Transport in Karachi - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The city of Karachi

Karachi

Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...

is a major transport

Transport

Transport or transportation is the movement of people, cattle, animals and goods from one location to another. Modes of transport include air, rail, road, water, cable, pipeline, and space. The field can be divided into infrastructure, vehicles, and operations...

hub of Pakistan

Pakistan

Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...

. The Karachi port

Port of Karachi

The Port of Karachi is Pakistan's largest and busiest seaport, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo . It is located between the Karachi towns of Kiamari and Saddar, close to the main business district and several industrial areas. The geographic position of the port places it in close...

and airport

Jinnah International Airport

Jinnah International Airport is Pakistan's largest international and domestic airport. It is located in Karachi, Pakistan, and its passenger terminal is also commonly known as the جناح ٹرمینل Jinnah Terminal...

are major gateways to Pakistan. The Karachi Railway stations transports the major part of Pakistan's trade with other countries.

Local transport

Minibuses, coaches and large buses (all with a separate compartment for women) typically provide the cheapest way to commute across the city. Rickshaws, chinchis and taxis cater to the travelling needs of upper middle class, while radio cabs or white cabs are frequently used by upper class travellers. This makes it possible for people without their own vehicles to access remote areas of the city.

Taxi cabs

Karachi has three types of taxis: Yellow Taxi, Black Cabs and the Taxi Cab companies. These cab companies are;

Metro Cab (Corolla)
Radio Cab (Nhhn)
White Cab (Corolla)
Red Top (Liana)
Pearl Cab (Corolla)
Star Cab (Corolla)
Pak Cab
These cabs are mostly used in airports.

Buses

The people of Karachi use minibuses, coaches, and large buses. They are often cramped and filled to the brim. They are often operated by reckless drivers who do not follow the rules of the road, endangering many. In 2008, the city mayor ordered fifty CNG buses for usage instead of the old minibuses with no fixed routes.

Cars

Many wealthier Karachiites own private cars, Suzuki's Mehran is the most commonly used car followed by Toyota's Corolla.

Railways

Karachi is linked by rail to the rest of the country by the Pakistan Railways

Pakistan Railways

This article is about the rail company in Pakistan. For technical details and operations see: Transport in Pakistan.Pakistan Railways is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, head-quartered in Lahore. It is administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways....

. The Karachi City Station

Karachi City Station

Karachi City Railway Station or Karachi City Station is the first and the oldest railway station in Pakistan. It is located Off I. I. Chundrigar Road, Karachi in Sindh, Pakistan. After the construction of Karachi Cantt. Station, major passenger trains and traffic shifted to Karachi Cantt...

and Karachi Cantonment Railway Station

Karachi Cantonment Railway Station

Karachi Cantonment Railway Station is one of the principal railway stations in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. It was earlier known as Frere Street Station. The construction of the station was started in 1896 and was completed in 1898 at a total cost of Rs. 80,000.-Train Services from Karachi Cantonment...

are the city's two major railway stations. The railway system handles a large amount of freight to and from the Karachi port apart from providing passenger services to people travelling up country. Plans are underway to extend the intra-city railway system to play a part in the city's mass transit through Karachi Circular Railway

Karachi Circular Railway

Karachi Circular Railway is a revival and proposed Mass Rapid Transit System for Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan with aims to connect several industrial and commercial districts within the city and outlying suburbs. The system will consist of a loop line, encircling the entire city of...

system. Currently, primarily motorists and minibuses handle commuter traffic, but there are plans to construct a light-rail based mass transit system in the city to decongest the roads and provide quick service to commuters.

A number of urban tramway systems used to operate in Karachi before 1960's.

Streets, Motorways and highways

Lyari Expressway

Lyari Expressway is a highway currently under construction along the Lyari River in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi.-Overview:...

is a highway currently under construction along the Lyari River

Lyari River

Lyari River is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Monora channel. It is one of the two rivers of Karachi, the other one being Malir River. The river is about 50 kilometres long...

in Karachi, Sindh

Sindh

Sindh historically referred to as Ba'ab-ul-Islam , is one of the four provinces of Pakistan and historically is home to the Sindhi people. It is also locally known as the "Mehran". Though Muslims form the largest religious group in Sindh, a good number of Christians, Zoroastrians and Hindus can...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

. Lyari Expressway

Lyari Expressway

Lyari Expressway is a highway currently under construction along the Lyari River in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi.-Overview:...

's North bound section is currently under construction, While the South bound corridor is now completed and it was inaugurated for traffic. This toll highway is designed to relieve congestion in the city of Karachi. It will be a 16.5 km expressway

Controlled-access highway

A controlled-access highway is a highway designed exclusively for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow and ingress/egress regulated...

that will consist of four lanes on both sides, with two interchanges, five overpasses and five underpasses. Moreover, two lanes each will be constructed on either bank of the Lyari River

Lyari River

. Once completed, traffic volume is estimated at 34,000 vehicles. The expressway will have toll plazas at four locations.

