Rail transport in Malaysia
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Rail transport in
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
consists of heavy rail (including
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Downtown, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter r ...
),
light rapid transit A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS’s trains are usually 1-4 cars, or 1 lig ...
(LRT), mass rapid transit (MRT),
monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and " rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurat ...
s,
airport rail link An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city by mainline or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover, or light rail. Direct links operate straight to the airport terminal, while ...
s and a
funicular A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
railway line. Heavy rail is mostly used for intercity passenger and freight transport as well as some urban
public transport Public transport (also known as public transportation, public transit, mass transit, or simply transit) is a system of transport for passengers by group travel systems available for use by the general public unlike private transport, typi ...
, while rapid transit is used for intra-city urban public transport in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, the national capital, and the surrounding Klang Valley region. There are two
airport rail link An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city by mainline or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover, or light rail. Direct links operate straight to the airport terminal, while ...
systems linking Kuala Lumpur with the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
and Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport. The longest
monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and " rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurat ...
line in the country is also used for public transport in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, while the only
funicular A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
railway line is in Penang. The railway network covers most of the 11 states in
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
. In East Malaysia, only the state of
Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
has railways. The network is also connected to the Thai railway network in the north. If the
Burma Railway The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
is rebuilt, services to Myanmar, India, and China could be initiated.


Railway infrastructure


Metre gauge rail


Peninsular Malaysia

The intercity railway network in
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
consists of two main lines: The
KTM West Coast Line The West Coast railway line runs from Padang Besar railway station close to the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis (where it connects with the State Railway of Thailand) to Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore. It is called the West Coast ...
between
Singapore Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
and Padang Besar,
Perlis Perlis, ( Northern Malay: ''Peghelih''), also known by its honorific title Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it borders the Thai provinces ...
, on the Malaysian-Thai border, and the
KTM East Coast Line The East Coast railway line (ECRL) is the single track metre gauge runs between Gemas railway station, in Negeri Sembilan and Tumpat railway station, in Kelantan of Malaysia. Gemas is the rail junction between the West Coast line and East Coast ...
between
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
in Negeri Sembilan and Tumpat in
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in th ...
. There are also several branch lines – between Kuala Lumpur and
Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
, Batu Junction and Batu Caves,
Bukit Mertajam Bukit Mertajam ( Jawi:بوكيت مرتاجم) is the administrative centre of the city of Seberang Perai in Penang, Malaysia. It also serves as the seat of the Central Seberang Perai District. , Bukit Mertajam (core) contains a total of 13, ...
and Butterworth, Kempas and Tanjung Pelepas, and Kempas and Pasir Gudang. The entire 1,699 km network uses tracks. The network uses a ballasted setup with locally manufactured concrete sleepers. Since the early 1980s, companies formed via international collaboration, such as Mastrak Sdn Bhd had been producing these sleepers via technology transfer. In the five years period of 1982-1987 alone, it was estimated that about 500,000 pieces of sleepers had been laid for the Kerdau-Jerantut and Sungai Yu-Tumpat lines, giving clear preference due to its advantages over wooden sleepers. This was also evident in the changes made by Sabah State Railway in 2006 for the network under their control. The network is linked with the Thai railway network at Padang Besar. A total of 438 km of the network is
double-tracked Double tracking or doubling is an audio recording technique in which a performer sings or plays along with their own prerecorded performance, usually to produce a stronger or bigger sound than can be obtained with a single voice or instrument. ...
and electrified. They include portions of the West Coast Line between
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
and Padang Besar and the entire
Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
branch line as well as Batu Caves branch line. The double-tracked and electrified portions between
Tanjung Malim Tanjung Malim, or Tanjong Malim, is a town in Muallim District, Perak, Malaysia. It is approximately north of Kuala Lumpur and 120 km south of Ipoh via the North–South Expressway. It lies on the Perak-Selangor state border, with Sungai ...
and Pulau Sebang/Tampin, and between Padang Besar and Padang Rengas, as well as the Port Klang, Batu Caves and Butterworth branch lines are used for
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Downtown, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter r ...
services. Double tracking and electrification of the stretch of the Batu Caves branch line between Sentul and Batu Caves were completed, having added 7.5 km of double-tracked and electrified sections to the network in 2010. Double tracking and electrification of the West Coast line between Ipoh and Padang Besar started in January 2008 and was completed by November 2014, adding a further 329 km of double-tracked and electrified railway to the network. Malaysia's national petroleum company Petronas owns a railway line which links its oil refinery complex and the nearby town of
Kerteh Kerteh (est. pop. (2000 census): 3,064) is a mukim in Kemaman District, Terengganu, Malaysia. Economy Kerteh is the base of operations for Petronas in Terengganu, overseeing the oil platform operations off the state's coast as well as petroche ...
, Terengganu, with the petrochemical complex in Gebeng, Kuantan, and Kuantan Port near
Kuantan Kuantan ( Jawi: ) is a city and the state capital of Pahang, Malaysia. It is located near the mouth of the Kuantan River. Kuantan is the 18th largest city in Malaysia based on 2010 population, and the largest city in the East Coast of Peni ...
, Pahang. The line is mainly used to transport petroleum products, but it has been opened up recently for general freight transport, with operation being conducted by KTM. There have been proposals to extend the line to connect with the KTM line at Mentakab, and there are suggestions to go as far as
Kuala Terengganu , image_seal = Seal of Kuala Terengganu City Council.png , image_flag = Flag of Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu.svg , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right:The Crystal Mos ...
and Tumpat. A 71km single track railway, known as the Pasir Gudang Line, exists between Johor Port in
Pasir Gudang Pasir Gudang is a city in Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia. The main industries are transportation and logistics, shipbuilding, petrochemicals and other heavy industries, and oil palm storage and distribution, which is located in Johor Po ...
and
Port of Tanjung Pelepas The Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP, UN/Locode: MYTPP) is a container port located in Iskandar Puteri, Johor Bahru District, Johor, Malaysia, and is part of the APM Terminals Global Terminal Network, which holds a minority share in the joint ventur ...
. In October 2016, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the line will be upgraded to double track to allow for cargo and passenger train services.


Sabah

There is a railway line linking Tanjung Aru near
Kota Kinabalu , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
and
Tenom Tenom ( ms, Pekan Tenom, ) is the capital of the Tenom District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 5,148 in 2010. It is located about 176 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu and 128 kilometres n ...
in the interior of
Sabah Sabah () is a state of Malaysia located in northern Borneo, in the region of East Malaysia. Sabah borders the Malaysian state of Sarawak to the southwest and the North Kalimantan province of Indonesia to the south. The Federal Territory o ...
state. The line is the only railway on the island of
Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...
. Normal passenger trains operated by the Sabah State Railway Department. The line has been suffering from lack of maintenance for many years and in 2006, the
Malaysian Government The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia ( ms, Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia), is based in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is located in Kuala Lumpur. Mala ...
funded rehabilitation works for the line. A pipe dream is to have a railway line from Kota Kinabalu to Kuching through Brunei though the cost of this would mean seeking funding from Brunei.


