Pakistan Railways special trains Sikh pilgrims will run to Nankana Sahib for the annual religious events, so that pilgrims can travel safely and on time. Pakistan Railways has announced two special trains and two shuttle trains for Sikh and Hindu pilgrims who are coming to Nankana Sahib for the yearly gatherings. The announcement was made on 4 November, and the trains will run later in the month, when the events take place.
The Nankana Sahib special train November 20 is the first of the two main trains. It will run from Hyderabad to Nankana Sahib on 20 November, and it will carry pilgrims from Sindh to the holy city in Punjab. The second special train will run in the other direction, from Nankana Sahib to Hyderabad, on 25 November, so that pilgrims can return home after the events. The two trains cover the outward and the return journey, and they are timed to match the dates of the gatherings.
The Hyderabad Nankana Sahib special train will pass through several major stations on its way. The route includes Khanewal, Faisalabad, Sheikhupura, Tando Adam, Shahdadpur, Nawabshah, Rohri and Ghotki, so pilgrims from many towns along the way can board the train. A railway spokesperson said the schedule has been set so that pilgrims from Sindh and from southern Punjab can reach Nankana Sahib without having to change trains or travel by road for long distances.
The Larkana Rohri shuttle trains pilgrims will support the main service with shorter trips. Two shuttle trains will run between Larkana and Rohri, one on 20 November and one on 26 November. These shuttles are for pilgrims who need to reach the main line from Larkana, and they connect with the wider network at Rohri. The shuttles are a smaller service, but they matter for pilgrims in that part of Sindh, because they save a long road journey to the nearest main station.
The Pakistan Railways Hindu pilgrims special trains are part of the same announcement. The special trains are for both Sikh and Hindu pilgrims who are attending the annual religious events in Nankana Sahib, and the railway has said the service is meant to make travel easier for minority communities. Nankana Sahib is the birthplace of Guru Nanak, and it draws thousands of Sikh pilgrims every year, including pilgrims from India who come for the birth anniversary celebrations. Hindu pilgrims also attend religious events in the city, and the railway is providing the same service for them.
The Sikh pilgrims Nankana Sahib annual event is one of the biggest religious gatherings in Pakistan each year. Pilgrims come from across Pakistan and from abroad, and the city prepares for large crowds at the gurdwaras. The railway service is part of that preparation, along with the security and the facilities that the local administration arranges. For many pilgrims, the train is the cheapest and safest way to travel, especially for families and for older people who find long road journeys hard.
The special trains come at a time when Pakistan Railways is also changing its main services. The Karakoram Express has just been upgraded with 20 coaches and put under private management, and the railway has decided to bring back its old timetable from 10 November after a new timetable caused delays. The special trains for pilgrims are a separate service, and they are planned around the dates of the religious events, so they should not be affected by the timetable change. But pilgrims should still check the schedule before they travel, because timings can change.
For the pilgrims, the advice is simple. They should book their seats early, because the special trains are likely to be full, and they should reach the station in good time on the day of travel. They should also carry their identity documents and their event passes, if they have them, and they should follow the instructions of the railway staff at the station. The railway has said the trains are meant to make the journey smooth, and the staff at the stations will be there to help pilgrims board and find their seats.
The service shows how the railway supports religious travel in Pakistan. Special trains for pilgrims are not new, and the railway runs them for several events each year, including for other communities. But the Nankana Sahib service is one of the largest, because of the number of pilgrims who come to the city. The railway will watch how the trains run this year, and the experience will help it plan the service for the next annual event.
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