The Dhaka Metro Rail is set to extend its operating hours by one hour from Friday (September 27) on a trial basis to meet rising passenger demand.
Under the new schedule, trains will start running 30 minutes earlier in the morning and the last train will depart 30 minutes later at night.
Additionally, the interval between trains will be shortened by about two minutes. During peak hours, trains will run every 4.25 minutes instead of the current minimum of 6 minutes.
According to Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the first train from Uttara currently departs at 7:10 am and the last at 9:00 pm, while the first train from Motijheel departs at 7:30 am and the last at 9:40 pm.
Under the new trial schedule, the first train from Uttara will depart at 6:40 am and the last at 9:30 pm, while the first train from Motijheel will leave at 7:00 am and the last at 10:10 pm.
The trial period will test the effectiveness of the new timings. If successful, the extended hours could be implemented permanently by December, according to the DMTCL.
Bangladesh inaugurated its first metro rail service on December 28, 2022. Currently, trains run between Uttara North and Motijheel, with an extension to Kamalapur expected soon to further boost capacity.
