How early should you arrive at a train station in Pakistan?

How early should you arrive at a train station in Pakistan?

In my opinion, you must arrive 30 minutes early at a station in Pakistan. If you come just 5 to 10 minutes before the train departure you will have to face different problems.

Platform Allotment.

In Pakistan allotment of a Platform to any train is not permanent. One day a train is placed at platform no 03 and on the other day, it will be placed at platform no 08 which is far away from the entrance. Therefore, you must come 30 minutes early otherwise you will pay money to the luggage porter for shifting your luggage to other platforms.

Cancelation of Train?

It is also observed that sometimes, the administration cancels the train due to any reason. So if you have an advance reservation on that train then you will be adjusted to another train or you will be returned the money. In such a situation, if you come late to the station then you will face different problems. So to avoid such problems you must come at least 30 minutes before train departure.

Coach Shortage/Missing.

Many times, a coach/bogie is found missing on the train. As you know that Pakistan Railway is working with limited coach stock, whenever a coach is damaged due to any reason and there is no alternative coach available at the station. Therefore, the train will run without that damaged coach and the passenger of that coach would be adjusted to other coaches by station staff as well as the Conductor Guard of Train. If you come late means just 5 to 10 minutes early the train departure and all seats are booked by adjustment of passengers now you will have the problem with the reservation even you have paid money for your reservation.

Numbering of Coaches.

It is also observed that the numbering of coaches is not in sequence and order. Sometimes, coaches number 01 would be attached center of the train. So it can happen to you. Many passengers cannot easily find out their coach number. So if you come 30 minutes early to the station you will be guided properly.

Doubling of Reservation. 

Sometimes, the same seat/berth is booked for two persons. So in this situation, passengers quarrel with each other for seat/berth. If you come 30 minutes before the train departure and you find the same issue then you can go to the Conductor Guard who has the reservation chart. He will decide by seeing his charts that this seat/berth is booked for that person and the issue will be solved without a fight.

Many times passengers cannot find out their seat/berth in the train easily. If you will come 30 minutes early then you can find it easily without any problems and hurry.

 Advance Reservation.

If you don’t have an advance reservation or ticket then you must come 30 before train departure because ticket windows are out of stations and it takes time to buy tickets if there is already a line for purchasing tickets. Sometimes all seats are reserved and you will be given only an Open ticket without reservation of seat or berth. Now you will travel by standing indoors of coach or you can ask the Conductor Guard for any seat. So if you are already late then you will face all these issues in traveling in trains.

 Heavy Rush.

Many times it is observed that a heavy rush occurs at the time of the train and passengers put their luggage in the doors and close the path. In this situation passengers cannot entrain even they have a reservation. So to avoid this situation you must arrive 30 minutes before the train departure and ask from the administration where your coach would be standing exactly and entrain quickly otherwise the train would start the journey and you will have to face problems.

 

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