The Khyber Train Safari was a tourist steam train that once ran the old British-era railway from Peshawar up through the Khyber Pass to Landi Kotal, one of the most dramatic short rail journeys ever built. It hasn't run through the pass in years: the last revival, on a different route, ended around 2021, and the original line through the Khyber is currently derelict rather than operating. There is an active restoration effort, but as of September 2026 no date has been set for trains to run through the pass again.
This guide covers how the railway was built, how the tourist safari came and went, what state the line is in now, and what you can actually see of it today.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| Original line | Peshawar to Landi Kotal, opened 4 November 1925 |
| Length | About 52 km |
| Engineering | 34 tunnels, 92 bridges and culverts |
| Highest point | Around 1,200 metres, near Landi Kotal |
| Steam safari era | 1996 to 2006, first Sunday of each month |
| Current status | Line derelict through the pass; no tourist service running |
| Restoration cost estimated | Over PKR 1 billion for track, bridges and stations |
Building the railway
The Khyber Pass Railway opened for regular passenger service on 4 November 1925, after years of survey and construction through some of the most difficult terrain the British Raj ever built a railway on. In just 52 km it climbs to around 1,200 metres through 34 tunnels and 92 bridges and culverts, using reversing stations to gain height on the steepest sections. It briefly extended further, to Landi Khana, from 1926, but that stretch closed in 1932 after the Afghan government objected to a line running so close to the border. Vulcan Foundry and Kitson & Co steam locomotives worked the line for decades.
Regular passenger and freight service continued until 1982, when it was withdrawn as traffic declined and the road through the pass took over as the practical route.
The Khyber Steam Safari, 1996–2006
In 1996, Sehrai Travels and the Sarhad Tourism Corporation revived the line as a tourist attraction, running vintage steam trains from Peshawar up to Landi Kotal on the first Sunday of each month. It became one of the region's best-known day trips, drawing enough interest that Time magazine once described it as a journey into another era. Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation took over running it in 2006, the same year severe monsoon flooding washed out the track at several points. The service was never restored afterwards.
What happened next
A 2015 relaunch, branded the Khyber Train Safari, ran on a different route entirely: Peshawar Cantonment to Attock Khurd, a 69 km line that doesn't touch the Khyber Pass. In 2021 the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government talked about reopening two further routes, including one towards Takht-i-Bahi, but the original Peshawar–Landi Kotal line through the pass itself has stayed out of service since the 2006 floods.
There have been signs of renewed interest. In July 2024 the Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps North restored the historic Landi Kotal railway station, built in 1925, and reopened it as a small museum marking the line's history, rather than as a working station. November 2025 marked the railway's centenary, and Pakistan Railways, tourism officials and steam railway enthusiasts have since discussed both a centenary commemoration and restoring at least part of the line. In August 2026 the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government signed a framework agreement with the federal Ministry of Railways, with around PKR 500 million allocated towards restoring the line's historic stations as a first step.
A feasibility study has put the cost of properly rehabilitating the full Peshawar–Landi Kotal track, including its bridges, two main stations and retaining walls, at over PKR 1.13 billion. Officials have described the line in its current state as unfit for train service: flash floods have washed away sections of track repeatedly, and encroachment along parts of the route has added further damage. Restoration plans also face a specific obstacle, since more than a kilometre of the old line passes through the grounds of Bacha Khan International Airport and a Pakistan Air Force base, which raises security concerns that would need defence ministry sign-off, or a bypass, before any tourist train could run there again.
What you can see now
There is no operating tourist train through the Khyber Pass at present, and none is scheduled. What remains, for anyone driving up through Jamrud towards the pass, is the old railway alignment itself, visible in places beside the road, along with the restored Landi Kotal station building, now run as a small museum of the line's history rather than a working stop.
Whether you can reach Landi Kotal at all depends on the current security situation in Khyber district, covered in our guide to the Khyber Pass.
Is it safe to visit the route today?
The old railway runs through the same ground as the Khyber Pass road, and the same advice applies. As of September 2026 the UK government advises against all travel to Khyber district, given the continuing conflict on the Afghan border and militant activity within the district itself. Pakistani visitors do still travel to Jamrud and, when conditions allow, further up the pass, but the situation changes quickly. Check local news and current police advice before setting out, and if you hold a foreign passport, check your own government's guidance too, since travelling against it can affect your travel insurance. Our guide to whether Peshawar is safe covers the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Khyber Train Safari still running?
No. There is no tourist train currently operating through the Khyber Pass. The line has been out of service since flood damage in 2006, and restoration plans are still at an early, funded-in-part stage as of September 2026.
When did the Khyber Railway open?
Regular service began on 4 November 1925, on a 52 km line from Peshawar to Landi Kotal with 34 tunnels and 92 bridges.
Why did the Khyber Train Safari stop?
Severe monsoon flooding in 2006 damaged the track badly enough that the tourist service, then run by Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation, was never resumed on that route.
Will the Khyber Railway reopen?
There is active interest and some funding committed as of 2026, including a framework agreement between the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and Pakistan Railways, but no confirmed date for trains to run again through the pass.
Can I visit Landi Kotal railway station?
The station building has been restored and reopened as a small museum, but this depends on being able to reach Landi Kotal at all, which the current security situation in Khyber district affects. Check the latest advice before planning a visit.
