The railway in Pakistan connects the largest cities. Train travel in Pakistan is not much different from traveling by train in other countries in the region. In recent years, Pakistani railways have acquired a number of new carriages to service long-distance trains. In 2022, floods damaged or destroyed a large part of the railway infrastructure in Pakistan, and the operation of some trains was disrupted for a long time. A similar situation may repeat in the following years.
Last updated: 27.03.2024
Train travel in Pakistan – long-distance trains
Almost all trains in Pakistan are operated by state-owned Pakistan Railways. Some are operated by NCS Rail in cooperation with Pakistan Railways. All long-distance trains are named. Most famous is the Khyber Mall express train. Fastest and most luxury is Green Line Express. Trains vary greatly in terms of comfort and level of service. Some are very fast and comfortable, while others are very slow and require changing carriages.
Most of the long-distance trains in Pakistan have dining car.
Useful websites:
Pakistan Railways – official website (the website may not be working)
NCS Rail – operator of popular long-distance trains.
Pakinformation – unofficial website with timetable and prices.
Railway map of Pakistan (Wikipedia)
Online tickets are available only for residents of the Pakistan, so you need to book your tickets through a local Pakistani travel agent.
There are five main railway lines with many branches:
Karachi – Peshawar Line
Kotri – Attock Line
Rohri – Chaman Line
Quetta – Taftan Line
Taxila – Khunjerab Line
Karachi – Peshawar Line is the main line across Pakistan. There are many long-distance lines between Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar.
Trains in Pakistan – classes
There are following classes in the Pakistani trains:
SEC (2nd class)- open-plan seating carriages, beats without air-conditioning. Usually uncomfortable and crowded carriages.
EC (Economy class) – open-plan seats & berths. Not equipped with air-conditioning.
ISL (1st class sleeper) – non air-conditioned berths in open-plan carriages.
ACL (AC Standard class) – air-conditioned open-plan berths.
PC (AC Parlour car) – air-conditioned seating coaches.
ACLZ (AC Business class) – air-conditioned berths in 6-berth compartments.
ACSL (AC Sleeper class)) – air-conditioned berths in 2 & 4-berth compartments.
Most popular trains in Pakistan:
Awam Express – an Intercity train between Karachi and Peshawar runnin along the entire stretch of the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line. Train covers the distance of 1,732 kilometres in 33 hours and 30 minutes. The Economy Class, AC Standard and AC Business carriages are available. The service was inaugurated in 1925.
Ghouri Express – an Intercity train from n Lahore to Faisalabad (142 km). The trip takes approximately 2 hours, 30 minutes. Train has only Economy class carriages.
Green Line Express – a flagship of Pakistan Railways. Luxury express train with the highest passage priority. Train runs daily between Karachi and Islamabad. The service was inaugurated on 15 May 2015. Green Line Express covers the distance of 1,521 kilometres in 21 hours. Train is comprised of the best passenger carriages in Pakistan – newest high-speed carriages were delivered in 2022 from China. Air carriages are air-conditioned.
Islamabad Express – a very popular train from Karachi to Islamabad inaugurated in 2004. Train covers the distance of 290 km in 4 hours and 15 minutes. Train has Economy Class, AC Standard, AC Business and Parlour Car carriages.
Hazara Express – a passenger train between Karachi and Havelian in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.The trip takes approximately 33 hours to cover a distance of 1,594 kilometres (990 mi), travelling along a stretch of the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line, Khanewal–Wazirabad Branch Line, Shorkot–Lalamusa Branch Line and Taxila–Khunjerab Railway Line. Train runs daily and is comprised of economy class carriages only
Karachi Express – an express train from Karachi to Lahore. The train covers the distance of 1,214 kilometres in 18 hours and 30 minutes. In 2013 the train was refurbished – it is comprised of Economy, AC Business, and AC Sleeper carriages. Train runs daily.
Khyber Mail – most famous Pakistani train from Karachi to Peshawar. Train covers the distance of 1,764 kilometers in approximately 32 hours. AC Sleeper, AC Business, AC Standard and Economy Class are available. The service was inaugurated in 1920.
Shalimar Express – a passenger service inaugurated in 1979. The train connects Karachi and Lahore (1,286 km). The journey between stations lasts approximately 18 hours and 40 minutes.
