The government of Pakistan is working to make transportation better. The capital, Islamabad, has benefited the most. For example, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif initiated the Metro Bus service in Islamabad. 

It is a new project that will make it easier to get around between the twin cities and even more areas. It will continue to grow too! 

Let us look into this project in more detail:

Project Overview of Metro Bus Islamabad 

• The Islamabad Metro Bus system has two routes. One is called "Phase 1" and the other is called "Phase 2."
• The Metro Bus network is very big. It covers 23 kilometers that are between Pak Secretariat in Islamabad and Saddar in Rawalpindi.
• The second phase of the Islamabad Metro route goes from Peshawar Morr Interchange to New Islamabad International Airport. The length is around 25.6 kilometers.
• The system uses an electronic ticketing system.
• The Islamabad-Rawalpindi metro bus costs around PKR 44.8 billion, which is the equivalent of $400 million. The bus features 24 stations.
• Transporters are paying PKR 30 as a one-way fare. This is not changing even if fuel prices go up or down.
• There are 68 buses in total, of which 60 buses are currently being used. The other 8 buses are kept in spare.
• An important company from Turkey, Platform Turizm owns the buses. Platform Turizm also provides bus drivers.
• The main costs for Metro Buses in Islamabad are the expenditure on operation, procurement, and maintenance.
• The Punjab Mass transit Authority provides the drivers with schedules and routes. They have to follow them.
• Metro Bus Corridor is 23 km long. It has 8.6 km of it in the air, 10 km at the street level, and 4 km underground in a trench.
• Metro Islamabad transports about 135,000 passengers in a day.

Construction of Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metro Bus System 

In 2010, the governments of Islamabad and Punjab joined together to launch a project called a Metro Bus. The purpose of this project was to connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi. This will ease up traffic congestion on this corridor between these two cities.

On January 19, 2014, the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the Chief Minister of Punjab met to discuss a project. They said that it would be approved on a 50:50 sharing basis by both governments. 

The government in Punjab had completed a Metro Bus project in Lahore, so the Prime Minister gave responsibility to the Provincial government. The decision was made that once this project is completed, it will be run by Punjab Metro Bus Authority (PMA) and the Capital Development Authority (CDA) for maintenance.

The Metro Bus Islamabad route started in February 2014 and was finished by June 2015. The Rawalpindi Development Authority had the duty of overseeing the project. They spent 44% of a trillion rupees on it.

Habib Construction Services is a company that was given the responsibility to construct the Metro bus system in Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The metro has 18 stations across both cities.

Let's talk more about this project and its 18 stations across two cities now!

Metro Bus Stations in Islamabad

The current Islamabad Metro Bus stops are as follows:

• Saddar
• Marrir Chowk
• Liaquat Bagh
• Committee Chowk
• Waris Khan
• Chandni Chowk
• Rehmanabad
• 6th Road
• Shamsabad
• Faizabad
• I.J.P
• Potohar
• Khayaban-e-Johar
• Faiz Ahmed Faiz
• Kashmir Highway
• Chaman
• Ibn-e-Sina
• Katchery
• PIMS
• Stock Exchange
• 7th Avenue
• Shaheed-e-Millat
• Parade Ground
• Pak Secretariat

Note: You can find your nearest metro station in Islamabad with Google Maps.

Fares, Timings, and Amenities of Metro Bus Islamabad 

The Metro bus starts at 6:15 in the morning and ends at 10:00 PM. The METRO system is a type of transportation that uses an intelligent transportation system and an e-ticket system. The Punjab Metro Bus Authority or PMBA overlooks it.

They manage the automated system, too, through Punjab IT Board. The same hours are used for Rawalpindi as well because it is part of the same transportation system.

Apart from that, there are ticketing booths, escalators, toiletries, and many other things for safe and easy travel. There is a central control room where people can check all the buses in the system. Some people like to use Metro Bus because they have air-conditioned buses and free wifi.

Metro Bus in Islamabad is a good way to get around. If you buy a single ticket, it lets you ride for 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can also buy a Metro Bus Card that costs one time and lasts for 3 trips.

The contact number for Metro Bus in Islamabad is (051) 111-222-627.

How to Buy Tokens for Metro Bus in Islamabad?

To avail of public transportation in Islamabad, passengers need to buy a token or Metro, Bus Card. This can be purchased or recharged from the ticket office or the Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) at various metro bus stations. 

To buy the token at the TVM, first select the number of tokens you want to purchase, then insert your money - PKR 30 per token. Collect your receipt and accept your tokens.

How to Buy a Metro Bus Card?

You can buy a Metro Bus Card at the Ticket Vending Machine. To do this, select the Metro Bus Card option. Put your banknotes in when the green light blinks, and then take out your card. The card costs PKR 130. 

When you are done with it, you can return it to get back your deposit, but only if it is in good shape.

How Much Time Does it Take to Pass the Turnstile Bay? 

When you tap your card on the turnstile, it will only allow you to pass through in 30 seconds. If you do not go through in those 30 seconds, then the trip fare will be deducted from your card. When you tap your card at entry and exit points, it also shows how much money is left on your card.

Peshawar Morr To Islamabad International Airport Metro Bus Project Update

A bus from Peshawar Morr to the airport is being built. When finished, the Metro Bus will have 9 stations including G-10 Station, NUST Station, NHA Station, M1-M2 Junction Station, Grand Trunk Road Station, G-1 station, and Airport station. There are also 12 bridges and 26 culverts in the project.

The National Highway Authority (NHA) has asked the federal government for 1.5 billion rupees to finish this project. When the project is done, people will be able to use it and they won't have to spend a lot of money on their commute because it costs 600- 1200 rupees per trip. 

The project began in January 2017 and was supposed to be finished by March 2018 but until now, it hasn't been completed. Peshawar Morr-Islamabad International Airport has been divided into four packages that we'll show you below!

• Package-I: From Peshawar Morr to NUST
• Package-II: From NUST to the Grand Trunk (GT) Road
• Package-III: From Grand Trunk Road to the Interchange
• Package IV: The underpasses and bridges have been completed 

Apart from the Islamabad Metro Bus route, there will be a three-lane carriageway on both sides of the route. This will make it easy for cars to pass from Golra Morr Interchange to GT Road Interchange without traffic congestion. 

So, you now have a classy bus service to travel between the twin cities and within Islamabad wherever and whenever you want!