Standard gauge rail lines

Malaysia's only standard gauge rail lines are currently found within Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley.


Ekspres Rail Link (ERL)

One of Malaysia's two fastest rail lines is the standard gauge airport rail link between
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
and the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
. Depending on which definition used, this line may not be considered a high speed line because the maximum speed used is . The line was constructed by
Express Rail Link The Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd is a company that owns and operates the airport rail link of the same name that connects the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral) transportation hub, 57 kilometres apa ...
, which also operates the two train services which use the line, namely the
KLIA Ekspres The ERL KLIA Ekspres is an express airport rail link servicing the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. It runs from KL Sentral, the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur to KLIA as well as its low-cost terminal, klia2. The ...
and
KLIA Transit The ERL KLIA Transit is a commuter rail service which serves as an airport rail link to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. It runs from KL Sentral, the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur to KLIA as well as its low-co ...
.


Light Rail Transit (LRT)


=Selangor and Kuala Lumpur

= There are currently two operational light rail systems in Malaysia. One is used as the major public transport system in the Klang Valley, while another acts as a automated people mover at the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
to ferry passengers from the Main Terminal Building and the satellite building. The LRT system in the Klang valley consist of three LRT lines which are the
Kelana Jaya Line The LRT Kelana Jaya Line is a medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) line and the first fully automated and driverless rail system in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. It forms a part of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System in and around ...
, the Ampang Line and
Sri Petaling Line The LRT Ampang Line and the LRT Sri Petaling Line are medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) lines in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The combined network comprises 45.1 kilometres of tracks (28.0 miles) with 36 stations and was the first r ...
. The Kelana Jaya Line is a driver-less automatic system and is long, running between the northeastern suburbs of Kuala Lumpur and
Petaling Jaya ) , website = , image_skyline = , image_caption = ''From top, left to right:Skyline of Petaling Jaya, the 1 Utama Mall integrated with Bandar Utama Station, the Kota Darul Ehsan arch, the Petaling J ...
to the west of Kuala Lumpur, and south towards Subang Jaya. It is mostly elevated except for a stretch where it goes underground and a short at-grade stretch in the north. The Kelana Jaya Line was completely operational from June 1999. The older Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line share a common track between the suburb of Sentul in the north of Kuala Lumpur and Chan Sow Lin in the central region, before branching out to their respective termini. The Ampang Line travels to Ampang in the east and the Sri Petaling Line travels towards southern Kuala Lumpur and onwards to
Puchong Puchong is a major town and a parliamentary constituency in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is bordered by Subang Jaya in the north, Sepang and Putrajaya in the south, Serdang in the east and Putra Heights in the west. History ...
. The system is mostly a mixture of at-grade and elevated tracks outside the city, and is completely elevated with it runs through the city. Both lines were completely opened in 1998. The
Kelana Jaya Line The LRT Kelana Jaya Line is a medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) line and the first fully automated and driverless rail system in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. It forms a part of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System in and around ...
and the
Sri Petaling Line The LRT Ampang Line and the LRT Sri Petaling Line are medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) lines in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The combined network comprises 45.1 kilometres of tracks (28.0 miles) with 36 stations and was the first r ...
both terminate at
Putra Heights Putra Heights is a residential township in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the '' mukim'' of Petaling District. The township is visible by the tall Bukit Cermin in Putra Heights. Transportation Highways and expressways ...
. The automated people mover system at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, called the "
Aerotrain Aerotrain may refer to: * Aérotrain, a hovercraft train developed in France * AeroTrain, an tiltrotor aircraft proposed by Karem Aircraft * Aerotrain (GM), a passenger train built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division * AeroTrain (Washington ...
", is a simple people-mover shuttle system running along two guiderails between the Main Terminal Building and Satellite Building. The two ends of the guiderails are elevated while the middle portion goes under the main airport taxiway. Each rail has a three-car automatic driver-less train.


=Perak

= In November 2021, the state government of Perak has expressed interest in constructing 2 lines across Ipoh, which will also include neighbouring towns such as
Batu Gajah Batu Gajah (population 133,422) is a municipality in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. It is the capital of Kinta District. Etymology The name ''Batu Gajah'' in Malay means "elephant rock", it is presumably derived from two large boulders (' ...
. There will be a total of 28 stations across both lines. Line 1 will start at Meru Raya and terminate at
Batu Gajah Batu Gajah (population 133,422) is a municipality in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. It is the capital of Kinta District. Etymology The name ''Batu Gajah'' in Malay means "elephant rock", it is presumably derived from two large boulders (' ...
, whereas Line 2 will start from
Sunway City Ipoh Sunway City Ipoh (Jawi: بندر سونواي ايڤوه; Chinese: 双威打扪) is a township in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia. It is located in Tambun Tambun ( Jawi: تمبون; ) is a major town in Kinta District, Perak, Malaysia. The Lost World of ...
and terminate at Simpang Pulai. Both the lines have 4 interconnected stations situated at Downtown Ipoh, including the Ipoh railway station, where passengers can interchange between both lines. It is also expected that Rapid KL will be operating once the construction has been completed.


Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

In December 2010, the government approved the implementation of an
MRT MRT may refer to: Transport Rapid Transit Systems * Mass Rapid Transit (disambiguation) * MRT (Singapore) or Mass Rapid Transit, Singapore * MRT (Bangkok) or Metropolitan Rapid Transit, Thailand * Manila Metro Rail Transit System, Philippine ...
project and announced preliminary plans for the first line, stretching from
Sungai Buloh Sungai Buloh, or Sungei Buloh, is a town, a mukim (commune) and a parliamentary constituency in the northern part of Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. The name itself means ''bamboo river'' in the Malay language. It is located 16 km NW ...
to
Kajang Kajang is a town in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Kajang, along with much of Hulu Langat District, is governed by the Kajang Municipal Council. Kajang town is located on the eastern banks of the Langat River. It is surrounded ...
through 35 stations. The line, known as Kajang Line, will pass through the city centre and will serve densely populated suburban areas including
Kota Damansara Kota Damansara is an affluent township located in Petaling Jaya, Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is a township spread across . It is also a state seat constituency which is sandwiched between Subang and Petaling Jaya. Notable landma ...
,
Mutiara Damansara Mutiara Damansara is an affluent major township in the northern flank of Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. Transportation Public transportation Mutiara Damansara MRT station is the main railway station serving the township. rapidKL bus route ...
,
Bandar Utama Bandar Utama Damansara is a residential township located within the Sungai Buloh mukim (subdivision) of the Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is a residential suburb and home to the popular 1 Utama Shopping Centre. Bandar Utama Damansar ...
,
Taman Tun Dr Ismail Taman Tun Dr. Ismail is a nearly half a decade old mid sized township in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Situated on the border of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor, it is within the vicinity of relatively newer townships including Bandar Utama Damansara, ...
, Bukit Damansara, Cheras,
Bandar Tun Hussein Onn Bandar Tun Hussein Onn is a township in 11th-Mile Cheras (Batu 11 Cheras) in Bangi constituency, Selangor, Malaysia. It was named after the third Malaysian Prime Minister, Tun Hussein Onn (in office 1976–1981). It is primarily a residential ar ...
and
Balakong Balakong ( Jawi: بالقوڠ; ) or Cheras South ( Jawi: چراس سلتن; ) is a township in Hulu Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia. Located to the southeast of Greater Kuala Lumpur, the township consists mainly of residential condominiums, ...
, with a total catchment population of 1.2 million people. The Kajang Line entered full revenue service in July 2017.


