Lahore is the city of Pakistan with various places and one of the liveliest cities of the province, Punjab. This city has gone through many changes in a few years in respect of administration, one of which is the Lahore Metro Bus service. This bus service started for the public and is one of the rapid bus services. Metro Bus provides a neat, clean, and fast public transport service.
Lahore
Lahore, called Lhawr in Urdu, is Pakistan’s second-biggest city and the capital of the province Punjab. The Ravi River, a tributary of the Indus, is present 811 miles (1,305 kilometres) northeast of Karachi on the upper Indus plain.
Before the Muslim era, almost little is known about the settlement’s history. According to Hindu tradition, Lahore has the name Lhawr after Lava, or Lh, son of Rama. Ptolemy’s 2nd-century Guide to Geography mentions the city of “Labokla,” which could be Lahore.
Lahore Metro Bus Service
In recent years, the city of Lahore, Punjab’s populous metropolis and its center for administration has seen great growth. The city combines ancient history with the available modern infrastructure beautifully. Azadi Chowk Metro Station is present against the beautiful backdrop of Badshahi Masjid.
Lahore has seen the building of large projects, the Ring Road and the Kalma Chowk Flyover, which have helped reduce traffic congestion. The Lahore Metro bus, commonly shown as Pakistan’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) service, is now another major effort that is present in the city to modernize the public transportation system. Islamabad has also introduced Islamabad metro bus service in its city.
The Metro bus is a rapid bus system in Lahore, Pakistan. Some of its features are as follows:
- The Lahore Metro bus service is connected through the Lahore Transport Company’s bus service to function as a single urban transportation system.
- It gives smooth transit service across the Lahore District and joins nearby suburban communities.
- Metro bus Lahore was built in stages, with the first stage being opened on February 11, 2013, extending from Gajumata to Shahadra.
- Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bekir Bozda cut the ribbon on the 27-kilometer stretch during a ceremony.
- The second and third phases halted while plans to convert the remaining sections to light rail were developed.
Design
The design and infrastructure for Lahore’s Metro Bus are supplied with the latest innovations, following the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy’s standards. Automated off-board ticket collection is part of the system.
Metro Bus Stations throughout the city of Lahore have well-designed signboards that help people find their way around the station.
In peak hours, a bus goes from the station every two minutes to avoid overcrowding. Also, for the easiness of passengers, Metro Bus Stations in Lahore feature the area of parking for vehicles such as bicycles, motorcycles, and cars.
Metro Buses in Lahore also run on completely separate lanes with elevated rotaries that rarely are obstructed by city traffic, significantly lowering the time it takes to travel between the two points in Lahore.
Route
The Metro Bus Lahore route is a straight corridor that is not easily accessible from many parts of the city because the Punjab Mass transit Authority (PMA) established a feeder bus network. Feeder bus routes span too many different regions of city Lahore and frequently intersect, confirming passengers of the Lahore Metro Bus have a smooth ride.
Following is the detail of Lahore Metro Bus routes:
Route Number | Route Details |
1 | Railway station to Bhatti Chowk |
2 | Bhatti Chowk to Samanabad Morr |
3 | Railway Station to Rana Town |
4 | R.A. Bazar to Chungi Amar Sidhu |
5 | Shadhbagh Underpass to Bhatti Chowk |
6 | Babu Sabu to Raj garh chowk |
7 | Bagrian to Chungi Amar sidhu |
8 | Canal Road to Daewoo Terminal |
9 | Railway station to sham Nagar |
10 | Multan chungi to qartaba chowk |
11 | Babu Sabu to Gulberg main market |
12 | R.A. bazaar to civil secretariat |
13 | Bagrian to kalma chowk |
14 | R.A. bazaar to purana kahna |
15 | R.A. Bazar to Bhatti Chowk |
16 | Canal Road to Thokar Niaz Baig |
17 | Gajju Matah to PKLI |
Stations
In Lahore, the Lahore Metro is a safe, efficient, and comfortable fast bus transit system. The Metro Bus Service is present with the Orange Line Metro Train, creating a comprehensive urban transportation system. The Lahore Metro operates a fleet of 66 air-conditioned buses on a 28.7-kilometer route.
