LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR) has decided to run four Eid special trains to facilitate passengers traveling before and after Eidul Fitr.

The special train operation includes a service from Quetta to Peshawar via Sibbi, Sukkur/Rohri, Khanewal, Lahore and Rawalpindi, Dawn has learnt.

“We will start our Eid operation on March 28 with three special trains departing before Eid and one on the third day of Eid,” Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch told Dawn on Monday.

The first train will depart from Lahore to Karachi, followed by the second from Rawalpindi to Karachi and the third from Quetta to Peshawar. The post-Eid train will depart from Karachi for Lahore on the third day of Eid.

Mr Baloch said the railway track damaged in the terrorist attack on the Jaffar Express in Balochistan (near Bolan) would be ready for train operations by March 18. “However, the resumption of train operations to and from Balochistan is subject to security clearance,” he clarified. “Our priority is to resume operations as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, PR’s Lahore division on Monday cancelled the departures of the Karakoram Express and Karachi Express from Lahore to Karachi due to low passenger demand. According to a spokesperson, passengers with reservations were accommodated on other trains. The departure of the Jaffar Express from Lahore to Quetta was also cancelled due to the ongoing suspension of train services to and from Balochistan.

PR operates Jaffar Express and Bolan Express daily on routes connecting Balochistan with Punjab and Sindh. Some freight trains also run on various sections leading to Balochistan. The Jaffar Express starts its downward journey from Peshawar in the morning and arrives in Quetta the next day via Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan, Sukkur and Sibbi. Similarly, it departs Quetta at 9am daily, arriving in Peshawar via Sukkur, Rahim Yar Khan, Lahore, and Rawalpindi at 7am the next day.

The Bolan Express departs from Karachi at 8pm daily and arrived in Quetta at 6:55pm the next day, stopping at various stations in interior Sindh and Balochistan. The local train operations in Balochistan consist of two trains running on the Sibbi-Harnai and Quetta-Chaman routes. --

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2025