Comfort & style: First business train chugs its way out of Lahore

[SBD-3]

LAHORE: Pakistan’s first-ever business train – with trappings of luxury, comfort and style – made its debut journey from the Lahore city station to Karachi on Friday even as Pakistan Railways struggles to chug out of cash crunch.

“The Pakistan business train is a landmark public-private venture and following this formula, the railways can work its way out of the financial crisis,” Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said while inaugurating the service.

The luxury service – complete with flatscreen TVs, wifi and lavatories that would put some British trains to shame – was launched in an effort to turn around the dire fortunes of Pakistan railways, and restore it to its former colonial glory, a daily Telegraph report said.

With a hoot and then a lurch, the 15:30 to Karachi pulled out of Lahore’s railway station bang on time and trailing tinsel.

The train is a joint venture of Pakistan Railways and a private company called MS Four Brothers.

The prime minister said that public-private partnerships had become a necessity in order to revive the country’s ailing economy.

The train will simultaneously leave stations in Lahore and Karachi at 3:30pm daily and reach its destination in 18 hours, including technical stopovers at Khanewal in Punjab and Rohri in Sindh. Journeying time is later to be reduced to 15 hours.

Along with an internet service, a paramedical staff of Rescue 1122 will also be available for passengers. A one-way ticket’s fare is Rs5,000 while a discount of Rs1,000 will be provided on round-trip bookings.

The private company has invested Rs225 million and will pay the railways around Rs1.5 million per trip and Rs1.148 billion per annum. An agreement has been signed for five years which is extendable to up to 10 years.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2012.
www.tribune.com.pk/story/331682/comfort-style-first-business-train-chugs-its-way-out-of-lahore/

 

[notorious_eagle]

I am going to be travelling in it soon , will keep you guys updated regarding the service.

 

[Splurgenxs]

holy... almost 2500 INR ....almost first class Tier fares in India.. i hope it does what it says.

 

[livingdead]

Nice concept. Please post some more pics.

---------- Post added at 02:54 PM ---------- Previous post was at 02:54 PM ----------

holy... almost 2500 INR ....almost first class Tier fares in India.. i hope it does what it says.

Which first class train has flat screen tv in India?

 

[Windjammer]

Passengers sit in a newly launched Pak Business Express train prior to departure in Lahore on February 3, 2012.—AFP Photo

LAHORE: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Friday inaugurated the country’s first business express train launched under a public private partnership.

Federal Railway Minister Ghulam Ahmed Bilour, Punjab Governor Sardar Latif Khosa, PPP Information Secretary Qamar Zaman Kaira were also present at the ceremony held at the Lahore Railways Station.

The Pakistan Business Express, jointly launched by the Pakistan Railways with partnership of M/s Four Brothers, had to be launched in December, but was delayed as the coaches were not ready.

The train will run between Lahore and Karachi, covering the distance in 18 hours.

Earlier, Lahore Chamber of Commerce president Ch Zafar Iqbal said that the latest facilities, including online banking, tickets home delivery, medical staff, passengers insurance, comfortable waiting halls, wi-fi internet, computers and food had been provided to passengers while no extra charges would be collected for these facilities.

Addressing an inauguration ceremony, Bilour appealed to the prime minister to help tackle the crisis of the railways department. He said about 100 locomotives could have been repaired if an amount of Rs 11.1 billion of the bailout package approved by the federal cabinet was released. Pakistan Railways is operating trains with only 147 locomotives as compared to Indian Railways which was being run with 8,300 locomotives, added Bilour.

PM inaugurates first business express train | Business | DAWN.COM

 

[Roybot]

 

[Roybot]

Which first class train has flat screen tv in India?

Shatabdi does, similar to what you see in the planes

 

[Sugarcane]

Very nice, Next step must be to privatize PIA which has become the worst air line in the world.

 

[true_indian]

Isn't air fare cheaper than this? Last time, I took a flight from Hyderabad to Delhi, it cost me 3500 rupees one way and 6000 round trip.

 

[SHAMK9]

Isn't air fare cheaper than this? Last time, I took a flight from Hyderabad to Delhi, it cost me 3500 rupees one way and 6000 round trip.

not in pakistan, even low cost carriers charge upto 8000 rupees round trip bt PIA recently started night coaches which r much cheaper

 

[Sugarcane]

not in pakistan, even low cost carriers charge upto 8000 rupees round trip bt PIA recently started night coaches which r much cheaper

Dude - one way charges are more than 8000, and PIA is expensive than others plus never on-time these days

 

[truthseeker2010]

the concept is good but they should add economy class, otherwise it might not succeed or lower down the fares. 5000 one way is too much. Compare that with PIA's night coach which is 5500.

 

[SHAMK9]

Dude - one way charges are more than 8000, and PIA is expensive than others plus never on-time these days

with three more airlines coming up, i m sure pakistanis will hav more choices and rates to choose from

 

[SBD-3]

the concept is good but they should add economy class, otherwise it might not succeed or lower down the fares. 5000 one way is too much. Compare that with PIA's night coach which is 5500.

PIA's night coach's base fair is 5500, add fuel surcharge and you ll know how economical it is

---------- Post added at 11:29 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:27 PM ----------

with three more airlines coming up, i m sure pakistanis will hav more choices and rates to choose from

Behavior of Airliner industry has been more of a cartelized operation than competitive one.

 

[Abhishek_]

very nice, good work