The metro rail in Dhaka has extended its operation hours by one hour starting Sunday, allowing trains to run half an hour earlier in the morning and half an hour later at night.
According to Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the first train will now depart at 6:30 am instead of 7:10 am, while the last train will leave at 10:10 pm instead of 9:40 pm.
On Fridays, the weekly holiday, metro services will now start at 2:30 pm, thirty minutes earlier than the previous 3:00 pm schedule.
DMTCL announced the decision last Wednesday, and the new schedule offici ally came into effect today (Sunday).
In addition to the extended operating hours, DMTCL has plans to increase the number of daily trips within a month, enhancing service frequency on the busy Uttara–Motijheel route.
Currently, over 400,000 passengers use the metro rail daily. The system operates with 24 train sets, each consisting of six coaches. Of these, 12 train sets are currently in service throughout the day.
Once the number of trips is expanded, 19 train sets will operate simultaneously, which DMTCL estimates will raise the daily ridership to over 500,000.
