ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways is all set to launch a non-stop and the most luxurious train namely Jinnah Express from Lahore to Karachi on March 30.
“The fare of train would be Rs7,000 for each passenger while Rs5,250 would be charged from per child,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP on Wednesday.
He said Prime Minister Imran Khan is likely to inaugurate the train in which food will be provided as complementary. Jinnah Express will reach its destination within 14 to 15 hours, he added.
He said the train will have only three stops – Khanewal, Rohri and Hyderabad and declared that no concession will be given even on reservation before 48 hours except the army personnel.
To a question, the official said Pakistan Railways is also planning to launch Safari trains to promote tourism for three selected areas as per vision of the prime minister to attract local and foreign tourists.
“The tourist trains with steam engines will be operated between Rawalpindi – Taxila, Peshawar – Attock Bridge and Karachi – Keenjhar Lake,” he added.
He said the launch of these trains will not only help Pakistan Railways to earn extra revenue, but to facilitate the visitors from the country and abroad.
He said Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department and Pakistan Railways have agreed on the early revival of the historic Khyber Steam Safari train service to boost tourism in the province.
The British-era train, a major tourist attraction in the region, was closed down in 2008 due to militancy and the flash floods, which washed away railway tracks.
He said tourism department was in contact with Pakistan Railways and law enforcement agencies for the restoration of the historic train service at the earliest.
The official said the railways minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has already directed the quarters concerned to operationalize four steam locomotive engines on no-loss-no-profit basis for Safari trains.
