What plug does Afghanistan use?

Afghanistan uses Types C and F sockets. The supply is 220 V at 50 Hz.

What voltage is used in Afghanistan?

Mains voltage in Afghanistan is 220 V at 50 Hz. Check your charger reads 100–240V before relying on it.

Do I need a travel adapter for Afghanistan?

From United States & Canada: yes, you need an adapter. From United Kingdom & Ireland: yes, you need an adapter. From Continental Europe: no adapter needed. From Australia & New Zealand: yes, you need an adapter.

Power plugs in Afghanistan

Afghanistan uses Types C and F sockets, running at 220 volts and 50 Hz.

Socket types: C · F
Voltage: 220 V
Frequency: 50 Hz

Will your charger work?

Travelling from	Verdict
United States & Canada	Adapter needed
United Kingdom & Ireland	Adapter needed
Continental Europe	Fitsyour Type C/E/F plug goes straight in
Australia & New Zealand	Adapter needed

This is about the shape of the pins only. "Fits" means the plug goes in and carries power — it does not always mean it earths, and it never means the voltage is right. Both of those are below.

The sockets you will find in Afghanistan

Type C unearthed

CEE 7/16 — the Europlug

The most widely accepted plug in the world: it fits sockets across continental Europe, much of Africa, Asia and South America. Unearthed, and limited to 2.5 A — fine for chargers, not for a kettle.

Type F earthed

CEE 7/4 — Schuko

Germany and most of continental Europe. The earth is a pair of metal clips on the top and bottom edge rather than a pin.

Voltage and your devices

Afghanistan runs at 220 V. An appliance built only for 120 V will be damaged here, usually within seconds of switching it on. A plug adapter will not protect it: it changes the pins, not the voltage. You need a converter, or you need to leave it at home.

Almost every phone charger, laptop brick and camera charger made this century is dual voltage. Look for "100–240V" in small type on the body of the plug: if it is there, the voltage is not your problem and you only need the right shape. Anything that makes heat — a hairdryer, a travel kettle, curling tongs — usually is not, and is where people get caught.

The supply is 50 Hz. Frequency only matters to things with a motor or a mains-driven clock; electronics do not notice it.

The same adapter works in

These places use the same sockets as Afghanistan, at a comparable voltage. One adapter covers the lot.

Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Armenia Austria Azerbaijan Belarus Bosnia and Herzegovina Bulgaria Cape Verde Croatia

Plug, voltage and frequency data from Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country. See all countries

The other questions travellers ask at midnight

Plug sockets are the easy one — it does not change while they are in the air. Flight times, gates and transfers do. Viaquo gives an agency's travellers a concierge that answers from the actual booking, so the questions that do change get answered without waking anybody up.

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