Monorail

Malaysia's major monorail system is used for public transport in
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
. It is long, running from
Titiwangsa Titiwangsa is one of the main areas located in the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Kuala Lumpur General Hospital is located south of Titiwangsa. The current member of parliament for Titiwangsa is Johari Abdul Ghani from Barisan Nasiona ...
in the north of central Kuala Lumpur, to KL Sentral just to the south of the city centre. It has 11 stations. The line consists of two parallel rails for most of the way except at the end stations where switches merge the two rails into a single rail before entering the station. The entire network is elevated. The system uses two-car and four-car trains which were manufactured in Malaysia. It is operated by
Rapid Rail Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd is the operator of the rapid transit (metro) system serving Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley area in Malaysia. A subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it is the sole operator of five rapid transit lines which collectively form t ...
. There are proposals to construct monorails in Penang and Johor Bahru. The federal administrative centre of Putrajaya was also supposed to have a monorail network and the main station and several metres of track have been built. The project was postponed because of the then low population of the city. However, the
Putrajaya Monorail The Putrajaya Monorail is an incomplete monorail system in Putrajaya, Malaysia. Construction has been stalled since 2004, but in 2020, it was stated that the system would be completed by 2025. Putrajaya was originally planned to include a ligh ...
projects are under plans to be revived. Malacca has been proposed to build a monorail line for urban mass-transit. The monorail has been hit by a number of setbacks, including the suspension of the service after a British couple, Anne and James Croft, had to be rescued by firefighters when the monorail stopped unexpectedly between stations. Following this incident a number of safety upgrades have been suggested including the purchase of cherry pickers in case of any further stoppages. After 4 years being suspended since 2013 due to technical problems, the
Malacca Monorail Melaka Monorail is a monorail system in Malacca City, Malacca, Malaysia with 3 stations – Tun Ali, Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat. Only the Tun Ali station is currently operational, while 2 other stations (Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat) are all closed u ...
service begin operating again on 4 December 2017.


Cable Car Rail System (Funicular)

The Penang Hill Railway in Penang is the only cable car rail system type (
funicular A funicular (, , ) is a type of cable railway system that connects points along a railway track laid on a steep slope. The system is characterized by two counterbalanced carriages (also called cars or trains) permanently attached to opposite e ...
) in Malaysia. The line is made up of two separate sections, with the total length at . Both sections are single lines with
passing loop A passing loop (UK usage) or passing siding (North America) (also called a crossing loop, crossing place, refuge loop or, colloquially, a hole) is a place on a single line railway or tramway, often located at or near a station, where trains or ...
s at midway. The tracks are metre gauge and have an incline of over 50%.


Other modes of transport


Cable Car

The 2.4 km
Awana Skyway The Awana Skyway, also referred to as the new Awana Skyway (ca. 2016), is a gondola lift system connecting Awana Transport Hub, Chin Swee Temple and SkyAvenue in Genting Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia since December 2016. The Awana Transport Hub ...
is an
aerial tramway An aerial tramway, sky tram, cable car, ropeway, aerial tram, telepherique, or seilbahn is a type of aerial lift which uses one or two stationary ropes for support while a third moving rope provides propulsion. With this form of lift, the grip ...
type cable car connecting Awana/Sri Layang and Genting Grand Hotel, Genting Highlands in Malaysia, was built in 1975 and was then Malaysia's very first
aerial lift An aerial lift, also known as a cable car or ropeway, is a means of cable transport in which ''cabins'', ''cars'', ''gondolas'', or open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of one or more cables. Aerial lift systems are frequently employe ...
cable car transport system before
Genting Skyway Genting Skyway is a gondola lift connecting Gohtong Jaya and Resort Hotel in Genting Highlands, Selangor, Malaysia. Its lower station at Gohtong Jaya township, located approximately northeast of Kuala Lumpur, comprises a 5-storey station buildi ...
is officially opened on 21 February 1997. It has ceased operations on 1 April 2014 to make way for the construction of a new cable car system using
gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate sup ...
type. The Genting Skyway is a
gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate sup ...
connecting Gohtong Jaya and Resorts World Genting in Malaysia. Its lower station, located approximately 51 kilometres (32 mi) northeast of Kuala lumpur, comprises a 5-storey station building and a 10-storey car park while its upper station is located at the Highlands Hotel. The
Langkawi Cable Car The Langkawi Cable Car, also known as Langkawi SkyCab, is a gondola lift and one of the major attractions in Langkawi Island, Kedah, Malaysia. It provides an aerial link from the Oriental Village at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang ...
is a
gondola lift A gondola lift is a means of cable transport and type of aerial lift which is supported and propelled by cables from above. It consists of a loop of steel wire rope that is strung between two stations, sometimes over intermediate sup ...
is one of the major attractions in Langkawi Island, Kedah, Malaysia. It provides an
aerial lift An aerial lift, also known as a cable car or ropeway, is a means of cable transport in which ''cabins'', ''cars'', ''gondolas'', or open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of one or more cables. Aerial lift systems are frequently employe ...
service from the Oriental Village at Teluk Burau to the peak of Gunung Machinchang, which is also the location of the Langkawi Sky Bridge. The total length is 2.2 km (1.4 mi). It was officially opened in 2003.


