KARACHI: The PWR Administration has completed arrangements for running the new sleepers service train between Karachi and Peshawar from Nov 25. The new passenger train for third class passengers will run at the speed of 60 miles an hour, covering the distance between Karachi and Peshawar in 19 hours and 25 minutes. The 13-Up sleepers train will leave Karachi Cantonment at 1.35 p.m. and reach Peshawar Cantonment at 9 p.m. the next day. The 14-Dn will leave Peshawar at 6 p.m. arriving at Karachi at 1.25 p.m. the following day. Stoppages have been provided at important stations only for the new train.

The new train will comprise seven coaches recently imported from West Germany. Each coach has three tiers — lower for sitting and upper two for sleeping. This will be the first train in the country with three-tier coaches. There will, however, be no dining car in the new train for the present, according to PWR sources. Every seat and berth in the sleepers train will be reserved. Each train will have 550 seats for sitting and 288 berths for sleep. The PWR Administration has decided to charge 25 paisa for reservation of seats and Rs. 5 for each sleeping berth in the new train.

Published in Dawn, November 22th , 2014