A passport and visa is required to travel through Attari Railway Station if you are using the Samjhauta Express, which operates between India (Attari) and Pakistan (Lahore).
Usually, a platform ticket is enough to enter a railway station. A train ticket makes even that unnecessary. However, a passport and visa are mandatory for this Indian railway station. Passports and visas are typically needed for international flights. Why are they required for a train station? Let's explore its uniqueness.
Attari Shyam Singh Railway Station is located in Amritsar district in the Indian state of Punjab and serves Attari and the Wagah border with Pakistan. Attari requires a passport for entry because it's on the India-Pakistan border. It's the last station on the Indian side of the India-Pakistan railway line.
The requirement for a Pakistani visa and passport to access Attari Railway Station is rooted in its historical and geopolitical importance. Attari once served as the departure point for the Samjhauta Express, a train linking India and Pakistan, which was suspended due to diplomatic tensions. Managed by the Firozpur Division of Northern Railway, the station operates under strict security measures, with constant surveillance by armed forces and 24/7 CCTV monitoring.
Attari Railway Station is under heavy military security. Passengers are allowed entry only after verification of their passports and visas. However, trains haven't run to Pakistan from here since 2019. Before that, trains operated daily from Attari to Lahore, Pakistan.
Currently, only four trains operate from Attari. One is the Samjhauta Express, running twice a week from Delhi to Attari. Two passenger trains from Amritsar and a special train from Jabalpur also serve Attari. The station has three platforms.
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