Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify the barriers halting the usage of sustainable modes of transportation in a university campus. Design/methodology/approach: Two large-scale universities, namely, Quaid-i-Azam University and the National University of Sciences and Technology, in Islamabad have been taken as case studies with a sample population of 421. The questionnaire data, comprising 30 different barriers, were analysed by principal component analysis and mean value method. Findings: The findings indicate that safety and infrastructural factors are the most influential ones affecting sustainable mobility within the campus. The provision of user-friendly and safe infrastructure and more frequent shuttle buses are recommended to promote the culture of sustainable transportation. Research limitations/implications: Inclusion of other large-scale universities of the country might give more generalized results. The sustainability of other areas associating with transportation can also be evaluated to explore other unfamiliar dimensions. Practical implications: The outcome of this research expects to highlight important policy recommendations for the promotion of sustainable mobility inside the campus and also serves as a guiding principle for campus developers and policymakers for planning new campuses in other parts of the country. Originality/value: This research can be considered as a starting point for achieving sustainability in the universities of Pakistan. The same research methodology can be opted in other campuses with the possibility of the addition of other related factors with different statistical analysis techniques as well.