Karachi Northern Bypass

The M10 is a motorway located in Sindh province, Pakistan, however it is mostly referred to as the Karachi Northern Bypass. It is 57 km long and consists of 4 lanes .- Route :...

(M10) begins north of Karachi at the end of Mohammad Ali Jinnah Road, near the junction of the M9

Super Highway

The M9, also known as "Super Highway", is a 138-km long motorway connecting the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network.- Route :...

. It then continues north for a few kilometers before turning west, where it forms an interchange with the N25. After this interchange it eventually turns south back towards Karachi and merges onto the KPT Flyover at Karachi Port.

Super Highway

The Super Highway

Super Highway

The M9, also known as "Super Highway", is a 138-km long motorway connecting the cities of Hyderabad and Karachi in Sindh province of Pakistan. It is part of Pakistan's Motorway Network.- Route :...

(M9) begins north of Karachi at the end of Mohammad Ali Jinnah Road, near junction of Karachi Northern Bypass

Karachi Northern Bypass

The M10 is a motorway located in Sindh province, Pakistan, however it is mostly referred to as the Karachi Northern Bypass. It is 57 km long and consists of 4 lanes .- Route :...

(also known as M10). It is connected with the Karachi Northern Bypass with a trumpet interchange. Then it continues out of the city. From there it continues on a northeast track and forms a junction with the N5 via a link road. Once out of Karachi it enters the desert of Thar. The motorway ends outside of Hyderabad

Hyderabad, Sindh

is the second largest city in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the seventh largest city in the country. The city was founded in 1768 by Mian Ghulam Shah Kalhoro upon the ruins of a Mauryan fishing village along the bank of the Indus known as Neroon Kot...

, in the suburban town of Kotri

Kotri

Kotri , a large town, is the headquarters station of the Kotri Taluka, or administrative district...

with a coverleaf interchange. From there it merges onto the N5.

Makran Coastal Highway

The Makran Coastal Highway

Makran Coastal Highway

Makran Coastal Highway is a 653 km-long coastal highway along Pakistan's Arabian Sea coastline. It runs primarily through Balochistan province between Karachi and Gwadar, passing near the port towns of Ormara and Pasni....

connect Karachi

Karachi

with Gwadar

Gwadar

Gwadar also known as Godar is a developing port city on the southwestern Arabian Sea coast of Pakistan. It is the district headquarters of Gwadar District in Balochistan province and has a population of approximately 50,000.Gwadar is strategically located at the apex of the Arabian Sea and at the...

. Makran Coastal Highway is located primarily in Balochistan

Balochistan (Pakistan)

Balochistan is one of the four provinces or federating units of Pakistan. With an area of 134,051 mi2 or , it is the largest province of Pakistan, constituting approximately 44% of the total land mass of Pakistan. According to the 1998 population census, Balochistan had a population of...

, Pakistan

Pakistan

. It follows the Arabian Sea

Arabian Sea

The Arabian Sea is a region of the Indian Ocean bounded on the east by India, on the north by Pakistan and Iran, on the west by the Arabian Peninsula, on the south, approximately, by a line between Cape Guardafui in northeastern Somalia and Kanyakumari in India...

coast from Karachi to Gwadar

Gwadar

. It is also referred to as National Highway 10 or N10.

White Oil Pipeline

The White Oil Pipeline

White Oil Pipeline

White Oil Pipeline is an oil pipeline from Port Qasim to the Pak-Arab Refinery at Mehmood Kot, Multan District, Punjab, Pakistan..In September 2000, Pak-Arab Refinery largest capacity refinery of , costing US$ 886 million commissioned well within budget and a month ahead of schedule...

(White Oil Pipeline Project (WOP)) carries imported oil from Port Qasim

Port Qasim

The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim , also known as Port Qasim, is a seaport in Karachi, Pakistan, on the coastline of the Arabian Sea. It is Pakistan's second busiest port, handling about 35% of the nation's cargo...

to Pak-Arab Refinery Limited

Pak-Arab Refinery

Pak-Arab Refinery is an oil refinery located in Mehmood Kot in Multan District, Punjab, Pakistan.PAK ARAB REFINERY LTD is a Joint Venture between Government of Pakistan and the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, incorporated as a public limited company in 1974...

(PARCO) at Mehmood Kot

Mehmood Kot

Mehmood Kot or Mahmud Kot is a small town in Multan District, Punjab, Pakistan. The coordinates of Mahmud Kot are 30°15'3"N 71°29'12"E....

, Multan

Multan

Multan , is a city in the Punjab Province of Pakistan and capital of Multan District. It is located in the southern part of the province on the east bank of the Chenab River, more or less in the geographic centre of the country and about from Islamabad, from Lahore and from Karachi...

, Punjab

Punjab (Pakistan)

Punjab is the most populous province of Pakistan, with approximately 45% of the country's total population. Forming most of the Punjab region, the province is bordered by Kashmir to the north-east, the Indian states of Punjab and Rajasthan to the east, the Pakistani province of Sindh to the...