Rail-based public transport in Kuala Lumpur


Railway operators


Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad

The main intercity passenger train operator is
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) (Jawi: كريتاڤي تانه ملايو برحد) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was firs ...
(KTM), a corporation owned by the
Malaysian government The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia ( ms, Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia), is based in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is located in Kuala Lumpur. Mala ...
. It operates the diesel-hauled
KTM Intercity KTM Intercity ( ms, KTM Antarabandar) are diesel-hauled intercity train services in Peninsular Malaysia, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). Services operate along the East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas and on towards JB ...
passenger trains on the entire East Coast Line and the southern portion of the West Coast Line, and the electrified
KTM ETS The KTM ETS (commercially known as ETS, short for 'Electric Train Service') is an inter-city rail passenger service operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) using electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains. The KTM ETS is the second electric train servic ...
passenger trains along the remaining portion of the West Coast Line, between Padang Besar and Gemas and the Butterworth branch line. KTM also operates freight trains along both railway lines. Under the
KTM Komuter KTM Komuter is a commuter rail system in Malaysia operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It was introduced in 1995 to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. Services were later expanded to o ...
, KTM operates
commuter rail Commuter rail, or suburban rail, is a passenger rail transport service that primarily operates within a metropolitan area, connecting Commuting, commuters to a Downtown, central city from adjacent suburbs or commuter towns. Generally commuter r ...
services along double-track and electrified portions of the West Coast Line between
Tanjung Malim Tanjung Malim, or Tanjong Malim, is a town in Muallim District, Perak, Malaysia. It is approximately north of Kuala Lumpur and 120 km south of Ipoh via the North–South Expressway. It lies on the Perak-Selangor state border, with Sungai ...
in Perak and
Pulau Sebang Pulau Sebang is a mukim and town in Alor Gajah District, Malacca, Malaysia, which borders Tampin town of Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan. Infrastructures * Aleyah Kuala Ina Mosque * Mydin Pulau Sebang * SMK Sultan Mansor Shah Transportati ...
in Negeri Sembilan, and between Padang Besar in
Perlis Perlis, ( Northern Malay: ''Peghelih''), also known by its honorific title Perlis Indera Kayangan, is the smallest state in Malaysia by area and population. Located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia, it borders the Thai provinces ...
and
Padang Rengas Padang Rengas ( Jawi: ڤادڠ رڠاس; ) is a small town in Kuala Kangsar District, Perak, Malaysia. It has a police station, railway station, rural health centre, market and Schools ~ SJK(C) Khiu Min, SK Tun Dr. Ismail, SK Perempuan & SMK T ...
in Perak, as well as the Butterworth,
Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
and Batu Caves branch lines. Besides its own network, KTM also operates trains on the Kerteh-Kuantan railway under contract with Petronas, the owner of the line.


Sabah State Railway

The Sabah State Railway, previously the North Borneo Railway, is the only state department in Malaysia to operate a railway service. It operates passenger and freight services along the 134 km railway line between
Tanjung Aru Tanjung Aru is a sub-district of Kota Kinabalu in Sabah, of Malaysia. Its main feature is its beach called Tanjung Aru Beach which stretches to over 2 kilometres long along with new skyscrapers. This beach has a lot of '' Casuarina equisetifolia ...
and
Tenom Tenom ( ms, Pekan Tenom, ) is the capital of the Tenom District in the Interior Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 5,148 in 2010. It is located about 176 kilometres south of Kota Kinabalu and 128 kilometres n ...
in
East Malaysia East Malaysia (), or the Borneo States, also known as Malaysian Borneo, is the part of Malaysia on and near the island of Borneo, the world's third-largest island. Near the coast of Sabah is a small archipelago called Labuan. East Malaysia li ...
.


Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd

The
Express Rail Link The Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd is a company that owns and operates the airport rail link of the same name that connects the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral) transportation hub, 57 kilometres apa ...
(ERL) is a private company that was set up to develop and operate the high-speed railway between Kuala Lumpur's KL Sentral station and the
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
. It operates two services along the 57 km standard gauge line, the non-stop
KLIA Ekspres The ERL KLIA Ekspres is an express airport rail link servicing the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. It runs from KL Sentral, the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur to KLIA as well as its low-cost terminal, klia2. The ...
and the commuter-like
KLIA Transit The ERL KLIA Transit is a commuter rail service which serves as an airport rail link to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. It runs from KL Sentral, the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur to KLIA as well as its low-co ...
. Trains on the two services can reach a maximum speed of 160 km/h and are the fastest in Malaysia. Besides trains, the company also provides check-in facilities at its Kuala Lumpur City Airport Terminal at KL Sentral. Except for check-in baggage of passengers, Express Rail Link does not handle any cargo.


Rapid Rail

Rapid Rail Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd is the operator of the rapid transit (metro) system serving Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley area in Malaysia. A subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it is the sole operator of five rapid transit lines which collectively form t ...
was set up by
Prasarana Malaysia Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) (English: Malaysian Infrastructure Limited) is a 100% government-owned company which was set up by Ministry of Finance (Malaysia) as a corporate body established under the Minister of Finance (Incorporation ...
to operate the rapid transit public transport service in the Klang Valley.
Prasarana Malaysia Prasarana Malaysia Berhad (Prasarana) (English: Malaysian Infrastructure Limited) is a 100% government-owned company which was set up by Ministry of Finance (Malaysia) as a corporate body established under the Minister of Finance (Incorporation ...
is fully owned by Ministry of Finance Incorporated, the corporate arm of the Malaysian
Ministry of Finance A ministry of finance is a part of the government in most countries that is responsible for matters related to the finance. Lists of current ministries of finance Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Finance and Ec ...
. The company currently operates two MRT lines, three LRT lines and one monorail line in Kuala Lumpur under the
Rapid KL Rapid KL (styled as ''rapidKL'') is a public transportation system owned by Prasarana Malaysia and operated by its subsidiaries Rapid Rail and Rapid Bus. With its coverage throughout Kuala Lumpur and Klang Valley areas, it was followed by a ...
brand, namely the Kajang Line,
Putrajaya Line The MRT Putrajaya Line is the second Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Klang Valley, Malaysia, and the third fully automated and driverless rail system in region. The line stretches from to Putrajaya and runs through densely populated area ...
, Ampang Line,
Sri Petaling Line The LRT Ampang Line and the LRT Sri Petaling Line are medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) lines in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The combined network comprises 45.1 kilometres of tracks (28.0 miles) with 36 stations and was the first r ...
,
Kelana Jaya Line The LRT Kelana Jaya Line is a medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) line and the first fully automated and driverless rail system in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. It forms a part of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System in and around ...
and
KL Monorail The KL Monorail Line is one of the operational monorail systems in Malaysia. Operated as part of the RapidKL system by Rapid Rail, a subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it is one of the components of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System. Th ...
.


Other operators

*Malaysia Airports (Sepang) Berhad: The main operator of airports in Malaysia is also the operator of the
Aerotrain Aerotrain may refer to: * Aérotrain, a hovercraft train developed in France * AeroTrain, an tiltrotor aircraft proposed by Karem Aircraft * Aerotrain (GM), a passenger train built by General Motors Electro-Motive Division * AeroTrain (Washington ...
at
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
. *Penang State Government: The state government of Penang operates the Penang Hill Railway.


History

Railways in Malaysia began because of the need to transport tin from mines in the hinterland of the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia to coastal ports. The first railway line, which was opened on 1 June 1885, was about 13 km long and ran between Port Weld and
Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
, the heart of the tin-rich Larut Valley in Perak state. The second line was opened a year later to link
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
, again the center of tin-mining activities in the Klang Valley, and Klang and subsequently to Port Swettenham (
Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
today).


