Pakistan Railways has announced that the Shalimar Express will resume operations from August 14, with the train now running between Lahore and Karachi via Sahiwal. According to railway officials, five new stops have been added to the train’s revised route: Kot Lakhpat, Raiwind, Okara, Sahiwal and Sadiqabad.
The route has been changed following the closure of the railway bridge at Qila Sattar Shah and Masan Kallar, which was affected by floodwaters. The Shalimar Express previously operated from Lahore to Karachi via Faisalabad. However, due to the disruption on that route, the train will temporarily operate via Sahiwal.
Pakistan Railways has announced that the Shalimar Express will resume operations from August 14. According to railway officials, the train will now operate between Lahore and Karachi via Sahiwal. Five new stops have been added to its route: Kot Lakhpat, Raiwind, Okara, Sahiwal, and Sadiqabad.
The Shalimar Express was suspended after floodwaters affected the railway bridge at Qila Sattar Shah and Masan Kallar. Due to the closure of the bridge, the train’s route has been changed.
Previously, the Shalimar Express travelled from Lahore to Karachi via Faisalabad. However, the Faisalabad route has been closed for the past two weeks, prompting Pakistan Railways to reroute the train via Sahiwal. The Shalimar Express, which operates under a public-private partnership, has also announced a 14% discount on fares for all classes.
It is worth mentioning here that the Shalimar Express had earlier been restored on May 1, 2023, after remaining out of service for eight months. Following its restoration, Pakistan Railways operated the Shalimar Express on a revised route, running between Karachi and Lahore via Sahiwal instead of Faisalabad.
As part of the relaunch, Pakistan Railways offered passengers a special 20% discount on fares from May 1 to May 15, followed by a 10% discount from May 16 to May 31. However, the Shalimar Express attracted fewer passengers on the Sahiwal route, resulting in significant losses for Pakistan Railways. Consequently, the railway authorities have now decided to resume the train’s operation via Faisalabad.