Pakistan Railways has decided to outsource 15 more trains as part of its efforts to increase private sector involvement in railway operations and improve service quality.
The department has officially advertised the project, and the auction for the trains will be held on June 16 at the Railway Headquarters in Lahore. Officials said the trains will be awarded to eligible companies through an open bidding process.
Several private companies have already qualified to participate in the auction. The trains included in the outsourcing plan are Hazara Express, Awam Express, Karakoram Express, Karachi Express, Millat Express, Fareed Express, Bahauddin Zakariya Express, Ravi Express, Lasani Express, Thal Express, Mianwali Express, Sukkur Express, Narowal Passenger Train, Sialkot Express, and Faiz Ahmed Faiz Passenger.
Pakistan Railways has previously attempted to outsource train operations through competitive bidding, but those efforts received limited interest from private companies, with bids submitted for only a few services. Sources said a company that had earlier taken over Mianwali Express under an outsourcing agreement later returned the train due to operational difficulties.
Officials said the latest initiative is part of the department’s ongoing plan to modernize railway operations, improve efficiency, and provide better services to passengers through cooperation with the private sector.