Timeline

* 1885 – The first railway line in Malaya between
Taiping __NOTOC__ Taiping, Tai-p’ing, or Tai Ping most often refers to: Chinese history * Princess Taiping (died 713), Tang dynasty princess * Taiping Rebellion (1850–1864), civil war in southern China ** Taiping Heavenly Kingdom (1851–1864), the re ...
and Port Weld is officially opened on 1 June. * 1886 – Opening of line between
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
and Klang. * July 1888 – The first train crash in the country occurred in Sungai Kerawai near Teluk Anson, Perak. * 1891 – Opening of the line between
Seremban Seremban (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Soghomban'', ''Somban''; Jawi: ) is a city in the Seremban District and the capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia. The city's administration is run by the Seremban City Council. Se ...
and
Port Dickson Port Dickson (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Podeksen'', Jawi: ) is a beach resort in Port Dickson District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia. It is the second largest urban area in Negeri Sembilan after Seremban, its state capital. The town's admin ...
. (Abandon) * 1893 – Teluk Anson to Tapah Road line opened. (Abandon) * 1896 – Federated Malay States Railway created, merging the operations of the initial four lines. * 1900 – Opening of the Victoria Railway Bridge across
Perak River The Perak River ( ms, Sungai Perak; ) is the second longest river in Peninsular Malaysia after Pahang River in Pahang, Malaysia. A number of towns are on the banks of the river including the royal town of Kuala Kangsar. Most of the settlement ...
in Perak. (Taiping - Port Weld line) * 1903 – Line between Tank Road and Woodlands in Singapore opened for service. * 1909 – The West Coast Line between Prai in Penang state and Johor Bahru completed and opened. * 1910 – The first stretch of the East Coast Line between
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
and Bahau is opened. * 1923 - Johor-Singapore Causeway was opened, connecting Singapore's railway network with the rest of Malaya. * 1931 – East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas completed with the opening of the last stretch between Gua Musang and Kuala Gris in
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in th ...
. * 3 August 1995 – The first
KTM Komuter KTM Komuter is a commuter rail system in Malaysia operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It was introduced in 1995 to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. Services were later expanded to o ...
trains, Malaysia's first to be run on electricity, began taking passengers between
Kuala Lumpur , anthem = ''Maju dan Sejahtera'' , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Malaysia#Southeast Asia#Asia , pushpin_map_caption = , coordinates = , sub ...
and Rawang. Entire commuter train network opened to passengers with the final stretch to Seremban becoming operational on 18 December 1995. * 14 April 2002 – Malaysia's first high-speed train, the
KLIA Ekspres The ERL KLIA Ekspres is an express airport rail link servicing the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. It runs from KL Sentral, the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur to KLIA as well as its low-cost terminal, klia2. The ...
between KL Sentral and
Kuala Lumpur International Airport Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is Malaysia's main international airport. It is located in the Sepang District of Selangor, approximately south of Kuala Lumpur and serves the city's greater conurbation. KLIA is the largest and ...
was officially launched. At the same time, the Kuala Lumpur City Air Terminal in KL Sentral was also opened. * 1 July 2011 – KTM's
Tanjong Pagar Tanjong Pagar (New Rumi Spelling, alternatively spelled ''Tanjung Pagar'') is a historic district located within the Central Business District in Singapore, straddling the Outram, Singapore, Outram Planning Area and the Downtown Core under the ...
and
Bukit Timah Bukit Timah, often abbreviated as Bt Timah, is a planning area and residential estate located in the westernmost part of the Central Region of Singapore. Bukit Timah lies roughly from the Central Business District, bordering the Central Wat ...
railway stations in Singapore were closed. All Singapore operations were moved to
Woodlands Train Checkpoint Woodlands Train Checkpoint (abbreviated as WTCP, also known as Woodlands CIQ) is a railway station and border checkpoint in Woodlands, Singapore. Located close to the Malaysia–Singapore border, the station is owned by Singapore's Immigration ...
. * 2013 - The stretch of rail between
Seremban Seremban (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Soghomban'', ''Somban''; Jawi: ) is a city in the Seremban District and the capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia. The city's administration is run by the Seremban City Council. Se ...
and
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
was double tracked and electrified. ETS services ran the same year. * 2014 - The stretch of rail between Ipoh and Padang Besar was double tracked and electrified. ETS services ran the following year.


Projects and expansion plans


Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrification and Double-Tracking

The MYR 8 billion contract was expected to be tendered out by end 2008 pending a mid-term review of the
Ninth Malaysia Plan The Ninth Malaysian Plan ( ms, Rancangan Malaysia ke-9), abbreviated as '9MP', is a comprehensive blueprint prepared by the Economic Planning Unit (EPU) of the Prime Minister's Department and the Finance Ministry of Malaysia with approval by the ...
. The project would have included building over 200 km of parallel railway tracks, including stations, depots, halts, yards and bridges and cover systems such as electrification, signalling and communications. This included the realignment between Pulau Sebang, Melaka to Gemas section. In May 2009,
Global Rail Global means of or referring to a globe and may also refer to: Entertainment * ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003 * ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007 * ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 1989 * ''Global'' (Todd Rundgren album), 2015 * Bruno ...
Sdn Bhd, a relatively small contractor and its Chinese partner, China Infraglobe submitted a proposal to the Government to build and upgrade tracks from
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
to Johor Bahru at a cost of MYR 5 billion. According to them, the project would be on a private finance initiative basis and the plan submitted to the Finance Ministry later in June 2009 was conditional upon signing over mineral rights in Johor State. On 29 January 2011, Transport Minister
Datuk Seri The Malay language has a complex system of styles, titles and honorifics which are used extensively in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the southern Philippines. Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and several provinces in Indonesia regul ...
Kong Cho Ha Kong Cho Ha (; born 15 September 1950) is a Malaysian politician. He served as the Minister of Transport from 4 June 2010 to 5 May 2013. He was the Member of Parliament of Malaysia for the Lumut constituency in Perak from 29 November 1999 to ...
said that the Gemas-Johor Bahru double-tracking and electrification project was expected to start that year. He added that the Government hoped to appoint the contractor for the project that year and Malaysia was still in the midst of talking with China Railway Construction, but nothing was confirmed yet. Kong said two consultants had been appointed, a design consultant and an independent checker, to monitor the project. The construction of the 197 km of tracks, at an estimated cost between MYR 6 billion and MYR 7 billion, would take three years. On 27 October 2015, the public display exercise, required for all development of new railways under Section 84 of Malaysia's Land Public Transport Act 2010, for the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrification Double Tracking Project began and will run until 27 January 2016. According to documents on display to the public, construction is expected to begin in 2016 and be completed in 2021. The Chinese company CRCC has been awarded to build the Gemas-Johor Bahru Electrification and Double-Tracking project. Construction on the project began in Jan 2018. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2021. The length of the line to be electrified and double-tracked is 197 km between Chainage 563.040 at
Gemas Gemas (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Gomeh'') is a small town and a mukim in Tampin District, Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia, near the Negeri Sembilan-Johor state border. It is situated 101 km northeast of Seremban, the state capital city, and 30 km no ...
and Chainage 754.180 at Johor Bahru. The project includes the construction of 11 stations at , , , , , , , , , and , and 3 future stations at , and . The upgraded line is supposed to cater for at least 22 services daily involving
KTM ETS The KTM ETS (commercially known as ETS, short for 'Electric Train Service') is an inter-city rail passenger service operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) using electric multiple-unit (EMU) trains. The KTM ETS is the second electric train servic ...
,
KTM Intercity KTM Intercity ( ms, KTM Antarabandar) are diesel-hauled intercity train services in Peninsular Malaysia, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). Services operate along the East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas and on towards JB ...
and shuttle train services as well as
KTM Komuter KTM Komuter is a commuter rail system in Malaysia operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). It was introduced in 1995 to provide local rail services in Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding Klang Valley suburban areas. Services were later expanded to o ...
. The documents displayed also stated that the electrification for the stretch will have the same specifications as that of the Seremban-Gemas stretch, at 25 kV AC 50 Hz single phase and supplied via an overhead catenary. Train operations for this stretch will be integrated with the Train Control Centres at KL Sentral and Gemas. The design speed for the tracks is 160 km/h.


