Lahore Metrobus

The Lahore Metrobus is a bus rapid transit service in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. It was created to help people move around the city more easily and quickly. The Metrobus works together with the Lahore Transport Company local buses, so travelers can go all over Lahore District and even to nearby areas without hassle.

The Metrobus started in steps, with the first part opening on February 11, 2013. This first stretch was 27 kilometers long, going from Gajumata to Shahdara Bagh. Many important people attended the opening, including the Chief Minister of Punjab Shehbaz Sharif and the Deputy Prime Minister of Turkey Bekir Bozdağ. Plans for more parts of the Metrobus were paused, and there are now ideas to change these future parts into a different type of train system called light rail.

History

The Lahore Transport Company began in 1984 to help traffic and improve bus services in Lahore. By December 2009, it took over all public transport in the city. Plans for a better bus system started in 1991 but took many years to develop.

The Lahore Metro began building in March 2012, inspired by systems in Bogotá, Colombia, and Istanbul. It opened on February 11, 2013, and was Pakistan's first fast bus system. Today, it uses smart tickets and runs on special roads to make travel easier for many people.

Design

The Lahore Metrobus follows rules set by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy. It has special ticket systems, quick buses during busy times, clear signs at stations, and a system that helps buses stop exactly where they should. Stations have places to park bikes and motorcycles, and the main stops have space for cars.

Ticketing

There are two ways to pay for a ride on the Metrobus:

• Single-ride tokens cost Rs. 30 (US$0.17) and can be bought at ticket booths or Ticket Vending Machines.
• Metrobus Cards cost Rs. 130 (US$0.73) and can be used for many trips. These RFID-based cards are about the size of a credit-card and can be reloaded up to Rs. 1000 (US$5.65) at the machines. With a Metrobus Card, you can go straight to the bus without waiting in line for a token. The same card works on smaller bus routes connected to the Metrobus.

Expansion

In April 2015, the government of Punjab approved plans to make the Lahore Metrobus even bigger. They added 15 kilometers of new tracks to the existing route. In the north, the bus line was extended 10 kilometers from Shahdara to Kala Shah Kaku. In the south, it was extended 5 kilometers from Gajjumata to Kahna.

Related Projects

The Punjab Government planned to build similar Metrobus systems in Rawalpindi, Faisalabad, and Multan during 2013–14. The Metrobus in Islamabad-Rawalpindi Metrobus started on 4 June 2015, and the Multan Metrobus began on 24 January 2017. Plans are in place to build a Metrobus in Faisalabad as well.