View source for Thar Express

{{Short description|International train service between India and Pakistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2015}}
{{italic title}}
{{Infobox rail service
| box_width          = 24em
| name               = ''Thar Express''
| logo               = 
| logo_width         = 
| image              = 
| image_width        = 
| caption            = 
| type               = [[Inter-city rail]]
| status             = 
| locale             = 
| predecessor        = 
| first              = {{start date|df=yes|2006|02|18}}
| last               = {{end date and age|2019|08|08}}
| successor          = 
| operator           = [[North Western Railway zone]] of [[Indian Railways]]<br>& [[Pakistan Railways]]
| formeroperator     = 
| ridership          = 
| start              = {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]])
| stops              = 4
| end                = {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}}
| distance           = {{convert|709|km|mi}}
| journeytime        = 13 hours, 5 minutes
| frequency          = Weekly
| trainnumber        = 
| class              = Economy
| access             = 
| seating            = 
| sleeping           = Not available
| autorack           = 
| catering           = Not available
| observation        = 
| entertainment      = 
| baggage            = 
| otherfacilities    = 
| stock              = 
| gauge              = {{track gauge|1676mm|lk=on}}
| el                 = 
| speed              = 
| owners             = 
| routenumber        = 
| map                = {{Thar Express}}
| map_state          = collapsed
}}
The '''''Thar Express''''' was an international [[passenger train]] that ran between the {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} a suburban area of [[Jodhpur]] in the Indian State of [[Rajasthan]] and {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}} of [[Karachi]] in the Pakistani Province of [[Sindh]]. The name of the train is derived from the [[Thar Desert]] a sub-continental desert, which lies in the north-western part of the [[Indian subcontinent]] and ranks 17th in the world covering an area of {{convert|200000|km2|abbr=on}}.<ref name="ptrains">{{cite web|url=http://www.irfca.org/docs/pak-train-names.html| title=Pakistan Railway Train Names| first=Owais| last=Mughal| date=29 October 2004| access-date=19 June 2017| publisher=IRFCA}}</ref>

It was the second train after the ''[[Samjhauta Express]]'' for direct connectivity between India and Pakistan on the basis of [[Simla Agreement]] after the restoring of the Jodhpur–Hyderabad rail route which was closed for 41 years till 2006.<ref>[https://www.ilo.org/dyn/natlex/docs/ELECTRONIC/99441/118718/F-151668879/PAK99441.pdf Rail Agreement of India and Pakistan], Retrieved 20 August 2020</ref>

As of 9 August 2019, the Thar Express had been cancelled until further notice due to escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.<ref>[https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/india-suspends-jodhpur-karachi-thar-express-train/story-OJfQP6DrSnwVrkjpau5WaM.html hindustantimes.com], Retrieved 21 August 2020</ref>

==History==
{{See also|North Western Railway zone#History|Hyderabad–Khokhrapar Branch Line}}
[[File:Jodhpur-map.jpg|thumb|240px|left|Map showing Rail link from Jodhpur to Singh, Imperial Gazetteer of India 1909.]]
During British rule, in 1892, the Hyderabad–Jodhpur Railway constructed the Jodhpur–Hyderabad mainline within two sections. The first section was Luni–Shadipalli section, which was a metre-gauge section line and the second section was Shadipalli–Hyderabad section, which was originally constructed as a {{track gauge|1676mm}} [[broad-gauge railway]] section line but due to less passenger transportation on that time it was converted to {{track gauge|1000mm}} [[metre gauge]] in the year 1901 and joined the first section of the mainline.<ref name=name>[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n196/mode/2up "Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government  Printing,  Calcutta;  page 188]; Retrieved 6 Feb 2016</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-history3.html|title = IR History: Part III (1900-1947)| publisher=IRFCA | access-date = 30 April 2014}}</ref>
[[File:India_railways1909a.jpg|thumb|240px|right|Extent of Indian railway network in 1909]]
During the year 1901, the ''[[Sind Mail]]'' started running between Bombay (now [[Mumbai]]) and Karachi, the route of this train passed through Ahmedabad–Palanpur-Marwar-Pali-Luni–Munabao-Khokhrapar-Mirpur Khas and Hyderabad continued operation till 1947. After the [[Partition of India]] the rail links of [[Jodhpur State]] and [[Bombay Presidency|Northern Bombay Presidency]] was disrupted, and divided into the Indian State of [[Rajasthan]] and Pakistan province of [[Sindh]]. Due to this, the mainline was separated as [[Marwar Junction–Munabao line|Jodhpur–Munabao line]] from the Indian side and [[Hyderabad–Khokhrapar Branch Line|Khokhrapar–Hyderabad line]] as of Pakistan side, on this purpose the origin of ''Sind Mail'' were shifted to [[Jodhpur]] in India and [[Hyderabad, Sindh|Hyderabad]] in Pakistan continued operation between two countries Until 1965, when the outbreak of the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1965]] led to the closure of all passenger train links. During that time, the rail track was bombed and destroyed by the Pakistani fighter jets, and the Bombay–Karachi train ended.<ref name=IndTr/><ref name=hindu1>[http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/how-to-get-to-pakistan/article18438690.ece How to get to Pakistan], ''[[The Hindu]]'', 12 May 2017</ref><ref name=irfca1>{{cite web|url=http://www.irfca.org/faq/faq-inter.html|title=[IRFCA] Indian Railways FAQ: Geography : International|publisher=IRFCA}}</ref>

