How to call Afghanistan from the UK
Dialling codes, number formats for mobiles and landlines, the time difference and the ways to call Afghanistan from the UK.
Updated 1 October 2026
To call Afghanistan from the UK, put three things in front of the local number: the code for dialling out of the UK, Afghanistan's country code (+93) and the number without its first 0.
The quick version
- From a UK mobile or landline: dial 00, then 93, then the number without its first 0, for example 00 93 70 XXX XXXX.
- From a smartphone you can type + instead of 00: +93 70 XXX XXXX.
- In DanaTel: type 93 (the + is already there), then the number without its first 0, or paste a number that starts with +93. The dialer shows Afghanistan and the price as soon as it recognises the code.
Calling a mobile in Afghanistan
A mobile number written locally as 070 XXX XXXX becomes +93 70 XXX XXXX when you call from the UK. If the number already starts with +93 or 0093, don't add the code again.
Calling a landline
Landline numbers start with an area code. Drop the area code's 0 and keep the rest:
| City | Written locally | From the UK |
|---|---|---|
| Kabul | 020 | +93 20 |
| Herat | 040 | +93 40 |
| Kandahar | 030 | +93 30 |
| Mazar-i-Sharif | 050 | +93 50 |
What it costs
There are three common ways to call, and the costs work differently:
- Your UK phone plan. Calls abroad usually aren't part of your monthly minutes and are charged per minute at your provider's international rate, unless you buy an international add-on. Check your provider's price list before a long call.
- Internet calling apps. Free when both of you have the same app and a good data connection, but they don't help when the person you're calling isn't online.
- Browser calling with DanaTel. You call from your browser and they answer their normal phone. You pay a per-minute rate shown before you dial, billed in 6-second steps, and unanswered calls are free.
When to call
Afghanistan is 4½ hours ahead in the UK winter and 3½ hours ahead in the UK summer. A call at 7pm UK time reaches Afghanistan at 11:30pm in winter (10:30pm in summer).
Good to know
Afghan mobile numbers have 9 digits after +93 and start with 7. Numbers in Persian or Pashto digits can be pasted into DanaTel's dialer, which converts them.
Ready to call? See DanaTel's rate for Afghanistan, or create a free account and top up from £5.