The Red Line is the oldest and busiest metro route in the twin cities, running since June 2015. It covers about 23 kilometres from Pak Secretariat in Islamabad to Saddar in Rawalpindi, serving 24 stations. If you travel between the two cities for work, study or shopping, this is the line you will use most.
Red Line Stations in Islamabad
The Islamabad side has 15 stations: Pak Secretariat, Parade Ground, Shaheed-e-Millat, 7th Avenue, Stock Exchange, PIMS, Kachehry, Ibn-e-Sina, Chaman, Kashmir Highway, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Khayaban-e-Johar, Potohar, IJP and Faizabad. These cover the government zone, Blue Area, PIMS hospital and the busy Faizabad interchange.
Red Line Stations in Rawalpindi
The remaining 9 stations sit on the Rawalpindi side: Shamsabad, 6th Road, Rehmanabad, Chandni Chowk, Waris Khan, Committee Chowk, Liaqat Bagh, Marrir Chowk and Saddar. Chandni Chowk and Committee Chowk are handy if you are heading into Rawalpindi’s markets, while Saddar is the final stop with connections to local transport.
Timings, Fare and Interchanges
Red Line buses typically run from about 6:15 in the morning to 10:00 at night, and they arrive every 3 to 5 minutes during busy hours. The fare is kept very low at around PKR 30 per ride, payable with a token or a rechargeable metro card.
Two stations are worth knowing as interchanges. PIMS connects you with the Blue and Green Line buses heading to Gulberg and Bharakahu. Faiz Ahmed Faiz, near Kashmir Highway, links the Red Line with the Orange Line for riders going to Islamabad International Airport.