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Train times: Karachi - Lahore - Peshawar Karachi - Quetta Quetta - Lahore - Peshawar Khyber Pass railway International trains from Pakistan to India & Iran Europe to Pakistan & India overland Right:  An express at Lahore. Photo courtesy of Marcel Ochsner.

What are Pakistani trains like..?

Trains have several classes:

• Air-conditioned sleeper (recommended);

• 1st class sleeper;

• Air-conditioned lower class (seat & sleeper versions);

• Parlour car (comfortable open-plan seating.  Recommended for daytime journeys);

• Economy class seats;

• 2nd class - seat and sleeper versions.

Most important trains also have a restaurant car.  You can check train times and availability at the Pakistan Railways site, www.pakrail.com.

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This is the mainline across Pakistan, and route of Pakistan's most famous train, the Khyber Mail.  There are lots of trains, but only the most important trains are shown here.  All trains shown have a restaurant car.

Karachi ► Lahore ► Peshawar
	Train No.:	27	41	7	15	1	107	101	103
	Classes:	P,L,E	P,L,E	A,1,L,E	A,L,E	A,1,E	P,L,E	P,L,E	P,L,E
Karachi (Cantonment)	depart	06:30  day 1	16:00  day 1	17:00  day 1	18:00  day 1	22:30  day 1	-	-	-
Hyderabad	arr/dep	09:00  day 1	18:10  day 1	19:35  day 1	20:30  day 1	01:15  day 2	-	-	-
Rohri	arr/dep	13:15  day 1	21:45  day 1	00:10  day 2	00:30  day 2	05:35  day 2	-	-	-
Multan (Cantonment)	arr/dep	|	|	06:25  day 2	|	13:25  day 2	-	-	-
Lahore (Junction)	arr/dep	23:50  day 1	08:00  day 2	13:15  day 2	10:40  day 2	21:00  day 2	07:00	07:45	16:30
Rawalpindi	arr/dep	-	-	18:45  day 2	-	02:30  day 3	12:15	12:15	21:05
Attock	arr/dep	-	-	-	-	04:16  day 3	-	-	-
Peshawar (City)	arrive	-	-	-	-	05:43  day 3	-	-	-
Peshawar (Cantonment)	arrive	-	-	-	-	06:00  day 3	-	-	-

A = AC sleeper, 1 = 1st class sleeper, L = AC Lower seats, P = Parlour car seats, E = Economy seats, 2 = 2nd class seats

Train 1/2 = The KHYBER MAIL.  Recommended for Karachi-Peshawar journeys.

Train 7/8 = TEZGAM.  Recommended for Karachi-Rawalpindi journeys.

Train 15/16 = KARACHI EXPRESS.  Recommended for Karachi-Lahore journeys.

Train 27/28 = SHALIMAR EXPRESS.  Recommended for Karachi-Lahore journeys.

Train 41/42 = KARAKORAM EXPRESS.  Modern spacious Chinese-built coaches, with AC Lower Class sleepers, no AC Class sleepers.

Peshawar ► Lahore ► Karachi
	Train No.:	28	2	8	42	16	104	102	108
	Classes:	P,L,E	A,1,E	A,1,L,E	P,L,E	A,L,E	P,L,E	P,L,E	P,L,E
Peshawar (Cantonment)	depart	-	22:45  day 1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Peshawar (City)	depart	-	22:55  day 1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Attock	arr/dep	-	00:29  day 2	-	-	-	-	-	-
Rawalpindi	arr/dep	-	02:30  day 2	08:00  day 1	-	-	07:30	16:30	18:00
Lahore (Junction)	arr/dep	06:30  day 1	08:30  day 2	13:30  day 1	16:00  day 1	18:00  day 1	12:05	21:05	21:30
Multan (Cantonment)	arrive	|	15:58  day 2	20:20  day 1	|	|	-	-	-
Rohri	arr/dep	17:25  day 1	23:30  day 2	03:05  day 2	o1:35 day 2	04:45  day 2	-	-	-
Hyderabad	arr/dep	21:20  day 1	03:15  day 3	07:15  day 2	04:50  day 2	08:25  day 2	-	-	-
Karachi (Cantonment)	arrive	23:55  day 1	06:30  day 3	09:50  day 2	07:20  day 2	11:00  day 2	-	-	-

Approximate fares:
One-way per person:	AC sleeper	AC Lower (berth)	AC Lower (seat)	Economy (berth)	Economy (seat)
Karachi - Rawalpindi	Rs 2,600  (£25 / $44)	Rs ?	Rs 1,175  (£11 / $20)	Rs ?	Rs 505  (£5 / $9)
Karachi - Lahore (by Karakoram Express)	n/a	Rs 1,945  (£19 / $34)	Rs 1,315  (£13 / $22)	Rs 795  (£8 / $14)	Rs 715  (£7 / $12)

