Rawalpindi Railway Station (Urdu and Punjabi: راولپنڈی ریلوے اسٹیشن) is located in Saddar area of Rawalpindi, Punjab, Pakistan. It is one of several major stops on the Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line. The nearest Saddar Metrobus Station, part of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is 20 minutes (1.5 km) walk away.
Rawalpindi Railway Station راولپنڈی ریلوے اسٹیشن | |||||||||||
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 Rawalpindi railway station - main entrance | |||||||||||
| General information | |||||||||||
| Location | Station Road, Rawalpindi, Punjab 46000  Pakistan | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°36′13″N 73°02′54″E / 33.6036°N 73.0483°E | ||||||||||
| Elevation | 502 metres (1,647 ft) | ||||||||||
| Owned by | |||||||||||
| Line(s) | Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line Islamabad–Muzaffarabad Branch Line | ||||||||||
| Platforms | 5
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| Tracks | 11
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| Connections |
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| Construction | |||||||||||
| Structure type | Standard (On Ground Station) | ||||||||||
| Platform levels | 2 | ||||||||||
| Parking |  Available | ||||||||||
| Bicycle facilities | Available | ||||||||||
| Accessible |  Available
 | ||||||||||
| Other information | |||||||||||
| Status | Functional | ||||||||||
| Station code | RWP | ||||||||||
| Fare zone | Pakistan Railways Rawalpindi Zone | ||||||||||
| Website | https://www.pakrail.gov.pk/ | ||||||||||
| History | |||||||||||
| Opened | 1881 | ||||||||||
| Rebuilt | 2019 | ||||||||||
| Electrified | No | ||||||||||
| Previous names | North Western State Railway | ||||||||||
| Services | |||||||||||
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From Rawalpindi Railway Station trains go to various cities of Pakistan including Karachi, Lahore, Quetta, Peshawar, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Gujarat, Multan, Faisalabad, Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Jhang, Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Sukkar, Jehlum, Haripur, Nowshera, Sibi, Attock, Larkana, Kohat, Khanewal, Mianwali, Dera Ghazi Khan, Bhakkar, Gujar Khan, Sialkot, Narowal, Sahiwal, Okara, Mandi Bahauddin and Jacobabad included. Every train stops at Rawalpindi railway station for half an hour.[1]
History
editRawalpindi station was opened in 1881, during construction of the Punjab Northern State Railway which began in 1870. The route was first surveyed in 1857, and aimed to connect Lahore with Peshawar via Rawalpindi. Years of political and military debate followed as described under the "Lahore & Peshawar Railway".[2] Along with several other railways, the Punjab Northern State Railway was merged with the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railway in 1886 to form the North Western State Railway.[3][4][5][6]
Station Building
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The Victorian-era Rawalpindi Railway Station is a notable example of Indo-Saracenic architecture in the region. It was built a century ago in the British style, with yellow sandstone walls and arched entrances. Kerosene lamps adorn the walls, and there is an old grand clock near the platform and a bell that signals the arrival of a train. The main building of Rawalpindi Railway Station consists of three sections: the freight section, the passenger section and the main offices. The Railway Club building and Police Station are adjacent to the main building. The building has three separate entrances for regular passengers and baggage passengers. The grand clock and steam engine installed in front of the main building are among the prominent features of the station.[7][8]
Facilities
editFacilities include railway reservations and information office, cargo pick and drop, toilets, tuck shops, book stalls, praying halls and rest areas.[9]
Services
editTrains that stop at Rawalpindi Station are as follows:
| Preceding station | Pakistan Railways | Following station | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaklala towards Karachi Cantonment
|
Awam Express | Taxila Cantonment Junction towards Peshawar Cantonment
| ||
| Gujar Khan towards Karachi City
|
Hazara Express | Taxila Cantonment Junction towards Havelian
| ||
| Chaklala towards Lahore Junction
|
Islamabad Express | Islamabad Terminus
| ||
| Jhelum towards Quetta
|
Jaffar Express | Attock City Junction towards Peshawar Cantonment
| ||
| Jhelum towards Karachi Cantonment
|
Khyber Mail | |||
| Chaklala towards Lahore Junction
|
Margalla Express | Terminus | ||
| Nur (Rawalpindi) towards Multan Cantonment
|
Mehr Express | |||
| Lahore Junction Terminus
|
Rawal Express | |||
| Jhelum towards Karachi Cantonment
|
Pakistan Express | |||
| Chaklala towards Lahore Junction
|
Subak Raftar Express | |||
| Subak Kharam Express | ||||
| Jhelum towards Karachi Cantonment
|
Tezgam | |||
Location
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Rawalpindi Railway Station is located in Rawalpindi. The historic railway station is located in the centre of the city on Station Road in the Saddar area and close to the historic Raja Bazaar. Along with Rawalpindi railway station there is Islamabad Railway Station of the capital of Pakistan. And Golra Sharif Railway Museum is also near the station.[10]
Number of passengers
editEvery day, about 15,000 passengers travel from this station to the entire country. There are about 150 station porters or coolies at this station. The station has five platforms and is 1,800 feet long and 150 feet wide.
Connections
editThe nearest Saddar Metrobus Station, part of the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus corridor is 20 mins (1.5 km) walk away.[11]
Railway General Hospital Rawalpindi
editRailway General Hospital Rawalpindi is a PMC certified intensive care hospital in Westridge near Rawalpindi railway station, and Pakistan Railways serving employees and retired employees are treated free of cost in the hospital.[12][13]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ atiq-webhive (7 November 2022). "Rawalpindi Railway Station". railwaystations.pk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ Google Books "Engines of Change: The Railroads that Made India" by Ian J. Kerr, page 84 Retrieved on 12 Jul 2016
- ^ “British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue” - Search; Retrieved 27 Apr 2016
- ^ Sadiq, Ramsha (12 August 2020). "Rawalpindi Railway Station: A Stunning Example of Indo-Saracenic Architecture". A blog about real estate, lifestyle and tourism in Pakistan | Zameen Blog. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ Web Desk (1 February 2015). "اسٹیشن پر ٹرینوں کی آمد اور روانگی کے لمحات". Dawn News Television. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "A quote from Rail Ki Seeti / ریل کی سیٹی". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ atiq-webhive (7 November 2022). "Rawalpindi Railway Station". railwaystations.pk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Rawalpindi railway station building retains its past glory". The Express Tribune. 10 March 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Railway Station Phone Number List - Pakistan Railway eTicket | pakrailway.pk". pakrailway.pk. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Rawalpindi Railway Station Contact Number". Pakrail.pk. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Railway Station Phone Number List - Pakistan Railway eTicket | pakrailway.pk". pakrailway.pk. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "IIMCT-Pakistan Railway Hospital – Westrdige Rawalpindi". 20 January 2017. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
- ^ "Railway General Hospital Rawalpindi | Doctors List, Fees, Address And Contact Number | InstaCare". www.instacare.pk. Retrieved 3 September 2023.
External links
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