Metrorail to extend hours, slash headway to 4.5 minutes at rush hour

Dhaka’s ever-busy Metrorail is gearing up for a major service upgrade with longer operating hours and significantly shorter wait times to meet surging passenger demand.

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is preparing to extend daily operations by half an hour at both ends: the first train will now depart as early as 6:40am from Uttara (previously 7:10am), and the last train will leave Motijheel at 10:10pm (up from 9:40pm). 

Similarly, the final departure from Uttara will shift from 9:00pm to 9:30pm.

On Fridays, service will begin at 2:30pm, half an hour earlier than the current 3:00pm start.

These adjustments are part of a broader operational overhaul aimed at easing congestion and improving commuter convenience. 

During peak hours, morning and evening office rush, train frequency will increase dramatically. 

The current six-minute headway will be reduced to just 4.5 minutes, meaning passengers will rarely wait more than five minutes for the next train.

According to DMTCL sources, the move is a direct response to rising ridership. 

Daily passenger volume has already hit 4,20,000 and officials project it will soon cross 5,00,000 once the new schedule is implemented, fulfilling the original vision of the metro project.

To support the tighter schedule, DMTCL plans to deploy more trains. 

Currently, only 13 of the available 24 train sets are in operation. With the revised timetable, that number is expected to rise to around 20, ensuring smoother, more frequent service without straining the system.

While DMTCL has not yet announced an official launch date for the new schedule, multiple senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed the plan is finalised and implementation is imminent. 

They deferred public comment to Managing Director Faruk Ahmed, who was unavailable for comment despite repeated attempts to reach him.

An official from DMTCL’s Operation and Maintenance Department said, “This is all about meeting passenger demand. Soon, commuters won’t have to crowd platforms or wait long. Trains will be more frequent, service hours longer making metro travel faster, more reliable, and more accessible than ever.”

The upgrade marks a critical step in transforming Dhaka’s public transport turning the metro from a novelty into a true backbone of the city’s mobility.