Pakistan is rich in terms of cultural heritage with its number of monuments, forts, palaces and several other historical buildings that were built by empires of the past. Their preservation and maintenance are what have allowed Pakistan to stay in touch with its cultural identity. One such example is the Lahore Railway Station which was set up by the British.
The railway system in modern-day Pakistan and India is regarded as one of the most extensive and complex vestiges of colonial control. Graana.com, Pakistan’s smartest online real estate portal, takes a look at the evolution and development of the railway junction in the walled city of Lahore.
The railway station is located in the heart of the walled city of Lahore. Besides serving as a thoroughfare station on Main Line 1 (ML1), it is the biggest railway station in the country.
Work on the Lahore Railway Station began during the colonial period. It was built just outside the Walled City, at the intersection of Empress Road, Allama Iqbal Road, and Circular Road. Mian Mohammad Sultan Chughtai, a former Mughal Empire administrator from 1859 to 1860, designed the Lahore Junction.
For many years, Lahore Junction functioned as Pakistan Railways’ headquarters and the northern terminal of the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railways. This was all before the country became independent. It is also one of Pakistan’s oldest railway stations.
The Lahore Railway Station has a medieval-style structure. It is surrounded by thick walls, turrets, and massive holes to direct gun and cannon fire and conduct retaliatory actions during the conflict.
The Lahore train station has a one-of-a-kind structure because it was created after the 1857 Battle of Independence. As a result, the architecture of the station was designed as a place of defence in case of potential future uprisings.
Without a doubt, the station is a relic of the huge railway network built during the British era. Pakistan Railways is currently responsible for the management of the Lahore train station.
Lahore Railway Station was designed according to the “head house concept”, where commuters use walkway concourses and overhead steel bridges to cross the platform. Also, the walkway in a head house design is made in the centre of a building while shops and other amenities are constructed adjacent to the walls.
The building of the junction is oriented in a North-South direction, and is rectangular in shape with two symmetrical blocks parallel to each other. Initially, the station had four railway tracks that, after the change in gauge size, were reduced to two.
Some of the essential facilities at the Lahore Junction, for the comfort of travellers, include ticketing service, waiting areas, lavatories, and food kiosks. International fast-food brands such as McDonald’s and Pizza Hut are also present here. There are also some retail spaces on platforms 1 and 2 of Lahore Station.
Furthermore, the station facilitates both on spot and advance reservations for passenger trains, as well as cargo facilities such as freight and parcels. The train station also features overhead bridges that connect the platforms across the railway lines.
Passengers also don’t have much trouble hailing a cab from the station; there are many taxis and rickshaw stands nearby. The proximity of the Lahore train station to the Grand Trunk Road (GT Road) also means that you can readily use public transit options, depending on their availability and timetables.
Given below is the list of trains that travel to and from Lahore at this station:
| Code | Train Name | Originates | Destination |
| 1 UP | Khyber Mail Express | Karachi Cantt | Peshawar Cantt |
| 2 DN | Khyber Mail Express | Peshawar Cantt | Karachi Cantt |
| 5 UP | Green Line Express | Karachi Cantt | Islamabad |
| 6 DN | Green Line Express | Islamabad | Karachi Cantt |
| 7 UP | Tezgam Express | Karachi Cantt | Rawalpindi |
| 8 DN | Tezgam Express | Rawalpindi | Karachi Cantt |
| 9 UP | Allama Iqbal Express | Karachi Cantt | Sialkot |
| 10 DN | Allama Iqbal Express | Sialkot | Karachi Cantt |
| 13 UP | Awam Express | Karachi Cantt | Peshawar Cantt |
| 14 DN | Awam Express | Peshawar Cantt | Karachi Cantt |
| 15 UP | Karachi Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 16 DN | Karachi Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 23 UP | Akbar Express | Quetta | Terminus |
| 24 DN | Akbar Express | Terminus | Quetta |
| 27 UP | Shalimar Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 28 Dn | Shalimar Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 31 UP | Jinnah Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 32 DN | Jinnah Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 33 UP | Pak Business Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 34 DN | Pak Business Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 37 UP | Fareed Express | Karachi City | Terminus |
| 38 DN | Fareed Express | Terminus | Karachi City |
| 39 UP | Jaffar Express | Quetta | Peshawar Cantt |
| 40 DN | Jaffar Express | Peshawar Cantt | Quetta |
