Pakistan Railways Announces Four Special Trains for Eid ul-Fitr 2026, SUPARCO Predicts March 21 Celebration

Pakistan Railways has announced it will operate four special trains during the Eid ul-Fitr 2026 holidays to help passengers travel conveniently, following directives from the federal minister for Railways.

According to a railway spokesperson, the first special train will depart from Lahore to Karachi on 16 March. The second train will leave Quetta for Rawalpindi on 17 March, alongside a third train departing from Karachi to Peshawar the same day. The fourth train will run from Karachi to Lahore on 18 March.

Railway officials stated that the special trains are being introduced to provide greater convenience for passengers traveling to their hometowns during the festive season.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has predicted that Eid ul-Fitr 2026 in Pakistan is likely to fall on March 21, based on astronomical calculations of the Shawwal moon. SUPARCO noted that the Shawwal moon will be born on March 19 at 6:23 am, and by sunset, it will be approximately 12 hours and 41 minutes old.

The space agency added that along Pakistan’s coastal areas, the difference between sunset and moonset on March 19 will be about 28 minutes, though the chances of sighting the crescent on that evening are considered low. Based on these observations, SUPARCO expects the first day of Shawwal 1447 AH—and the likely day of Eid ul-Fitr 2026—to be Saturday, March 21.

In addition, the provincial government has announced that salaries and pensions for government employees and pensioners will be paid in advance ahead of Eid ul-Fitr 2026. The Finance Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa confirmed that full salaries and pensions for March will be disbursed before Eid, with employees receiving payments on 16 March instead of the usual 1 April, ensuring timely funds for the festive celebrations.