Pakistan Railways

Network

Lines

The Pakistan Railways network is divided into main lines and branch lines. The Karachi–Peshawar Line is the main north-south line, and the Rohri–Chaman Line is the main east-west line.

Main lines

Main Line 1 (ML-1) Karachi–Peshawar Line

Main Line 2 (ML-2) Kotri–Attock Line

Main Line 3 (ML-3) Rohri–Chaman Line

Main Line 4 (ML-4) Quetta–Taftan Line

Main Line 5 (ML-5) Taxila–Khunjerab Line

Tracks

The Pakistan Railways network comprises 7,791 route-kilometres (7,479 km of broad gauge and 312 km of metre gauge). There are 1,043 km of double-track sections (in total).

The broad-gauge track axle load limit is 22.86 tonnes, except for the Rohri–Chaman Line (limit 17.78 tonnes) and Quetta–Taftan Line (limit 17.27 tonnes). The maximum speed on most lines is 105 kilometres per hour (65 mph), but upgraded sections of the Karachi–Peshawar Line allow speeds up to 120 kilometres per hour (75 mph). In future, Pakistan Railways aim to upgrade all main lines to 160 kilometres per hour (99 mph).

Electrification

The Lahore–Khanewal line was electrified at 25 kV AC, but electric service had ceased by 2011. The theft of overhead wire was cited as a reason. The future electrification with 25 kV AC requiring minimum overhead wiring height must be 7.45 m (24 ft 5 in) above top of rail and minimum track center spacing must be 5.3 m (17 ft 5 in), and platform height must be no more than 200 mm (7.9 in) above top of rail, to prevent catenary thefts.

Rail links with adjacent countries

Iran – Pakistan Railways is connected to the Islamic Republic of Iran Railways at Zahedan, where a break-of-gauge exists between the 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Quetta–Taftan Line and the 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) Kerman–Zahedan line. The link was completed on 18 May 2007.

Afghanistan – Presently there is no rail link to Afghanistan, but Pakistan Railways has proposed to help build an Afghan rail network in three phases. Phase one would stretch from the Chaman to Spin Boldak as an extension of the Rohri–Chaman Line. Phase two would extend the line from Spin Boldak to Kandahar. Phase three would run from Kandahar to Herat and Khushka, Turkmenistan, linking the 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) with the Central Asian 1,520 mm (4 ft 11+27⁄32 in). It is unknown where the break-of-gauge station would be. Another proposal would extend the Karachi–Peshawar Line to Kabul via Jalalabad.

Turkmenistan via Afghanistan – Proposed, avoiding the intervening 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) gauge

China – There is no present rail link with China. On 28 February 2007, contracts were awarded for feasibility studies on the Taxila–Khunjerab Line, extending it from Havelian via the Khunjerab Pass to the Chinese railhead at Kashgar, a distance of about 750 kilometres (470 mi).

Turkey – The completion of the Pakistan–Iran link has made it possible, in principle, to run trains between Pakistan and Turkey via Iran. A container train trial service was begun by Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani between Islamabad and Istanbul on 14 August 2009. The first train carried 20 containers with a capacity of about 750 t (738 long tons; 827 short tons), and was scheduled to travel 6,500 km (4,000 mi) from Islamabad through Tehran to Istanbul. An Istanbul–Tehran–Islamabad passenger rail service has also been proposed. In 2009, Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour expressed the hope that after the container-train trial a passenger train would be introduced. There are also hopes that the route would link Europe and Central Asia and carry passengers.

India – Two rail links to India exist: the Thar Express from Jodhpur, Rajasthan to Karachi and the Samjhauta Express from Delhi to Lahore. The more rail links (including reopening) being proposed.

Russia – Proposed 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) Indian broad-gauge corridors extension via Central Asia.

Service

Passenger service

Passenger traffic is 50 percent of total annual revenue; in 1999–2000, this amounted to Rs. 4.8 billion (US$17 million). Pakistan Railways carried 52.2 million passengers in 2016 and operates 28 mail, express and passenger trains. The railway carries a daily average of 178,000 people, and provides special trains for Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Independence Day and Raiwind Ijtema. It set up a website during the early 2000s to provide travelers with up-to-date information about seat availability, departures and arrivals. Online ticket purchase was added to the website in 2016, with reservations confirmed by SMS. Wi-Fi service is included on the Green Line Express.

Freight service

Pakistan Railways was the predominant mode of freight transportation from coastal ports to the interior. At their peak, between 1955 and 1960, PR handled 73 percent of the country's freight traffic (compared to less than four percent in 2015). The Freight Business Unit operates over 200 freight stations, including the Port of Karachi and Bin Qasim Port, and several dry ports in Pakistan's four provinces. With 12,000 employees, the unit generates revenue from the movement of agricultural, industrial and imported products such as petroleum oil and lubricants, wheat, coal, fertilizer, rock phosphate, cement and sugar from the ports to the interior.

On 14 August 2009, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani launched a freight train between Islamabad and Istanbul via Tehran. The first train carried 20 containers with a capacity of 750 t (738 long tons; 827 short tons), and made the 6,500 km (4,000 mi) trip from Islamabad to Tehran and Istanbul in two weeks. In 2015, freight carried by Pakistan Railways increased significantly to 3.3 million tons.

On 22 February 2020, the first cargo train bound for Afghanistan left the Pakistan International Container Terminal in Karachi, with a load of 35 containers. The goods were transported to the city of Chaman, neighbouring Afghanistan, and passed over the border by road.

