ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has announced a 2% increase in passenger train fares in response to the recent surge in diesel prices. Freight rates have also been revised, with coal transportation costs rising by 3% and fertiliser rates increasing by 2%, officials confirmed.
The hike in diesel prices—up by Rs 11.37 per litre—has significantly impacted the state-owned railway’s operational budget. With an average consumption of 350,000 litres of diesel per day, the increase imposes an added daily cost of nearly Rs 4 million and an estimated monthly burden of Rs 119.5 million.
In a separate development, Pakistan Railways is preparing to relaunch the Pak Business Express, a refurbished version of a once-prominent public-private partnership train. The train, which originally began operations in 2012 on the Lahore-Karachi route, is set to resume service with upgraded features, including improved seating, Wi-Fi, modern coaches, and enhanced catering.
The service was initially a collaboration between Pakistan Railways and Four Brothers Group, where PR provided infrastructure while the private partner handled onboard services. However, operational challenges, financial mismanagement, and internal resistance led to defaults and legal battles, culminating in PR taking full control of the service in 2015.