Klang Valley Double Track Project

The project was implemented by
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) (Jawi: كريتاڤي تانه ملايو برحد) or Malayan Railways Limited is the main rail operator in Peninsular Malaysia. The railway system dates back to the British colonial era, when it was firs ...
began in 2016 and phase 1 is expected to be completed by 2021. The project entails the rehabilitation of 42 km of tracks between and as well as and Simpang Batu. This will focus on enhancing 16 stations along these routes and upgrade the existing signalling and electrification system. This will be reduced to just seven-and-a-half minutes once the KVDT is completed. The 42 km rehabilitation under Phase I, which are: *Phase 1A (Rawang – Simpang Batu) *Phase 1B (Kuala Lumpur – Simpang Bangsar) *Phase 2 (Simpang Batu – Kuala Lumpur) *Phase 3 (Sentul – Simpang Batu) *Phase 4 (Simpang Bangsar – Salak Selatan) Phase II is from Simpang - Pelabuhan Klang and Salak Selatan - Seremban.


Penang Transport Master Plan

The Penang Transport Master Plan is a proposed, mixed-mode transport scheme for the state of Penang in norther Peninsular Malaysia conceived by the
Penang state government The Government of Penang ( ms, Kerajaan Negeri Pulau Pinang) refers to the government authority of the Malaysian state of Penang. The state government adheres to and is created by both the Constitution of Malaysia, the supreme law of Malaysia, an ...
, consisting of light rail, bus and rapid transit systems. The Bayan Lepas light rapid transit (LRT) line will be the first LRT line in Penang. It is The first and one of the priority projects of the Master Plan. The proposed 22 km (14 mi) will exclusively serve the
Penang Island Penang Island ( ms, Pulau Pinang; zh, 檳榔嶼; ta, பினாங்கு தீவு) is part of the state of Penang, on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. It was named Prince of Wales Island when it was occupied by the British Ea ...
, and will link the city centre of George Town in the north with the industrial town of
Bayan Lepas Bayan Lepas is a town in the Malaysian state of Penang. It is located within the Southwest Penang Island District, near the southeastern tip of Penang Island. Founded in the 19th century, Bayan Lepas has various industries. History Bayan Le ...
to the south of the island.


East Coast Rail Link

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is a planned standard gauge
double-track A double-track railway usually involves running one track in each direction, compared to a single-track railway where trains in both directions share the same track. Overview In the earliest days of railways in the United Kingdom, most li ...
railway link infrastructure project connecting
Port Klang Port Klang ( ms, Pelabuhan Klang) is a town and the main gateway by sea into Malaysia. Known during colonial times as Port Swettenham ( ms, Pelabuhan Swettenham) but renamed Port Klang in July 1972, it is the largest port in the country. It is l ...
on the Straits of Malacca to
Kota Bharu Kota Bharu, colloquially referred to as KB, is a town in Malaysia that serves as the state capital and royal seat of Kelantan. It is situated in the northeastern part of Peninsular Malaysia and lies near the mouth of the Kelantan River. The ...
in northeast
Peninsular Malaysia Peninsular Malaysia ( ms, Semenanjung Malaysia; Jawi: سمننجڠ مليسيا), or the States of Malaya ( ms, Negeri-negeri Tanah Melayu; Jawi: نڬري-نڬري تانه ملايو), also known as West Malaysia or the Malaysian Peninsula, ...
via Putrajaya, connecting the
East Coast Economic Region East Coast Economic Region (ECER) ( ms, Wilayah Ekonomi Pantai Timur; Jawi: ولايه ايكونومي ڤنتاي تيمور) is an economic development region based on the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, which covers the states of Kelantan, T ...
states of
Pahang Pahang (; Jawi: , Pahang Hulu Malay: ''Paha'', Pahang Hilir Malay: ''Pahaeng'', Ulu Tembeling Malay: ''Pahaq)'' officially Pahang Darul Makmur with the Arabic honorific ''Darul Makmur'' (Jawi: , "The Abode of Tranquility") is a sultanate and ...
,
Terengganu Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith" ...
and
Kelantan Kelantan (; Jawi: ; Kelantanese Malay: ''Klate'') is a state in Malaysia. The capital is Kota Bharu and royal seat is Kubang Kerian. The honorific name of the state is ''Darul Naim'' (Jawi: ; "The Blissful Abode"). Kelantan is located in th ...
to one another, and to the Central Region of the Peninsular's west coast. The project was proposed to provide high speed inter-city rail service to the east coast states and to complement the
KTM East Coast Line The East Coast railway line (ECRL) is the single track metre gauge runs between Gemas railway station, in Negeri Sembilan and Tumpat railway station, in Kelantan of Malaysia. Gemas is the rail junction between the West Coast line and East Coast ...
. Currently, Terengganu is the only state in Peninsular Malaysia without a passenger railway system, as the KTM East Coast Line on services Pahang and Kelantan.


Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System

The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link) is a planned
cross-border Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders ...
rapid transit system Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
that would connect
Woodlands, Singapore Woodlands () is a planning area and residential town located in the North of Singapore. As of 2019, the town has a population of 254,733. It is the densest planning area and is the regional centre for the North Region of the country. The ...
and Johor Bahru,
Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
, crossing the
Straits of Johor The Johore Strait (also known as the Tebrau Strait, Straits of Johor, Selat Johor, Selat Tebrau, and Tebrau Reach) is an international strait in Southeast Asia, between Singapore and Peninsular Malaysia. Geography The strait separates the Ma ...
. The rapid transit system will have two stations, with the Singaporean terminus located at Woodlands North station (interchanging with the
Singapore MRT The Mass Rapid Transit system, locally known by the initialism MRT, is a rapid transit system in Singapore and the island country's principal mode of railway transportation. The system commenced operations in November 1987 after two decades of ...
system) and the Malaysia terminus at Bukit Chagar station (interchange with the proposed Iskandar Malaysia BRT system). Both stations will have co-located Singaporean and Malaysian customs, immigration and quarantine facilities. When built, the RTS Link will be the second rail link between the two countries after the
KTM Intercity KTM Intercity ( ms, KTM Antarabandar) are diesel-hauled intercity train services in Peninsular Malaysia, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB). Services operate along the East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas and on towards JB ...
Shuttle Tebrau, and the first high-capacity international
metro system Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
to be built. The RTS Link is expected to replace the railway line and shuttle train services between
JB Sentral Johor Bahru Sentral (also known as JB Sentral) is an integrated transport hub in Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. Inaugurated on 21 October 2010, it replaced the closed Johor Bahru railway station located 200m south of it. As part ...
and
Woodlands Train Checkpoint Woodlands Train Checkpoint (abbreviated as WTCP, also known as Woodlands CIQ) is a railway station and border checkpoint in Woodlands, Singapore. Located close to the Malaysia–Singapore border, the station is owned by Singapore's Immigration ...
, completing the withdrawal of KTM operations from Singapore.


Kuala Lumpur Light Rapid Transit (LRT) system expansion

On 29 August 2006, then Malaysian Deputy Prime Minister Mohd Najib Abdul Razak announced a RM10 billion plan to expand Kuala Lumpur's public transport network. The plan included extending the existing
Kelana Jaya Line The LRT Kelana Jaya Line is a medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) line and the first fully automated and driverless rail system in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. It forms a part of the Klang Valley Integrated Transit System in and around ...
from
Kelana Jaya Kelana Jaya is a suburb of Petaling Jaya city, in the state of Selangor, Malaysia, comprising sections SS3, SS4, SS5, SS6, and SS7. The Damansara–Puchong Expressway cuts through this neighbourhood. The shopping mall Paradigm Mall is located here ...
via Subang Jaya to
Putra Heights Putra Heights is a residential township in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the '' mukim'' of Petaling District. The township is visible by the tall Bukit Cermin in Putra Heights. Transportation Highways and expressways ...
and the
Sri Petaling Line The LRT Ampang Line and the LRT Sri Petaling Line are medium-capacity light rapid transit (LRT) lines in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. The combined network comprises 45.1 kilometres of tracks (28.0 miles) with 36 stations and was the first r ...
from
Sri Petaling Sri Petaling (also known as Bandar Baru Sri Petaling) is a suburb of Kuala Lumpur, in Malaysia. The township is located in the south of the city, within the constituency of Seputeh, and is bordered by the towns of Happy Garden, Taman OUG, ...
to
Putra Heights Putra Heights is a residential township in Subang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia. It is located within the '' mukim'' of Petaling District. The township is visible by the tall Bukit Cermin in Putra Heights. Transportation Highways and expressways ...
via
Puchong Puchong is a major town and a parliamentary constituency in Petaling District, Selangor, Malaysia. It is bordered by Subang Jaya in the north, Sepang and Putrajaya in the south, Serdang in the east and Putra Heights in the west. History ...
. Prasarana Malaysia, the owner of the LRT lines, signed an agreement on 13 October 2006 with Bombardier and a Malaysian company joint venture for the purchase of 22 light rail vehicle sets with an option for another 13 for RM1.2 billion for the Kelana Jaya Line. The 22 vehicles will have four cars each and will boost the carrying capacity of the fleet by 1,500 people. The 22 sets will be delivered from August 2008. The new rolling stock was put into full operation by 2016. end-2010. As for the Ampang and Sri Petaling Line, the rolling stock currently consists of a fleet of 50 new trains that are deployed to increase the capacity of the line and provide a better service. Each of the new trains is six cars long and provided by CSR Zhuzhou of China. The entire project and fleet expansion was completed and have been in full operation since 30 June 2016. A third LRT system is under construction which, once completed, will link the city centre with the cities of
Shah Alam Shah Alam () is a city and the state capital of Selangor, Malaysia and situated within the Petaling District and a small portion of the neighbouring Klang District. Shah Alam replaced Kuala Lumpur as the capital city of the state of Selangor ...
and Klang. The line, which spans 37 km, has 25 permanent stations under construction, five of them being kept as provisional stations for the future. The LRT line is planned to be fully operational by 2026.


Sarawak rail transportation projects

Terengganu Terengganu (; Terengganu Malay: ''Tranung'', Jawi: ), formerly spelled Trengganu or Tringganu, is a sultanate and constitutive state of federal Malaysia. The state is also known by its Arabic honorific, ''Dāru l- Īmān'' ("Abode of Faith" ...
and
Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
are the only two states in Malaysia that do not have railway infrastructure. In Sarawak, a
railway line Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term ''railroad'' and the international term ''railway'' (used by the International Union of Railways and English-speaking countries outside the United Sta ...
existed before the Second World War, but the last remnants of the line were dismantled in 1959. As part of
Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy The Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy ("SCORE") is an economic region and development corridor covering central Sarawak, a Malaysian State on the island of Borneo. SCORE was launched in 2008. It is one of the five regional development corridors ...
project, the government is planning a 320 km railway track between Similajau in
Bintulu Bintulu is a coastal town on the island of Borneo in the central region of Sarawak, Malaysia. Bintulu is located 610 kilometres (380 mi) northeast of Kuching, 216 kilometres (134 mi) northeast of Sibu, and 200 kilometres (120 mi) ...
Division and Tanjung Manis in Mukah Division. The cost and plans for the project timeline is yet to be revealed. Another railway line, the Sarawak Railway Line is a proposed project by the
Malaysian government The Government of Malaysia, officially the Federal Government of Malaysia ( ms, Kerajaan Persekutuan Malaysia), is based in the Federal Territory of Putrajaya with the exception of the legislative branch, which is located in Kuala Lumpur. Mala ...
to establishing a railway network in the state of
Sarawak Sarawak (; ) is a state of Malaysia. The largest among the 13 states, with an area almost equal to that of Peninsular Malaysia, Sarawak is located in northwest Borneo Island, and is bordered by the Malaysian state of Sabah to the northeast, ...
. In 2008, it was reported the project will be ready in 2015 but still no signs of development by the government until present. The Kuching LRT system is a proposed
light rapid transit A medium-capacity system (MCS), also known as light rapid transit or light metro, is a rail transport system with a capacity greater than light rail, but less than typical heavy-rail rapid transit. MCS’s trains are usually 1-4 cars, or 1 lig ...
(LRT) system network in Kuching, the capital city of Sarawak. as one of the methods to ease traffic congestion in the city. The proposed LRT lines will connect Kuching to Samarahan and Serian. The construction of the RM10.8 billion project was expected to commence by 2019 and was scheduled to be operational by 2024.


