Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus

Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus
Overview
SystemRawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus
OperatorPunjab Mass Transit Authority, Capital Mass Transit Authority and Capital Development Authority
Vehicles98
StatusActive
Began service4 June 2015; 9 years ago (2015-06-04)
Routes
Routes4
LocaleIslamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area
Stops50

SaddarPak Secretariat

Peshawar MorrAirport
Service
LevelDaily
FrequencyRed Line BRT: 3 Minutes [1]

Orange Line BRT: 5-10 minutes [2]

Green and Blue Lines: 6 minutes [3]

Islamabad Feeder Routes: 10 minutes[4]
Operates6:15 am – 10:00 pm
Ridership100,558 (Red Line) + 20,000 (Orange Line) [5]
Route map
Islamabad Rawalpindi Metro Map
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The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metrobus is a 83.6 km (51.9 mi) bus rapid transit system operating in the Islamabad–Rawalpindi metropolitan area of Pakistan. It consists of four routes, namely the Red, Orange, Blue, and Green Lines. The Red and Orange Lines have dedicated lanes with proper stations built along them, while the Blue and Green Lines currently run along the Islamabad Expressway and Srinagar Highway respectively, with regular traffic.

The Metrobus network's Red Line was the first to be opened, on 4 June 2015, and stretches 22.5 kilometers between Pak Secretariat, in Islamabad, and Saddar in Rawalpindi. The second route, the Orange Line, stretches 25.6 kilometers between the Peshawar Morr Interchange and the Islamabad International Airport, and was inaugurated on 18 April 2022.[6][7][8] On 7 July 2022, the Green Line and Blue Lines were added to this Metrobus network.[9]

The system uses e-ticketing and an Intelligent Transportation System, where the Red Line is managed by the Punjab Mass Transit Authority while the rest are being managed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).[10]

On 25 November 2023, CDA announced that it would be importing 160 buses from China, to operate on routes defined by CDA and operated by NRTC. One batch was set to arrive on January while the other to arrive in February/March.[11] On 7 January the first batch of 30 buses arrived in Islamabad.[12] On 1 April a batch of 30 buses was dispatched from China to be received from Karachi and reach Islamabad in three weeks.[13] On May 22 a batch had arrived in Karachi.[14] On 4 June 2024 a batch of 30 buses was received in Islamabad.[15]

  1. ^ "Metro Bus Services". Transport Department Punjab.
  2. ^ "Formal launch of Islamabad Airport Metro faces further delay". Profit.
  3. ^ "PM Shehbaz inaugurates Green, Blue metro bus service". Tribune.
  4. ^ "New electric buses begin trial runs in Islamabad". Pakistan Today.
  5. ^ Hussain, Danish (17 April 2016). "Punjab went 'halfsies' on cost, but not on revenue". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  6. ^ "Islamabad Starts Trial of Orange Line Metro Bus Service". INCPAK. 16 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  7. ^ "PM Shehbaz Sharif confident his 'speedy work' will frighten ex-premier Imran Khan". GEO News. 18 April 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Metro Bus extension: NHA assures timely completion - The Express Tribune". The Express Tribune. 16 November 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
  9. ^ "PM Shahbaz inaugurates Green Line, Blue Line metro bus services". The News International. 7 July 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2022.
  10. ^ "PM directs CDA to start Islamabad metro bus". The Express Tribune. 14 April 2022. Retrieved 19 July 2022.
  11. ^ Abbasi, Kashif (25 November 2023). "30 buses from China due in Jan for 13 new routes in Islamabad". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  12. ^ "30 electric buses arrive in Islamabad from China". www.thenews.com.pk. 7 January 2024. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  13. ^ Abbasi, Kashif (1 April 2024). "First batch of 30 electric buses to be dispatched from China". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  14. ^ Zayn (22 May 2024). "First Batch Of 30 Electric Buses Arrives For Islamabad Transport Project » LCCI". LCCI. Retrieved 12 July 2024.
  15. ^ Khattak, Arsalan (4 June 2024). "First Batch of Electric Buses From China Arrive in Islamabad". ProPakistani.