PIMS Metro Bus Station is the busiest interchange in Islamabad’s metro network, and for good reason. It sits right beside the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in G-8, and it is the one place where three metro lines meet. If you are heading to a hospital appointment, crossing the city, or switching from one line to another, there is a good chance your journey passes through PIMS.
The station works as the starting point for two lines and a key stop on a third. The Red Line runs through PIMS on its way between Pak Secretariat in Islamabad and Saddar in Rawalpindi, so it is the main corridor for cross-city travel. The Blue Line starts at PIMS and runs toward Gulberg, while the Green Line starts here too and heads toward Bhara Kahu. That makes PIMS the natural transfer point for most trips across Islamabad.
Three Lines Meet at PIMS
The Red Line is the oldest and busiest line in the twin cities, with buses every few minutes during the day. From PIMS you can ride toward Pak Secretariat and the Blue Area in one direction, or toward Faizabad, Rawalpindi and Saddar in the other. It is the line most commuters use when they need to cross between Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
The Blue and Green lines are different in character: both are ground-level city routes rather than elevated BRT corridors. The Blue Line connects PIMS with Gulberg via G-7/G-8, I-8 and Sohan, while the Green Line runs from PIMS toward Bhara Kahu via Aabpara and Lake View Park. Both run roughly every six minutes, so a missed bus at PIMS rarely means a long wait.
How to Change Lines at PIMS
Changing lines at PIMS is simple once you know the layout, but one detail trips people up: PIMS and PIMS Gate are two different stops. The main PIMS station serves the Red, Blue and Green lines, while PIMS Gate is a separate stop used by feeder buses. Always confirm the stop name before boarding, especially if you are switching to a feeder route.
Several feeder buses also start from the PIMS area, including FR-06 toward Golra Shareef via F-11 and F-10, and other routes toward Bari Imam, NUST and Taramari Chowk. These feeders run roughly every ten minutes on most corridors, though some run hourly, so check the schedule for your route before you travel. Combined with the three metro lines, the feeders make PIMS the best-connected point in the whole network.
Timings, Fares and Travel Tips
Metro services in the twin cities generally run from around 6:15 in the morning to 10:00 at night, with the Red Line fare at Rs 30 and CDA city routes at Rs 100. You can pay with a token or a T-Cash smart card, and keeping the card charged saves time at a busy interchange like PIMS. Try to avoid the morning and evening rush if you can, since the platforms and hospital traffic around the station get crowded.
If you are visiting the hospital, the station puts you right at its doorstep, which is why so many patients and visitors use it every day. For everyone else, the rule of thumb is easy: when in doubt, head to PIMS. From there you can reach almost any part of Islamabad or Rawalpindi with at most one change, and that is exactly what an interchange station is for.