Karachi to Islamabad Green Line Train – All You Need to Know

This is a guest post by Sobia Sayed who recently travelled to Islamabad from Karachi via the Green Line Train and had an awesome experience. She’s been generous enough to share titbits about the train journey with you guys!

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Hello Everyone!

I want to share my experience of Green Line train with all of you!

Just a few weeks ago, I travelled from Karachi to Islamabad and back all on my own and I must say it was a very satisfying experience! I was greatly impressed by the service and cleanliness of the Green Line Express and I recommend everyone to travel on it at least once in their life!

Many people refrain from train travel in Pakistan fearing about the quality of service and safety, and while we do agree that sometimes things get unpredictable in Pakistan, it’s not the end of the world all the time! My experience of travelling by this train as a solo female traveller (wait what? Oh yes!) was awesome!

Here are some details about the train along with my review:

Ticket Cost and Journey:

• Karachi to Pindi/Islamabad upper class (AC) ticket cost is Rs.5990 with 3 meals included in it.
• The train makes 5 stops between Karachi to Pindi and 6 stops if you’re going to Islamabad.
• The route is usually: Karachi – Hyderabad – Rohri – Bahawalpur – Khanewal – Lahore – Pindi – Islamabad
• The total travel time is about 22 hours (approx).

Cabin Facilities:

• Each carriage has 9 cabins and each cabin can accommodate just about 6 passengers.
• There are 3 beds on either side of the cabin with pillows and blankets.
• There’s a TV with fixed programs/channels in each cabin.
• There’s a facility to charge your cell phone in each cabin.

Food and Other Amenities:

• Breakfast is usually an Omelette, 3 bread slices with jam, butter and tea.
• Lunch/Dinner is usually Rice, daal, chicken gravy, achaar, naan and yogurt.
• Early Evening around 5-6 PM, they serve tea and sandwiches.
• Additionally you can purchase tea for Rs.30 if you’re a chai addict and need more than 1 cup 🙂
• You can purchase snacks and soft drinks as well.
• The food trays were quite hygienic and nicely covered in cling film.
• The train also provided us with a Morning Kit that included a toothbrush, a tooth paste, comb, liquid soap, wet tissues and a face towel.
• There is a water dispenser in each carriage.

Hospitality and Cleanliness:

• The staff cleans the cabin and carriage 3-4 times during the journey and spray a nice air freshener before leaving.
• The staff is very nice and humble and is always ready to help and guide you in anyway.
• There are two toilets per carriage that are as big as any aircraft toilet, with a mirror, sink, liquid hand-wash, toilet roll and a Muslim shower.

Tips for Solo Female Travellers:

• If you’re a girl and travelling alone, and you mention this at the time of buying the ticket, they try to place you in a women’s-only cabin or place you in a family cabin.

I hope these pointers help you guys out if you’re planning to travel by Green Line soon.

Have a nice day!

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About the Author

Sobia Sayed is a Textile Designer and a superb crafter. She also runs her own crafts businesses: Doodle Bug and Weaved! She is a calligraphy and lettering enthusiast and an avid traveller. Follow her on instagram to see her cool work!