Sandal Express, a passenger service linking Multan and Sargodha via Jhang, is returning to Pakistan Railways' active timetable. Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi announced on August 5, 2026 that the train will resume operations from August 21, 2026.
Like several other regional services, Sandal Express was suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic and had remained off the schedule since. Its restoration was announced alongside the Babu Passenger Train's relaunch on the Lahore-Lala Musa route, as part of the same government initiative.
For passengers in the Multan, Jhang, and Sargodha corridor, this marks the return of a route option that had been unavailable for several years, reconnecting a stretch of central Punjab that relies heavily on rail for affordable travel between agricultural towns.
What Was Announced
ProPakistani reported on August 5, 2026 that Sandal Express, running from Multan to Sargodha via Jhang, would resume operations from August 21, 2026, one day after the Babu Passenger Train's relaunch on its own route.
Minister Abbasi framed both restorations as a response to sustained passenger demand and said the moves align with Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif's push to make Pakistan Railways more active. He added that passenger facilities would be improved and that additional suspended services would be restored later in the year.
Neither report detailed the specific fare structure, coach configuration, or exact stop list for the relaunched Sandal Express, so passengers should confirm those details directly with Pakistan Railways closer to the August 21 start date.
Why the Multan-Sargodha Corridor Matters
The route via Jhang sits in one of Punjab's important agricultural belts, connecting Multan's status as a major regional hub with Sargodha's own significant population and citrus-growing economy. A passenger rail link along this corridor offers an affordable alternative to road travel for students, traders, and families moving between these cities.
Jhang itself functions as a meaningful midpoint on this route, and a passenger-class service like Sandal Express typically serves smaller stations along the way that faster, longer-distance expresses may skip entirely.
Restoring this kind of route matters most for travelers without easy access to private transport, for whom a suspended local train can mean a genuinely reduced set of affordable travel options for years at a time.
Part of a Wider Restoration Effort
Sandal Express and Babu Passenger are being framed together as the first visible steps in a broader plan. Minister Abbasi's comments suggest Pakistan Railways intends to review other pandemic-era suspensions and bring more of them back during the current year.
That framing is useful context for passengers elsewhere on the network whose local or regional service was paused during the pandemic and never returned. If this pattern continues, further restoration announcements are likely, and it is worth watching official Pakistan Railways communications for routes relevant to your own area.
What Passengers Should Do
Treat this as a dated announcement, not a live operating guarantee. Restoration dates for suspended services can shift as Pakistan Railways finalizes rolling stock, crew, and platform scheduling ahead of the launch day.
Before planning a trip on this route, confirm the current status with your local reservation office or Pakistan Railways inquiry, and check PakTrainLive for live tracking once the service is back in regular operation.
- Confirm Sandal Express's exact schedule and stop list at a Multan, Jhang, or Sargodha reservation office as the August 21 relaunch approaches.
- Expect the first weeks of service to carry some scheduling adjustments as the route settles into a stable pattern.
- If you are connecting onward from Sargodha or Multan, build a buffer around your planned arrival time until the service has an established track record.
- Check for further Pakistan Railways restoration announcements if your own regional route was suspended during the pandemic.
How PakTrainLive Helps
Once a restored service settles into regular operation, PakTrainLive is the fastest way to confirm it is actually running on a given day rather than relying on the original announcement alone.
Search the train by name on PakTrainLive to check live GPS position, current delay, and stop-by-stop progress as soon as tracking data becomes available for the route.
For newly resumed trains, live status is especially useful in the first few weeks, when schedules are still settling into a predictable rhythm.