Travel Classes

Pakistan Railways has several classes of travel. Depending on the route, some trains have one class. Fares for the classes vary, with unreserved seating the least expensive. The following table lists the classes and codes:

Heritage

In Ghangha Pur, a 2 ft (610 mm) narrow-gauge horse-drawn tramway is operational. It was first opened in 1898, closed in 1998, and re-opened in 2010. and soon abandoned again.

The Khyber train safari is a defunct steam operated train between Peshawar and Attock Khurd. It was first opened in 1925, suspended in 1982, reopened in 1996 as Khyber steam safari, suspended again in 2006 and finally reopened in 2015 with present name and soon abandoned again. A documentary film of the railway featuring its steam locomotives was made by Nick Lera in 1997 with the title Pakistan - Rails to the North West Frontier.

2012 Bolan Mail collision: On 16 November 2012, the driver of Bolan Mail was injured when the train accidentally collided with another engine near Kotri Railway Station. Bolan Mail had a clear signal to proceed, but it struck a halted engine on the same track.

2015 Bolan Mail derailment: On 17 June 2015, several passengers were injured when five cars of the Quetta-bound Bolan Mail derailed near Madeji. Cracks in the Dadu Canal dyke had made a hole beneath the track, which resulted in the accident.

2015 Gujranwala derailment: On 2 July 2015, three carriages of a special train fell into a canal and another derailed near Gujranwala. Nineteen people were killed.

Aab-e-Gum derailment: On 17 November 2015, the Jaffar Express derailed at Aab-e-Gum in Balochistan. Twenty people were killed.

Karachi rail crash: The Bahauddin Zakaria Express collided with the Fareed Express (parked at Landhi railway station) on 3 November 2016, killing 21 people.

2017 Mehr Express derailment: On 23 December 2017, a Multan-bound Mehr Express collided with a trailer truck carrying sugarcane produce. At least four people were injured.

On 17 September 2018, a distressing incident occurred when the Peshawar-bound Khushhal Khan Khattak Express derailed in a hilly area between the Massan railway station and Sawan Bridge, approximately 45 km (27.3 mi) from the location. Seven coaches along with the locomotive were involved in the derailment, resulting in injuries to twenty-one passengers. Rescue 1122 reported that one of the injured passengers was admitted to the Kalabagh tehsil headquarters hospital in critical condition. According to a railways press release, twenty passengers sustained injuries, with four of them being admitted to the Mianwali DHQ hospital for treatment.

On 17 March 2019, a tragic incident occurred near Nasirabad when the railway track was deliberately blown up, causing five carriages of the Jaffar Express to derail. This resulted in the loss of at least five lives, with eight individuals sustaining injuries. The Jaffar Express was en route to Quetta at the time of the incident. Following the derailment, rescue teams promptly arrived at the scene to assist the victims and transport them to nearby hospitals for medical treatment. The explosion not only caused damage to the railway track but also disrupted the movement of other trains in the area.

Sadiqabad railway accident: On 11 July 2019, the Akbar Express hit a parked cargo train at Walhar railway station, resulting in the death of 21 people and 100 injuries. Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad also expressed grief over the loss of precious lives caused by the accident. He announced compensation of Rs2 million for the families of the deceased and Rs1.5 million each for the injured.

2019 Tezgam train fire: On 31 October 2019, at least 75 people died after a fire broke out in the Tezgam Express—travelling from Karachi to Rawalpindi—after a gas canister reportedly exploded on board as the train was passing through Rahim Yar Khan. The fire started after passengers started cooking on the train, and the resulting inferno destroyed three economy-class carriages of the train. A witness claimed that the fire could not be attributed to the gas cylinder blast since all the cylinders were emptied at the station. Many of the victims died when they jumped from the moving train to escape the inferno.

2020 Sheikhupura level crossing accident: On 3 July 2020, at least 20 people died and ten others were injured mostly members of the Pakistani Sikh community in the Shah Hussain Express collided with a bus near Sachcha Sauda railway station in Sheikhupura District.

2021 Ghotki rail crash: On 7 June 2021, at least 62 people died and 200 others were injured so far in a collision between the Millat Express and the Sir Syed Express.

The 2022 Jaffar Express bombing occurred on 19 January 2022, when a bomb blast derailed four carriages of the Jaffar Express train traveling from Quetta to Rawalpindi. Six passengers were injured in the powerful explosion, according to Pakistan Railways officials.

On 25 April 2022, a collision between the Bolan Mail and a goods train in Balochistan resulted in four injuries. The incident occurred in the Peeru Kunri Post area of Kachhi. The Bolan Mail, en route from Karachi to Quetta, collided with the goods train, causing three carriages of the train to derail from the track. Injured passengers were promptly transported to a nearby hospital for medical treatment, as reported by Levies sources.

2023 Hazara Express derailment: At least 30 were killed and over 80 injured after as many as 10 bogies of Havelian-bound Hazara Express derailed Sunday near Sahara Railway Station in Sindh's Nawabshah district, 275 kilometres (170.8 miles) away from Karachi. The reason behind the derailment as cited by the Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique was strained wooden sleepers.

2025 Jaffar Express Hijacking: 31 people were killed after Balochistan Liberation Army insurgents hijacked a Jaffar Express train bound for Peshawar. The hijackers had blown up the tracks so that the train would stop, then boarded the train, killed 21 people.