Sui Gas Pipeline

The Sui Gas Pipeline carries natural gas from Sui gas fields in Sui

Sui

Sui can refer to:* Sui or mizu, 水, meaning "Water" in Japanese, one of the elements in the Japanese system of five elements and representing the fluid, flowing, formless things in the world....

, Balochitan

Balochistan (Pakistan)

to Karachi

Karachi

, Sindh

Sindh

Ports and harbours

The largest shipping ports in Pakistan are the Port of Karachi

Port of Karachi

and the nearby Port Qasim

Port Qasim

. These seaports have modern facilities and not only handle trade for Pakistan, but also serve as ports for Afghanistan and the land-locked Central Asian countries. Plans have been announced for new passenger facilities at the Port of Karachi

Port of Karachi

The Port of Karachi

Port of Karachi

is Pakistan

Pakistan

's largest and busiest seaport

Port

A port is a location on a coast or shore containing one or more harbors where ships can dock and transfer people or cargo to or from land....

, handling about 60% of the nation's cargo (25 million tons per annum). The port is located between the towns of Kiamari

Kiamari Town

Kiamari Town is the main coastal town of Karachi, located in the central and western parts of the city, including the Port of Karachi and an extensive coastline with sandy beaches, small islands and mangrove forests. It does not include the southern island of Manora which is under cantonment...

and Saddar

Saddar Town

Saddar Town is a town in the central part of Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan. The word Saddar generally means the “centre” and also “head” . The town is bordered by Jamshed Town and Clifton Cantonment to the east, Kiamari Town and the Arabian Sea to the south and Lyari Town to the west...

, close to the heart of old Karachi, the main business district, and several industrial areas. The geographic position of Karachi places the port close to major shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz

Strait of Hormuz

The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow, strategically important waterway between the Gulf of Oman in the southeast and the Persian Gulf. On the north coast is Iran and on the south coast is the United Arab Emirates and Musandam, an exclave of Oman....

. The administration of the port is carried out by the Karachi Port Trust

Karachi Port Trust

Karachi Port Trust is a Pakistani federal government agency that oversees the operations of the Port of Karachi in Karachi, Sindh, Pakistan.-History:...

which was established in the nineteenth century.

Port Qasim

The Port Muhammad Bin Qasim

Port Qasim

is a port in Karachi, Sindh

Sindh

, Pakistan

Pakistan

on the coastline of the Arabian Sea

Arabian Sea

. It was constructed in the late 1970s to relieve congestion at Karachi Port. The port was developed close to the Pakistan Steel Mills

Pakistan Steel Mills

The Pakistan Steel Mills, PSM, is the state-owned producer of long rolled steel and heavy iron products in Karachi, Sindh Province of Pakistan. The Pakistan Steel Mill is the country's largest industrial undertaking having a production capacity of 1.1 million tonnes of steel...

complex near the Indus River

Indus River

The Indus River is a major river which flows through Pakistan. It also has courses through China and India.Originating in the Tibetan plateau of western China in the vicinity of Lake Mansarovar in Tibet Autonomous Region, the river runs a course through the Ladakh district of Jammu and Kashmir and...

delta. Port Qasim's residential area is a neighbourhood of Bin Qasim Town

Bin Qasim Town

Bin Qasim Town is a town located in the southeastern part of Karachi along the Arabian Sea and the Indus River delta. The town and the adjacent Port Qasim are named after Muhammad bin Qasim who conquered large parts of Pakistan in the eighth century CE...

of Karachi.

Air transport

The Jinnah International Airport

Jinnah International Airport

of Karachi is the largest and busiest airport of the country. It handles 10 million passengers a year. The airport also receives the largest number of foreign airlines, a total of 27 airlines fly to Jinnah International predominantly from the Middle East and South East Asia. All of Pakistan's airlines use Karachi as their primary hub including Pakistan International Airlines

Pakistan International Airlines

Pakistan International Airlines Corporation commonly known as PIA, is the flag carrier airline of Pakistan. The airline has its head office on the grounds of Jinnah International Airport in Karachi. and operates scheduled services to 24 domestic destinations and 38 international destinations in 27...

, airblue

Airblue

Airblue Limited is a private airline with its head office on the 12th floor of the Islamabad Stock Exchange Towers in Islamabad, Pakistan. It is Pakistan's second largest airline with over 20% share of the domestic market...

and Shaheen Air.

The city's old airport terminals are now used for Hajj

Hajj

The Hajj is the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. It is one of the largest pilgrimages in the world, and is the fifth pillar of Islam, a religious duty that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by every able-bodied Muslim who can afford to do so...

flights, cargo facilities, and ceremonial visits from heads of state. U.S. Coalition forces used the old terminals for their logistic supply operations as well. The city also has two other airstrips used primarily by the armed forces.

Local transport

Taxi cabs

Buses

Cars

Railways

Streets, Motorways and highways

Lyari Expressway

Karachi Northern Bypass

Super Highway

Makran Coastal Highway

White Oil Pipeline

Sui Gas Pipeline

Ports and harbours

Port of Karachi

Port Qasim

Air transport

See also