Pakistan Railways’ flagship Mainline-1 (ML-1) modernisation project has reached an important financing milestone in mid-2026, moving the transformative upgrade of the Karachi–Lahore–Peshawar corridor a step closer to full-scale construction. ML-1 is the single most important rail artery in the country, carrying the majority of Pakistan Railways’ passenger and freight traffic along its 1,700-plus kilometre length.
Officials describe the project as the largest railway investment in the country’s history — one that will rebuild ageing track, eliminate dozens of level crossings, install modern signalling, and lift permitted train speeds substantially on the busiest sections of the network.
What ML-1 Will Change for Passengers
The headline benefit of ML-1 is speed. On the upgraded corridor, express trains are expected to run significantly faster than today’s limits allow, cutting journey times on marquee routes such as Karachi to Lahore and Lahore to Rawalpindi. Doubling and rehabilitating the track will also let more trains run per day, easing the chronic seat shortages on popular express services.
Modern signalling and fenced right-of-way are equally central. By replacing manual systems and closing unmanned crossings, the upgrade targets one of the railway’s most persistent safety weaknesses and should improve punctuality, since fewer speed restrictions and crossings mean fewer unscheduled halts.
A Phased Rollout
ML-1 is being delivered in phases rather than as a single build, allowing traffic to keep moving while sections are rehabilitated. Early packages focus on the highest-traffic segments, with track renewal, bridge strengthening, and station works bundled together corridor by corridor.
Because the work happens on a live railway, passengers may notice temporary speed restrictions and revised timings on sections under construction — exactly the kind of day-to-day variation that live tracking helps travellers navigate.
Following the Upgrade in Real Time
As ML-1 works progress, running times on affected sections will change from week to week. You can see the real-world effect on your own journey by tracking any Pakistan Railways train live on TrainTracking.pk — checking current GPS position, live speed, delay status, and expected arrival at every stop before you travel.