Sabah rail transportation projects

On 17 September 2015, it was announced that the Sabah State Railway will be extended to cover the northern and east coast areas, mainly to major towns of
Kudat Kudat ( ms, Pekan Kudat) is the capital of the Kudat District in the Kudat Division of Sabah, Malaysia. Its population was estimated to be around 29,025 in 2010. It is located on the Kudat Peninsula, about north of Kota Kinabalu, the state cap ...
,
Sandakan Sandakan (, Jawi: , ) formerly known at various times as Elopura, is the capital of the Sandakan District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the second largest city in Sabah after Kota Kinabalu. It is located on the Sandakan Peninsula and east coast of ...
and
Tawau Tawau (, Jawi: , ), formerly known as Tawao, is the capital of the Tawau District in Sabah, Malaysia. It is the third-largest city in Sabah, after Kota Kinabalu and Sandakan. It is located on the Semporna Peninsula in the southeast coast of t ...
. On 21 March 2017, around RM1 million has been allocated for the project study. Once the project is complete, there is also a proposal to connecting the rail networks of Sabah and Sarawak in Malaysia with the provinces of Kalimantan in
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
that will be called as "Trans-Borneo Railway", as Indonesia were currently developing the railway network on their side. A proposed
monorail A monorail (from "mono", meaning "one", and " rail") is a railway in which the track consists of a single rail or a beam. Colloquially, the term "monorail" is often used to describe any form of elevated rail or people mover. More accurat ...
line project is to be constructed in the
Kota Kinabalu , image_skyline = , image_caption = From top, left to right, bottom:Kota Kinabalu skyline, Wawasan intersection, Tun Mustapha Tower, Kota Kinabalu Coastal Highway, the Kota Kinabalu City Mosque, the Wism ...
area by the Sabah state government. The proposals generated mixed reactions between the mayor and politicians. As reported in the government website, the project was in the
ground breaking Groundbreaking, also known as cutting, sod-cutting, turning the first sod, or a sod-turning ceremony, is a traditional ceremony in many cultures that celebrates the first day of construction for a building or other project. Such ceremonies are ...
process under the Kota Kinabalu development plan. A new rapid transit line has also been proposed to ease traffic congestions in Kota Kinabalu, the capital of Sabah. On 27 August 2019, the
Kota Kinabalu City Hall The Kota Kinabalu City Hall ( ms, Dewan Bandaraya Kota Kinabalu, abbreviated DBKK; is the city council which administers the city and district of Kota Kinabalu in the state of Sabah, Malaysia. The council consists of the mayor plus twenty-four ...
(DBKK) has submitted a proposal to build an LRT or MRT to the federal government. The city authorities are currently waiting for budget on the project. On 2021, a skytrain system of Kota Kinabalu was proposed. The skytrain is planned to connect the
Kota Kinabalu International Airport Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA) is an international airport in Kota Kinabalu, the state capital of Sabah, Malaysia. It is located approximately southwest of the city centre. In 2017, 8 million passengers passed through the air ...
and
Universiti Malaysia Sabah , image = Seal of Universiti Malaysia Sabah.png , image_size = , caption = Seal , motto = ''Bertekad Cemerlang'' (Malay) Jawi: , mottoeng = Strive to Excel , ...
.4 companies which will be involved in the skytrain project signed a memorandum of understanding on 29 November. The skytrain will be built by phases, with phase 1 will be connecting the airport to the city centre, while phase 2 will extended till Alamesra, near the university.


Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (MRT)

The
Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit The Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit project is a planned three-line mass rapid transit (MRT) system in the Klang Valley (Greater Kuala Lumpur), an urban conurbation in Malaysia which includes the capital city of Kuala Lumpur. The MRT lines, whe ...
project is a proposed three-line 150 km MRT system by
Gamuda Berhad Gamuda Berhad () is an engineering, property and infrastructure company based in Malaysia. It is one of the largest Malaysian infrastructure companies and has undertaken various projects, both locally and overseas, like the construction of Kla ...
-
MMC Corporation Berhad MMC Corporation Berhad (abbreviated as MMC; ) is a Malaysian utility and infrastructure conglomerate, with diversified businesses under three divisions: Energy & Utilities, Ports & Logistics, and Engineering. Syed Mokhtar Albukhary is the company's ...
for the Klang Valley which envisages a "Wheel and Spoke" concept comprising two northeast–southwest radial lines and one circle line looping around Kuala Lumpur. The proposal was announced in early-June 2010 and construction works targeted to commence in early 2011, leading to project completion in 2016 for the first line. The MRT system will be the backbone of a new transport system in Klang Valley, which will be home to an estimated 10 million people by 2020. The MRT system will be integrated with the existing LRT, monorail, KTM Komuter and intra- and inter-city bus services to form an effective public transportation system. In December 2010, the Government announced that the Kajang Line will be the first to take off. The Kajang Line will run from Sungai Buloh to Kajang through the Kuala Lumpur city centre. This route which runs from north-west to south-east of Kuala Lumpur is densely populated and is currently inadequately served by the then existing rail-based public transport. Upon completion, the line is estimated to provide service to 1.2 million people with an estimated daily ridership of 442,000. Construction of the line was officially launched on 8 July 2011 by then Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak. Phase 1 of the line, from Sungai Buloh to Semantan station was operational by December 2016 while the remainder of the line opened in July 2017. The MRT system will be owned by the Government of Malaysia through the Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp), a special purpose vehicle which is 100% owned by the Minister of Finance Incorporated.
Rapid Rail Rapid Rail Sdn Bhd is the operator of the rapid transit (metro) system serving Kuala Lumpur and the Klang Valley area in Malaysia. A subsidiary of Prasarana Malaysia, it is the sole operator of five rapid transit lines which collectively form t ...
, which is the current operator of the Klang Valley's LRT and monorail lines operated the MRT lines under its integrated fare system. A second MRT line, the
Putrajaya Line The MRT Putrajaya Line is the second Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Klang Valley, Malaysia, and the third fully automated and driverless rail system in region. The line stretches from to Putrajaya and runs through densely populated area ...
, is currently under construction and is slated to be completed and fully operational by January 2023. The third MRT line, the Circle Line, is another proposed line and would be the "Wheel" component of the MRT project. The line was recently approved by the Cabinet and is currently awaiting the tendering process. Constructions are expected to commence by December 2028.


See also

*
Rail transport by country This page provides an index of articles on rail transport by country. International railway organisations * International Union of Railways (UIC) * International Union of Public Transport (UITP) * Association of American Railways (AAR) Afri ...
*
Transport in Malaysia Transportation in Malaysia started to develop during British colonial rule, and the country's transport network is now diverse and developed. Malaysia's road network is extensive, covering 290,099.38 kilometres, including 2,016.05 km of ex ...
*
Klang Valley Integrated Transit System The Klang Valley Integrated Transit System is an integrated transport network that primarily serves the area of Klang Valley and Greater Kuala Lumpur. The system currently consists of 11 fully operating rail lines; two commuter rail lines, f ...
*
Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed rail The Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed rail (HSR) was a proposed railway project to link Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore via a high-speed rail line. It was first proposed by then Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak in September 2010. Sing ...
* Railway stations in South East Asia


Notes


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rail Transport In Malaysia