Pakistan Railways is all set to receive the first 40 of the 230 modern, high-speed passenger coaches from China by December. China’s CRRC Tangshan Locomotive & Rolling Stock Company and Pakistan inked an agreement in November 2021 for the supply of 230 high-speed coaches to Pakistan Railways.
“Pakistan Railways will start receiving the first batch of 230 new passenger coaches ordered from China in December. Equipped with the latest amenities, these coaches are comfortable and suitable for traveling at a speed of 160 kmph.” , tweeted Pakistan Railway’s official handle on Sunday
Babar Ali Reza, a spokesman for Pakistan Railways, said: “Out of 230 passenger coaches, the first consignment of 40 coaches will arrive in Pakistan by December, which would have the capacity to run at the speed of 160 kilometers per hour,”. It is estimated that each economy-class coach will cost $694,000, a standard air-conditioned coach $794,000, and an air-conditioned parlor will cost $859,000 upon arrival in Pakistan.
The spokesman said the current maximum speed limit of Pakistani trains was 120 kilometers per hour and the new Chinese coaches would be suitable for higher speed limit after the upgradation of railway tracks, reported Arab News
The spokesperson said: “The railway tracks at present can accommodate up to 120 kilometers per hour. The tracks will be gradually upgraded, these coaches can serve long-term purposes and support 160 kilometers per hour,”. He was referring to the country’s plan of dualization of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project. The $6.8 billion ML-1 project, considered one of the costliest projects in Pakistan’s history, is aimed at upgrading and dualizing the 1,872-kilometer existing track from the southern port city of Karachi to Peshawar in the country’s northwest.
Pakistan Railways is looking to enhance its services and capabilities. In December last year, Pakistan announced to launch Islamabad To Istanbul Train Service. The PM of Pakistan also announced Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan Railway project during his visit to Tashkent in July last year.