ECRL fares expected this month, ticket sales targeted for November

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) anticipates the announcement of East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) fares this month, with ticket sales set to commence in November, ahead of commercial operations slated for mid-December. ECRL's CEO, Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, revealed that the Transport Ministry is expected to make the official fare announcement.

Darwis expects the fares to be dynamic and affordable, lower than airfares but slightly higher than bus fares. ECRL's Phase One, which spans from Kuala Lumpur to Gombak, is 98.16% complete as of September, and the company remains confident of meeting the mid-December 2026 target for commercial operations. A recent test run of the Comprehensive Inspection Train covered a 519km route from Gombak to Kota Baru in just three hours and 19 minutes, reaching speeds of up to 160kph, demonstrating the rail link's potential for express services.

The 665km ECRL will traverse Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang before connecting with Selangor on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia, promising to cut travel time between Kota Baru and Gombak to approximately four hours, compared to around seven hours by road.

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