ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has unveiled an ambitious plan to launch a high-speed bullet train service between Karachi and Lahore by 2030, aiming to slash travel time between the two cities from nearly 20 hours to just five.
According to state broadcaster Radio Pakistan, the project will be carried out with Chinese cooperation under the Main Line-1 (ML-1) upgrade, which is a flagship initiative of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The ML-1, first agreed upon in 2017 at an estimated cost of $6.7 billion, involves overhauling Pakistan’s 1,687-kilometer Karachi–Peshawar rail artery.
Railways Minister Hanis Abbasi said the proposed bullet train will operate at speeds of up to 250 kilometers per hour, with major stations planned in Hyderabad, Multan, and Sahiwal. The China Railway Construction Corporation will play a central role in developing the 1,215-kilometer-long high-speed track, which will feature double lines, rebuilt bridges, and modernized signaling systems.
Officials project that, beyond cutting travel time, the project will create thousands of jobs during both construction and operation. It is also expected to increase Pakistan’s freight share from just 4 percent to 20 percent by 2030, boosting regional trade and easing the strain on costly road transport. Experts say this could save the country billions in annual fuel imports.
Pakistan Railways, which operates a network of more than 7,700 kilometers, has long struggled with outdated infrastructure, frequent delays, and safety issues due to chronic underinvestment. While recent efforts have focused on track rehabilitation, new locomotives, and digital ticketing, the bullet train project represents the most significant modernization push in decades.
If completed on schedule, the Karachi-Lahore bullet train would mark a transformative step for Pakistan’s transport sector, bringing the country closer to global standards in rail connectivity.
