There is no Railway station in the name of Islamabad Railway station. There are two railway stations in Islamabad capital territory, Margala Railway Station and Golra Railway Station.
Golra railway station exist on ML-1 and Margala Station is located on a separate line that starts from Noor Station and unofficially known as Islamabad Railway Station. Golra railway station is more prominent and frequently used due to its strategic location on the main line, making it an important stop for trains traveling to and from Islamabad. Golra’s accessibility and significance in the railway network make it a key station, while Margala offers a more serene option for passengers. Both stations together serve the transportation needs of the capital city.
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Margala railway station
Margala railway was inaugurated in 1979 after shifting of Pakistan Capital from Karachi to Islamabad. At that time Islamabad was under developed and not populated yet as of now. A shuttle service between Islamabad-Rawalpindi was started but it could not sustain due to low volume traffic and making loss to Pakistan Railway. From 1980 to 1988 section and station remained suspended. In 1988 Pakistan railway make efforts to start a freight train but could not succeed.
Until 2009 there was no train from Margala Railway station. Seeing the commercial activities in Islamabad and around the Margala hill, Railway inaugurated and renovated the station again and resumed the traffic again.
Margala Railway station not exist on ML-1. Margala station line connected on Noor station on ML-1 then divert to Margala station. This line has been upgraded from 2015 to 2018 with vossloh fitting and UIC in RR&T project. Iqra university existed near the station. Length of section from Noor station to Margala is about 6 Km and distance between Margala to Rawalpindi railway station is 13 Km.
Golra Railway Station
Golra Railway Station is an ancient and special place. It was built in 1882 and became a junction in 1912. This station is located near F-13 in Islamabad and Golra Sharif Darbar is one Km away from the Golra sharif Railway. Golra Junction connects Peshawar-Attock through ML-1 and Kohat and Kundian through this -FatehJhang-Jhand-Basal line. Golra Railway Station mileage is 1521.88 km on ML-1, which is approximately 14 Km from Rawalpindi railway station. Golra Sharif Darbar, located about 1 kilometer from Golra Railway Station, is a revered Sufi shrine associated with Pir Meher Ali Shah. Known for its beautiful architecture, it serves as a spiritual and educational center, attracting devotees for its annual Urs festival and serene environment. Toll-Free Railway Helpline: 117 and Contact Number: +92 51 4316954.
Golra Sharif Railway Museum
A particular station part is the Golra Railway Museum. Although officially inaugurated in March 2007, it opened publicly in September 2003. The museum was the idea of Ashfaq Khattak, Rawalpindi’s Divisional Superintendent.
The museum has many interesting items:
- A token machine from Tokyo.
- A 100-year-old telephone.
- An old comptometer, a mechanical calculator from Chicago, was used to buy tickets.
- A prismatic compass was made by the British to survey railway tracks.
- A miniature model of a coal-powered train called ‘The Eagle’ ran from Peshawar to Bombay to Calcutta between 1869 and 1914.
- An impressive collection of old locomotives, coaches, cranes, trolleys, and saloons.
Train Timing at Margala Railway station (Islamabad Railway station)
| Train Timing at Margala Railway station | |||
| Sr. # | Name of Train | Margala Railway Station | |
| Arrival | Departure | ||
| 1 | Green line Express 6 DN Margala to Karachi | – | 15:00 |
| 2 | 108 Islamabad exp Margala to Lahore | – | 17:15 |
Train timing at Golra Railway Station (DN train)
| Train timing at Golra Railway Station (Trains Coming from Rawalpindi) | ||
| Train Name | Golra Sharif | |
| Arrival | Departure | |
| Thal Express 130 DN Golra to Multan | 07:37 am | 07:39 am |
| Rawalpindi Passenger 267 UP Golra to Hevellian | 8:17 am | 8:19 am |
| Awam Exp13 up Golra to Peshawar | 13:07 | 13:09 |
| Hazara Exp 11 up Golra to Hevellian | 15:07 | 15:09 |
| Kohat Express 133 up Golra to Kohat | 15:50 | 15:53 |
| Mehr Exp 128 DN Golra to Multan | 17:20 | 17:23 |
| Train timing at Golra Railway Station Going Rawalpindi-Lahore-Karachi | ||
| Train Name | Golra Sharif | |
| Arrival | Departure | |
| 127 up Mehr Golra to Rawalpindi | 06:57 am | 06:58 am |
| 133 DN – Kohat Golra to Rawalpindi | 11:14 am | 11:17 am |
| 14 DN Awam Golra to Rawalpindi | 12:14 pm | 12:16 pm |
| 12DN – Hazara Golra to Karachi | 16:21 | 16:23 |
| 268DN – Rawalpindi Pass Golra to Rawalpindi | 20:40 | 20:42 |
| 129Up-Thall Golra to Rawalpindi | 21:57 | 21:59 |
Conclusion
Islamabad, despite being the capital of Pakistan, does not have a railway station named after it. However, the Islamabad Capital Territory is served by two commercial railway stations: Golra and Margalla. These stations primarily serve Islamabad’s population. Nearby Rawalpindi, often considered a twin city to Islamabad due to their close proximity and intertwined development, has two additional railway stations: Rawalpindi and Chaklala. Among these, Rawalpindi Railway Station stands out as the major and most significant one. It plays a crucial role in the region’s rail network, handling a significant amount of passenger and freight traffic. Together, these four stations—Golra, Margalla, Rawalpindi, and Chaklala—provide comprehensive rail connectivity to the Islamabad-Rawalpindi metropolitan area.
What is the name of Islamabad Railway station?
Islamabad, despite being the capital of Pakistan, does not have a railway station named after it. Margala Railway station called Islamabad Railway station.
Which is the best train from Lahore to Islamabad?
Islamabad Express and Green line is the best train between Lahore and Islamabad.