On 28 June 1976, India and Pakistan signed the rail communication agreement to normalize the relations between two nations after signing the [[Simla Agreement]] (2 July 1972) a few months after the end of [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1971]], when the bilateral relations had soured after the Indian Army had succeeded in [[Bangladesh Liberation War|liberating Bangladesh]]. This agreement forms the basis of running ''[[Samjhauta Express]]'' also the [[Delhi–Lahore Bus]] and [[Srinagar–Muzaffarabad Bus]] are based on a separate agreement.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

On the Indian side, the Jodhpur–Munabao line was totally converted into {{track gauge|1676mm}} [[broad gauge]] in the year 2003 and the Indian immigration and customs office developed at {{stnlnk|Munabao}} railway station for customs checks which are currently carried out. Whereas on the Pakistan side, the Khokhrapar–Hyderabad line was totally re-converted back to the original {{track gauge|1676mm}} [[broad gauge]] and also the {{stnlnk|Zero Point}} railway station was also developed in the year 2006, a few hundred meters from the border, where immigration and customs checks are currently carried out. This enabled both the nations to sign an MoU to reopen the rail link. This was not possible earlier because there would be a change of gauge in between, either at Hyderabad or Mirpur Khas. Prior to 1965, the last Pakistani station was {{stnlnk|Khokhropar}}, about 10 kilometers from the border.{{citation needed|date=June 2021}}

After gauge conversion of both nations, on 18 February 2006, the rail service of Thar Express was inaugurated on the basis of [[Simla Agreement]] and became the second route for connecting both nations after [[Samjhauta Express]]<ref>[https://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/thar-express-trial-run-scheduled-for-feb-17_275114.html zeenews.india.com], Retrieved 21 August 2020</ref> also the renewable rail communication agreement was regularly extended by both nations and the last extension was from 19 January 2016 to 18 January 2019.<ref>[https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/india-extends-munabao-khokhrapar-rail-link-with-pakistan-for-3-years/articleshow/62714564.cms?from=mdr economicetimes.com], Retrieved 21 August 2020</ref><ref>Cross-Border Rail Link Restored After 40 Years ''[[International Railway Journal]]'' April 2006 page 2</ref>

==Route and operations==
[[File:PK Karachi asv2020-02 img54 Cantonment Railway Station.jpg|thumb|right|[[Karachi Cantonment railway station]], the destination point of the train, where return journey begins.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.geo.tv/12-4-2010/75294.htm |title=Thar Express escapes blast near Karachi - GEO.tv |access-date=2013-04-21 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131105192658/http://www.geo.tv/12-4-2010/75294.htm |archive-date=5 November 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>]]
Thar Express runs weekly with two portions. It travels totally around {{Cvt|709|km}} to reach Karachi from Jodhpur with a total average time of 23 hours 5 minutes to cover the entire stretch of [[Marwar Junction–Munabao line|Jodhpur−Munabao–Zero Point]][[Hyderabad–Khokhrapar Branch Line|–Khokhrapar–Hyderabad]][[Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line|–Karachi]]. The entire stretch is covered by broad-gauge diesel locomotives. There are only one major river crossing, the more than 100 year old [[Kotri Bridge]] over the [[Indus River]]. this river crossing occurs in Pakistan.

