The Islamabad administration is all set to launch two environment-friendly electric feeder buses for Green and Blue Line metro services.

DA Chairman Amer Ali Ahmed made the announcement during a meeting with all the board members of the authority. As per the details available in news reports, the project’s been tentatively called “Islamabad Bus Service.” It will comprise 30 buses initially and 64 stops (stations). The service will cover the following routes:

  • Soan Interchange to Faisal Masjid
  • Bhara Kahu to Faiz Ahmed Faiz Metro Bus Station
  • Tarnol Railway Station to N-5 Metro Bus Station

The tentative schedule for Islamabad Bus Service is from Monday to Friday 6:30 am to 9 pm; on Saturday and Sunday, it will run from 8 am to 10 pm. Timings are subject to change.

CDA will ensure the implementation of stringent security measures for the passengers of Islamabad Bus Service, as well as the provision of toilets and snack shops. As for the buses, they’ll be air-conditioned with a seating capacity of 70 people; there will also be priority seats for women and differently-abled people. 

Islamabad Bus Service is expected to be open to the public in December

According to details, the newly procured electric buses will transport passengers towards the Green, Blue lines metro terminals. The Green Line service will operate from Bhara Kahu (Jillani Stop) to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims).

The Capital Development Authority (CDA), passengers will be picked up from Bhara Kahu (Attal Chowk) for the Green Line service whereas passengers will be picked up from PWD for the Blue Line service.

As per officials, the construction work of bus stations on both routes is in progress and will be completed in August.

However, CDA is planning to launch both bus services soon as a nonstop express service (from Bhara Kahu to Pims and from Koral to Pims). The bus services will currently operate on regular routes along with normal traffic.

CDA said that it will construct separate and designate corridors for Green and Blue lines in the future.

It is pertinent to mention here that for the fiscal year 2022-23, the federal government earmarked funds amounting to Rs1,500 million for both services.

Metro bus

The Rawalpindi-Islamabad Metro bus serves Islamabad and its twin city, Rawalpindi. The metro service is yet to cover the entire city, so reaching some areas of Islamabad using the Metro bus is not possible. The metro bus Islamabad route is constantly expanding, and will eventually cover the whole of Islamabad. The approximately 25 km-long metro bus can also help residents travel from Islamabad to Rawalpindi. Metro bus opened its doors to residents in 2015, and further work is ongoing to offer further convenience.

Initially, 60 buses formed the fleet for the Metro bus, with eight buses added down the line. Each bus spans 18 meters, and the buses run between 14 stations in the city. The central route spans from the Secretariat station to IJP road, covering a distance of around 14 km, while the metro bus routes extend to Rawalpindi.  More than 100,000 people use this service on a daily basis.

Fare

Buying a one-way ticket allows you to avail the Metro Islamabad for one hour and 15 minutes. If you stay on beyond that time, you will have to pay extra.

If you use a Metro bus card, you can pay a one-time cost for your complete trip, i.e. up to three journeys, thanks to the integrated fare policy. As per the policy

  • A single journey costs PKR 15
  • Two journeys cost PKR 20
  • Three journeys cost PKR 25

The time available for each transfer is up to 30 minutes. You will have to tap your card at the exit point before 30 minutes in order to benefit from the discount.