Train travel in Pakistan – Safari Tourist train
Recently the Safari Tourist Train in Potahar region was reinstated but I can not verify if is still running. Train is operated by Pakistan Railways. Train departs from Islamabad’s historic Golra Station and terminates at Attock Khurd. “Along the train route, passengers will find the most interesting landmarks, natural and railway attractions of the region, for example the oldest railway museum in the area.
Passengers aboard the Safari Train will admire stunning views of the Margallah Hills, Sangjani tunnel, and iconic bridges such as Chablal Bridge, Haro Bridge, Ghazi Borotha, and Attock Khurd Bridges. The Safari Train will traverse the historic iron girder bridge spanning the Indus River.
The Golra Station houses the expansive Islamabad Railway Museum.
Reintroduced train is comprised of refurbished carriages and restaurant car.
Departures for the Safari Train are scheduled every Sunday at 9 am, with return trips from Attock at 6:30 pm. Ticket prices vary based on accommodation type.
Train travel in Pakistan – metropolitan railways
At least two metropolitan railways operate in Pakistan, although the situation may change in the future.
Karachi Circular Line – In November 2020, the first section of the reconstructed circular railway in Karachi was opened. The 14-kilometer section connects Karachi’s main station to Orangi station. The line was closed in 1999 due to financial losses and poor track conditions. Reconstruction was expected in 2024, but it may be extended by several years.
Lahore Suburban Railway – In 2020, the first suburban railway line in Lahore was put into operation. The line runs from Lahore Central Station to Ali Town (27.1 km). Over a distance of 25.4 kilometers, the line runs above ground, while 1.7 km is underground. There are plans to build a Blue Line (24 km) and a line connecting the main station to the airport. The route is served by new Chinese-made trains.
Train travel in Pakistan – Khyber Pass Railway
The Khyber Pass Railway is the name of the railway line through the Khyber Pass, built by the British between 1905 and 1907. The line currently runs from Peshawar to Landi Kotal. It used to end at Landi Khana, 3 kilometers from the Afghan border. The British intended to build a railway line from Peshawar to Kabul, but Afghan kings were opponents of railways, and in 1932, the Landi Kotal – Landi Khana section was decommissioned.
The Khyber Pass Railway is 58 kilometers long and is considered one of the most beautiful railway lines in the world. Along the route, there are 43 tunnels and 92 viaducts and bridges. The tracks also pass through the runway of international airport in Peshawar.
For a long time, Pakistani railways organized vintage train tours consisting of steam locomotives and retro carriages for wealthy tourists.
Currently, the line is abandoned – powerful monsoons in 2006 destroyed part of the line, and reconstruction plans have not been realized to this day, although there are occasional reports of the possibility of rebuilding the line and creating a railway connection with Afghanistan. Plans were again thwarted in 2022 due to flood damage.
Ghora Tram
One of the railway attractions in Pakistan was (or is) the horse-drawn tram in the small village of Gangapur. The vintage-style horse tram has been running since 1898, connecting the village to the nearest railway station – Buchiana. The length of the route is about 3 kilometers. Due to financial reasons, it seemed that after a hundred years of operation, the horse tram had ceased operation, but it may still be in service.
Train travel in Pakistan – international trains
Pakistan has rail links with India and Iran. It’s impossible to obtain up-to-date information and you need to ask about trains on discussion groups.
Pakistan has a railway connection with India. The Thar Express train runs once or twice a week from Karachi through Hyderabad to the Indian station Munabao. Previously, passengers were transported by buses from the Pakistani border to Munabao. At Munabao station, passengers transfer to the Indian Thar Link Express train operating on the Munabao – Bhagat Ki Kothi route.
The Samjhauta Express train used to run twice a week between Lahore and Delhi. The train service was suspended due to political tensions; carriages on both sides of the border were detained. According to press reports, the train service was supposed to be resumed soon, but I can’t verify this information.
The passenger train between Pakistan and Iran was one of the slowest trains in the world. It took over 33 hours to cover 732 kilometers between Zahedan and Quetta, and the train did not have sleeping cars or sleeper berths. Train ran twice a month, later only once a month. The connection was suspended due to COViD-19 pandemic. During the floods in 2022, part of the route was washed away. You need to verify on your own whether train was reinstated or not.
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