Below:  The Karakoram Express at Lahore station.  Photo courtesy of Koen Berghuis

Karachi ► Quetta				Quetta ► Karachi
Train No.:	3	31		Train No:	4	32
Classes:	1,E	A,L,E		Classes:	1,E	A,1,E
Karachi (City) depart:	09:45	17:30		Quetta depart:	12:15	17:00
Karachi (Cantonment) depart:	10:05	|		Karachi (Cantonment) arrive:	08:40	|
Quetta arrive:	06:00	09:30		Karachi (City) arrive:	09:00	09:00

Train 3/4 = BOLAN MAIL;  Train 31/32 = BALUCHISTAN EXPRESS

Below:  Descending the Bolan Pass on an express from Quetta to Rawalpindi.  Photo courtesy of  Dr John Stubbs.

Quetta ► Peshawar			Peshawar ► Quetta
Train No.:	23		Train No.:	24
Classes:	A,1,E		Classes:	A,1,E
Quetta depart:	10:30  day 1		Peshawar depart:	07:30  day 1
Lahore arrive:	11:45  day 2		Rawalpindi depart:	11:10  day 1
Rawalpindi arrive:	17:25  day 2		Lahore depart:	17:00  day 1
Peshawar arrive:	21:00  day 2		Quetta arrive:	16:30  day 2

Train 23/24 = QUETTA EXPRESS

Peshawar - Landi Kotal

The line up the Khyber Pass, built by the British in 1920, is now officially closed to passenger trains, but special steam excursions operate from time to time.

Pakistan - India

Lahore-Amritsar-Delhi:  A twice-weekly train leaves Lahore at 08:35 on Tuesdays & Fridays (these are the confirmed departure days as from 31 May 2007) for Wagah (on the Pakistan/India frontier) arriving 09:10, departing again after customs checks at 11:30 for Atari (on the Indian side) arriving 11:40.  There are connections for Amritsar arriving around 15:00, and for Delhi (please double-check connecting times locally).

For details of the westbound Samjhota Express from India to Pakistan, and for details of train service within India, see the India page.

However, Lahore-Amritsar can also be done daily, and faster, by bus or taxi.  Take a bus or taxi Lahore-Wagah, walk through the frontier to Atari on the Indian side, then take a bus or taxi to Amritsar for daily trains to New Delhi.  Going by bus or taxi also allows you to see the spectacular ceremony at sunset when the border closes.  Indian and Pakistani guards try to outdo each other with their performances, watched by Indians and Pakistani crowds - as a tourist, you may get to sit in the VIP stand..!    See the India page.

Right:  The border closure ceremony at Atari. Photo courtesy of Koen Berghuis.

Karachi-Munabao-Jodhpur-Delhi:  A new weekly international train called the Thar Express started on 17 February 2006, leaving Karachi every Friday at 23:00 and arriving at the Pakistan/India frontier at Zero Point at around 08:00 next morning, going forward after customs checks to Munabao on the Indian side arriving around 11:00.  After customs checks the train leaves Munabao at 15:00, arriving Jodphur at 21:30 Saturday.  In the westbound direction, the train leaves Jodhpur at 23:30 on Fridays, arriving Munabao at 08:00 next morning, leaving Munabao again at around 14:30 on Saturdays, reaching Karachi around midnight Saturday night.  No more information is currently available, but feedback would be appreciated..!  The train will have one sleeping-car and several economy cars.  Sleeper fare about Rs230 from Karachi to zero point, and Rs170 from zero point/Munabao to Jodhpur..

Pakistan - Iran

Trains run from Quetta to Zahedan (Iran) twice a month, see the Europe-India overland page.  However, in October 2006 it was reported that this train has been temporarily stopped because of repeated bomb attacks.  Alternative buses may be available, please check locally.  You should check the security situation in this part of Iran at www.fco.gov.uk before travelling.

London - Pakistan overland by train...

This is possible in 2-3 weeks, if you are adventurous and have the necessary organisational & planning skills.  See the Europe-India overland page.

If you have any photos, travel reports or more information that would be useful for this page, please e-mail me..!

It's probably the most adventurous timetable ever produced... The famous Thomas Cook Overseas Timetable has train, bus and ferry times for Pakistan and for every country in Africa, Asia, North and South America and Australasia.  It is published every two months.

It's an essential publication for any serious traveller, and an inspiration for armchair travellers..!

It costs £13.50 from the bureau de change section of any branch of Thomas Cook, or you can buy it online at www.thomascooktimetables.com.

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