Ticketing nightmare as Eid travellers flock to homes

As Eidul Fitr approaches, droves of locals are making a beeline for their hometowns to revel in the festive spirit with family and friends.

However, the journey home is not without its challenges as with the rush for tickets and boarding buses, people are feeling the strain, and the issue of overcharging persists.

Eid travellers in Lahore were left disappointed upon discovering that all train tickets to Karachi and Quetta are fully booked until Thursday, the day of Eid.

Passengers in most cities found themselves grappling with getting tickets and securing transport, all while transporters exploited the situation by hiking fares. Officially, the Eidul Fitr holidays kick off on April 10.

While those living away from homes have already set off for their native areas, those left behind are facing a ticketing nightmare.

Despite queuing up for hours, tickets remain elusive. In districts where tickets are available, exorbitant fares add insult to injury, with people complaining about feeling abandoned without assistance.

It is pertinent to mention that Pakistan Railways (PR) has arranged four special trains to accommodate passengers during Eid, with all tickets for the Eid special trains from Karachi to Lahore already sold out.

However, reports suggested that only 70 per cent of the tickets for the Eid special train from Quetta to Peshawar have been booked so far.

As per the PR administration’s schedule for Eid special trains, the first train will depart from Karachi on April 7 at 6:10 pm, arriving at Peshawar Cantonment at 1:15 pm the following day. The second train will leave Quetta for Rawalpindi at 10 am on April 7, reaching Rawalpindi at 4:15 am the next day.

The third train will depart from Karachi to Lahore at 9 pm on April 8, arriving in Lahore at 5:55 pm the following day.

In anticipation of the increased demand during Eid, Pakistan Railways has procured 1,542,000 litres of diesel from PSO to mitigate any potential fuel shortages.