documents and their driving. Please travel sensibly and wear your seatbelt.

Account

I signed up but did not get the code

Check your spam or promotions folder first, as the verification email sometimes lands there. If it still has not arrived after a few minutes, request it again or message us and we will verify you manually.

How do I change my name, phone or gender?

All of it lives on your dashboard. Keeping your phone number current matters most — it is how drivers and passengers reach you about a trip.

Can I delete my account?

Yes. Contact us from the email or number on your account and we will remove it along with your ride history.

Still stuck?

If your question is not here, message the team — we usually reply within a few hours.