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Although Quetta is
on the western edge
of Pakistan, is well
connected with the
country by a wide
network of roads,
railways and
airways.
Air Transport
Pakistan
International
Airlines, Shaheen
Air International
and Airblue all have
regular flights
between Quetta and
other major cities
of Pakistan
including Karachi,
Lahore, Islamabad
and Peshawar and
small cities of
Balochistan
including Turbat,
Zhob, Dalbandin and
Gwadar. Pakistan
International
Airlines has a
direct flight
between Dubai and
Quetta. Other
international
passengers traveling
to Quetta can reach
Quetta via any of
the other main hubs
of Pakistan, i.e.
Karachi, Lahore,
Islamabad or
Peshawar.
Road and Railways
The extensive
network of Pakistan
Railways connects
Quetta to Karachi in
south, by a 863 km
(536 miles) track,
Lahore in northeast
(1,170 km or 727
miles) and Peshawar
further northeast
(1587 km or 986
miles). A metalled
road is also present
along the railroad
that connects Quetta
to Karachi via Sibi,
Jacobabad and Rohri.
A track from the
Irani city of
Zahedan links to
Quetta via Taftan,
but the train
service were
temporarily disabled
in 2006 due to
unrest in
Balochistan.
Even though the
linear distance from
Quetta to Lahore is
merely 700 km, there
is no direct
railroad track on
this route because
of the Sulaiman
Range that lies in
the east of Quetta.
So all
northeast-bound
trains for Punjab or
NWFP must go 350+ km
south upto Rohri,
Sindh (near Sukkur)
first, before
continuing north to
Punjab and/or NWFP. |
