🚂 Pakistan Railways: Complete Exam Guide for PPSC/FPSC/NTS Tests
Shocking Fact: Pakistan’s rail network spans 7,791 km – longer than China’s Great Wall!
🛤️ Major Railway Lines & Connections
| Railway | Connects | Length | Year | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ML-1 | Peshawar-Karachi | 1,872 km | 1861 | CPEC Upgrade Project |
| Khyber Pass Rly | Peshawar-Landikotal | 58 km | 1925 | Steepest Gradient (1:33) |
| Bolan Rly | Quetta-Taftan | 523 km | 1890 | Iran Border Connection |
| Kohat Tunnel Rly | Kohat-Thal | 11 km | 2020 | Longest Railway Tunnel |
| Karachi Circular Rly | City Loop | 44 km | 1964 | Defunct Since 1999 |
| Indus Valley Rly | Multan-Kotri | 355 km | 1913 | Flood-Prone Section |
| Chaman Extension | Spezand-Chaman | 225 km | 1905 | Afghan Border Link |
| Sukkur-Jacobabad | Sindh-Balochistan | 158 km | 1892 | Meter Gauge Track |
| Shahdara Bagh Rly | Lahore-Sheikhupura | 35 km | 1862 | First Rail Service |
| Havelian-Khunjerab | Havelian-PK/China Border | 682 km | 2023* | CPEC Phase-II |
| Quetta-Zahidan | Pakistan-Iran | 85 km | 2009 | Int’l Cargo Service |
| Lodhran-Khanewal | Punjab Belt | 317 km | 1906 | Double Track Section |
| Mirpur Khas-Naokot | Sindh Coastal | 46 km | 1928 | Salt Range Connection |
| Zhob Valley Rly | Bostan-Zhob | 435 km | Under Constr. | Mineral Transport |
| Faisalabad-Shorkot | Punjab Central | 122 km | 1904 | Agricultural Belt |
📜 7 Railway Histories You Must Know
- First railway: Karachi-Kotri (1861)
- Khyber Pass Railway has 34 tunnels
- ML-1 originally called “Scinde Railway”
- Pakistan Railways established in 1947
- Kohat Tunnel cost Rs.13.5 billion
- 1,221 bridges in national network
- Lahore Station built in Mughal-Gothic style (1859)
📝 10 High-Probability Exam Questions
1. Longest railway line?
A) ML-1 ✓
2. Steepest gradient railway?
B) Khyber Pass ✓
3. First rail service route?
C) Shahdara Bagh ✓
4. CPEC Phase-II project?
D) Havelian-Khunjerab ✓
5. Iran-connected railway?
A) Quetta-Zahidan ✓
6. Mineral transport project?
B) Zhob Valley ✓
7. Mughal-Gothic station?
C) Lahore ✓
8. Meter gauge section?
D) Sukkur-Jacobabad ✓
9. First railway tunnel?
A) Kohat ✓
10. British-era salt route?
B) Mirpur Khas-Naokot ✓
💡 Exam Hack: Memorize railway lengths + year of establishment – 70% of questions test these!