Almost at Every km along the route, there is a metro station. An intelligent transportation system is present in the Lahore Metro. This transportation network transports over 200,000 people per day. Automatic off-board fare gathering, well-designed stops, bus schedules, vehicle location, passenger information, and precise bus-docking are just a few of the highlights of this metro bus network.
Other cities also have their bus service; Karachi also has a Karachi Green Line Bus. Lahore Metro Bus Service is running and covering the whole capital city of Punjab with 27 metro Bus stations Lahore:
- Ichhra
- Atari saroba
- Niazi chowk
- Azadi chowk
- Shahdra chowk
- Timber chowk
- Katchery
- Civil secretariat
- Naseerabad
- Canal
- Qartaba chowk
- Bhatti chowk
- Shama
- Chungi Amar Sidhu
- Qaddafi stadium
- Mao college orange line
- Janazgah
- Kalma chowk
- Youhanabad
- Model town
- Nishtar
- Dulu Khurd
- Gajjumata terminal
- Itefaq hospital
- Shahdara terminal
- Qainchi
- Kamahan
Timings
Lahore metro bus service is working in the whole city of Punjab with 27 stations and different routes allocated. It also has its timings for proper working. Metro bus timings are from 6:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Ticket price
Metro bus service of Lahore provides two types of ticketing systems:
Single-ride tokens are available for Rs. 30 at the Metro Bus Station’s ticket booths or self-service Ticket Vending Machines (TVM).
Metro bus Cards are used on several trips and eliminate the need to line for a token. On presentation of your national identity card or Form-B, these cards are provided free of charge at the Ticketing Offices (if you are younger than 18). At TVMs, these cards can be topped up to a maximum of Rs. 1000. On Metro Bus feeder lines, the same card was used.
How to get a ticket?
For traveling on a metro bus in Lahore, one must carry a ticket to easily get on the bus. Ticket is in the form of
- Tokens
- Metro Card
Token
Tokens can be used for a single voyage only. These tokens are purchased at the ticket office or obtained at each Metrobus Station’s self-service Ticket Vending Machine (TVM). No security deposit is required; nevertheless, the corresponding fare must be deposited at the ticket office or TVM.
Tokens must be tapped at the platform’s entry turnstile, kept during the voyage, then deposited at the exit turnstile as the platform is exited. It is forbidden to buy Tokens for numerous rides and carry them out of the Metrobus Station.
Metro Cards
Metrobus Cards are long-lasting and use secure RFID technology. For a refund security deposit of Rs 130, these cards are purchased from the ticket office at any Metrobus Station, as long as the card is returned in good functioning order. In Pakistan’s Metrobus System, the Metrobus Card can be acquired via TVM.
People with sufficient balance on their Metrobus Cards can directly travel to the platforms at each station. There is no expiration date on the Metrobus Card or its balance. Metrobus Cards must be touched at the platform’s entry turnstile, kept throughout the voyage, and then tapped again at the platform’s exit turnstile as you exit.
What to use
It is encouraged for the passengers to use metro cards instead of tokens. Because tokens are used for one time only and can be expired. And also, one has to stand in a queue to get their token, which creates a crowd and is also very tiring.
But if someone has a metro card, it is easy for them to get on the metro bus just by confirming it on the checking line and easily getting into the bus.
Fare policy
Metro bus service in Lahore is using a ticket of Rs.30. After taped at the entry turnstile, the traveler must go from the system within one hour and 15 minutes. Passengers who stay longer than this pay an additional price.
Passengers who have a Metrobus card can take three trips for the price of one.
A single ride costs Rs. 15.
A two-journey fare costs Rs. 20.
Three journeys cost Rs.25 each.
Conclusion
The Lahore Metro bus service runs in the whole city and covers all the city with 27 stations. It’s all details regarding stations, routes, and ticket prices discussed in the article for the reader to know about the tiniest detail of metro buses.