| 41 UP | Karakoram Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 42 DN | Karakoram Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 43 UP | Shah Hussain Express | Karachi Cantt | Terminus |
| 44 DN | Shah Hussain Express | Terminus | Karachi Cantt |
| 101 UP | Subak Raftar Express | Terminus | Rawalpindi |
| 102 DN | Subak Raftar Express | Rawalpindi | Terminus |
| 103 UP | Subak Kharam Express | Terminus | Rawalpindi |
| 104 DN | Subak Kharam Express | Rawalpindi | Terminus |
| 105 UP | Rawal Express | Terminus | Rawalpindi |
| 106 DN | Rawal Express | Rawalpindi | Terminus |
| 107 UP | Islamabad Express | Terminus | Rawalpindi |
| 108 DN | Islamabad Express | Islamabad | Terminus |
| 111 UP | Badar Express | Faisalabad | Terminus |
| 112 DN | Badar Express | Terminus | Faisalabad |
| 113 UP | Ghouri Express | Faisalabad | Terminus |
| 114 DN | Ghouri Express | Terminus | Faisalabad |
| 115 UP | Musa Pak Express | Multan | Terminus |
| 116 DN | Musa Pak Express | Terminus | Multan |
| 117 UP | Multan Express | Multan | Terminus |
| 118 DN | Multan Express | Terminus | Multan |
| 119 UP | Faisal Express | Faisalabad | Terminus |
| 120 DN | Faisal Express | Terminus | Faisalabad |
| 121 UP | Ravi Express | Shorkot Cantt | Terminus |
| 122 DN | Ravi Express | Terminus | Shorkot Cantt |
| 123 UP | Sargodha Express | Sargodha | Terminus |
| 124 DN | Sargodha Express | Terminus | Sargodha |
| 125 UP | Lasani Express | Terminus | Sialkot |
| 126 DN | Lasani Express | Sialkot | Terminus |
| 147 UP | Mianwali Express | Mari Indus | Terminus |
| 148 DN | Mianwali Express | Terminus | Mari Indus |
| 205 UP | Babu Passenger | Terminus | Wazirabad |
| 206 DN | Babu Passenger | Wazirabad | Terminus |
| 207 UP | Waris Shah Passenger | Shorkot Cantt | Terminus |
| 208 DN | Waris Shah Passenger | Terminus | Shorkot Cantt |
| 209 UP | Faiz Ahmed Faiz Passenger | Terminus | Narowal |
| 210 DN | Faiz Ahmed Faiz Passenger | Narowal | Terminus |
| 211 UP | Narowal Passenger | Terminus | Narowal |
| 212 DN | Narowal Passenger | Narowal | Terminus |
| 401 UP | Samjhota Express | Attari | Terminus |
| 402 DN | Samjhota Express | Terminus | Attari |
Gaddafi Stadium, Shalimar Gardens, Badshahi Masjid, Wazir Khan Masjid, Sheesh Mahal, and Anarkali Bazaar are some famous places to visit near Lahore Cantt Railway Station.
Greater Iqbal Park, one of Lahore’s most prominent parks, is also a few minutes’ drive from the station. Some of Lahore’s oldest food streets, which reflect the city’s true gastronomic tradition, can also be found nearby.
Because the train station in Lahore is located in the centre of the metropolis, it should take you no more than half an hour to reach there from various sections of the city.
Check out the list of areas and their distance from the city’s main railway station below:
In Lahore, there are also a few sub-railway stations where different trains and cargo carriages stop at various times throughout the day.
Some examples include Lahore Cantt Station, Shahdara Bagh Railway Station, and Kot Lakhpat Railway Station. People who want to use express trains, on the other hand, can go to the Lahore train station. Get to know Hotels near Lahore Railway Station
Building and Architecture:
The headquarters is housed in a grand, historical building dating back to the British colonial era. It features impressive Mughal-inspired architecture with intricate brickwork and arched doorways.
Departments and Services:
The Lahore railway headquarters houses various departments responsible for the smooth functioning of the entire Pakistan Railway network. These departments include:
The headquarters also offers various services to passengers and freight customers, including:
Location and Address:
The Lahore railway headquarters is located at:
You can contact Lahore Railway Station for tickets, reservations, and any questions about luggage, refunds, and freight management.
Also, if you go to the Lahore train station at the address given below, you will find specific offices where you can enquire in person.
You can also call Pakistan Railways at 117 and obtain answers to your questions from railway authorities all throughout the country.
Visit Graana.com to read more about famous landmarks and other historical places in Pakistan.
The main railway station in Lahore, Pakistan, is Lahore Junction. Lahore Junction is a major railway station and serves as a central hub for rail transport in the region.
The number of railway stations in Pakistan may change over time due to new constructions or closures. As of my last update, there are numerous railway stations across the country, serving various cities and towns.
The largest railway station in the world by total area is Grand Central Terminal in New York City, USA. It is important to note that “largest” can be interpreted in different ways, such as by size, number of platforms, or passenger capacity.
Regarding the biggest train station in Pakistan, it’s important to clarify the criteria for “biggest” (e.g., size, passenger capacity, number of platforms). However, Lahore Junction is one of the major and busiest train stations in Pakistan
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