LAHORE: The number of rail passengers has increased as travel by bus or private transport
has become dearest due to rise in fuel prices.
A spokesperson for the Pakistan Railways said here on Sunday that despite a slight raise
in railway fares, there was no comparison between rail fares and buses or any other road
transport.
The PR had to increase fares by 10 per cent of some trains but overall travel by train was
economical and comfortable.
On the other side, fares of buses had been doubled during the last one month due to hike
in petroleum prices across the country.
Sardar Nasir, a rail passenger told this scribe at the Lahore railway station that travelling
with family by a bus was expansive so he decided to travel by train to Rawalpindi.
Salma, another passenger with her family going to Bahawalpur by Allama Iqbal Express train,
said that fares for Bahawalpur by bus was almost doubled comparatively so she decided
to go by train.
Shoaib, a booking clerk at the window of Faisalabad train, confirmed that the sale of rail
tickets had increased after the raise in fuel prices.