In this, the first portion of Thar Express which runs at the Indian side are also named as '''Thar Link Express''' operates by [[Jodhpur railway division]] of the [[North Western Railway zone]] of [[Indian Railways]] from {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]]) through {{stnlnk|Munabao}} to {{stnlnk|Zero Point}} with the rakes of [[ICF coach]] of Indian Railways and locomotive for an end to end journey in both directions with the following combination, L-SLR-S1-S2-S3-S4-S5-S6-S7-SLR (L – locomotive, SLR Seating cum luggage rake, S – Seating rake).<ref name=IndTr>{{cite web|url=http://m.greaterkashmir.com/news/news/india-to-operate-thar-express-for-6-months/10969.html|title=Greater Kashmir news}}</ref>

Similarly, the second portion of the Thar Express runs at the Pakistan side from Zero Point through {{stnlnk|Hyderabad Junction}} to {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}} with the rakes of [[Pakistan Railways]] and locomotive for an end to end journey in both directions with the same combination.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.railpk.com/train-timings/thar-express.html|title=Thar Express Train Timing Karachi Mirpur Zero Point|first=created by|last=Ask|website=www.railpk.com}}</ref>

===Train schedule===

Train departures are as follows:

{| class="wikitable"
!Route!!Section!!Day!!Train no.!!Rake
|-
| rowspan="2"| Jodhpur to Karachi 
|{{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]]) to {{stnlnk|Zero Point}} || Saturday || 14889 || [[Indian Railways|IR]]
|-
|{{stnlnk|Zero Point}} to {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}} || Saturday || 406 || [[Pakistan Railways|PR]]
|-

| rowspan="2"| Karachi to Jodhpur
|{{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}} to {{stnlnk|Zero Point}} || Friday || 405 || [[Pakistan Railways|PR]]
|-
|{{stnlnk|Zero Point}} to {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]]) || Saturday || 14890 || [[Indian Railways|IR]]
|}

This train service is reliable and the Indian portion of train begins its journey from {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]]) with time at 01:00 AM [[Indian Standard Time|IST]] covers the distance of {{Cvt|325|km}} without any halts, it reaches {{stnlnk|Munabao}} at 07:00 AM IST for Indian immigration and customs checks, thereafter leaving the station covers the distance of {{Cvt|3|km}} with crossing [[India–Pakistan border]] and reaches {{stnlnk|Zero Point}} at 02:00 PM [[Pakistan Standard Time|PKT]] for Pakistan immigration and customs checks. During that time the Pakistan portion train arrives on the station for boarding the passengers and leaves at 05:00 PM PKT covers the distance of {{Cvt|202|km}} with halts at {{stnlnk|Mirpur Khas Junction}} and {{stnlnk|Hyderabad Junction}} reaches {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}} at 12:45 AM PKT.

Similarly, on returning the Pakistan portion of train begins its journey from Karachi Cantonment with time at 11:45 PM PKT with halts at Hyderabad Junction and Mirpur Khas Junction reaches Zero Point at 07:20 AM PKT for Pakistan immigration and customs checks. During that time the Indian portion train arrives on the station for boarding the passengers and leaves at 12:00 PM PKT crosses India–Pakistan border and reaches Munabao for Indian Immigration and customs checks, thereafter it leaves at 07:00 PM IST without any halts reaches Bhagat Ki Kothi (Jodhpur) at 11:50 PM IST.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://indiarailinfo.com/train/farechart/fare-enquiry-thar-link-express-14889/992/2268/2269| title= 14889/Thar Link Express – IRCTC Fare Enquiry|access-date=30 November 2019}}</ref><ref>[https://www.pakrail.gov.pk/images/fareRatesTable/PassengerFare1July2019.pdf Fare Table of Thar Express], Retrieved 20 August 2020</ref>

==Stations==
* {{stnlnk|Bhagat Ki Kothi}} ([[Jodhpur]])
* {{stnlnk|Munabao}}
* {{stnlnk|Zero Point}}
* {{stnlnk|Mirpur Khas}}
* {{stnlnk|Hyderabad Junction}}
* {{stnlnk|Karachi Cantonment}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.narrow-gauge.co.uk/gallery/221 Photos of Mirpur Khas - Khokhrapar train photos at narrow-gauge.co.uk]
*[https://indiarailinfo.com/train/thar-link-express-14889/992/2268/2269 14889 Thar Link Express] at India Rail Info
*[https://indiarailinfo.com/train/thar-link-express-14890/993/2269/2268 14890 Thar Link Express] at India Rail Info
*[https://www.pakinformation.com/railway-timings/thar-express.html 405/406 Thar Express] at Pak Information

{{International trains from India}}
{{Named passenger trains of Pakistan}}
{{Railways in Northern India}}
{{India–Pakistan relations}}

[[Category:India–Pakistan relations]]
[[Category:International named passenger trains]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of India]]
[[Category:Named passenger trains of Pakistan]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Rajasthan]]
[[Category:Railway services introduced in 2006]]
[[Category:Transport in Jodhpur]]
[[Category:Rail transport in Karachi]]
[[Category:Transport in Sindh]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in India]]
[[Category:2006 establishments in Pakistan]]