- Luxury transport facility will take commuters from Lahore to Kashgar
- PM Khan to embark on his first trip to Beijing in less than a week
ISLAMABAD: Ahead of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s maiden visit to China on November 3, a private company said on Tuesday that it will launch a bus service connecting the two countries on the same date.
The North South Transport Network (NSTN) is undertaking the initiative under the flagship of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
The service, which commences on November 3, will be operational from Pakistan’s second largest city of Lahore to Kashgar in China. The journey itself is expected to clock 30 hours while providing a picturesque view of Pakistan's northern areas along the way.
While a one-way will cost commuters Rs13,000, a return ticket is priced at Rs23,000, according to state-run Radio Pakistan. According to the NSTN, passengers will be provided with meals, refreshment beverages, tea and snacks and free internet.
Pakistan and China are linked through a land route which is used for both trade and travel. In 2015, the two countries launched the CPEC, a flagship project worth $60 billion.
Both the countries maintain traditionally-close, cooperative and friendly ties in diverse fields. As part of his visit, PM Khan is expected to participate in the First China International Import Expo, in Shanghai, where Pakistan is exhibiting a wide range of export products.