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ECRL can accommodate 10,000 passengers daily
🇲🇾 Malaysia /Energy & Infrastructure

ECRL can accommodate 10,000 passengers daily

From Utusan Malaysia · () Malay

Translated from Malay, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified New plan
  • The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in Malaysia is expected to accommodate approximately 10,000 passengers daily with its current train sets.
  • Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that the capacity relies on 10 train sets, each capable of carrying up to 425 passengers, offering a faster travel time between the East and West Coasts.
  • The ECRL is undergoing a 8,000-kilometer Fault-Free Run (FFR) test, a crucial step before passenger service begins, with efforts underway to shorten this testing period.

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) in Malaysia is poised to handle around 10,000 passengers per day, according to Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook. This capacity is based on the availability of 10 train sets, each capable of transporting up to 425 passengers.

The ministry is confident that the service will receive an encouraging response based on the ECRL's advantage of offering faster travel between the East Coast and West Coast.

— Anthony Loke Siew FookMinister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook speaking about the expected demand for the ECRL service.

Loke expressed confidence that the ECRL will attract significant ridership, highlighting its advantage of offering much faster travel times between Malaysia's East and West Coasts. A journey from Gombak Integrated Terminal to Kota Sultan Ahmad Shah (KotaSAS) is projected to take just one hour and 35 minutes, a substantial reduction from the approximately three-hour road journey. Travel times to Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu are estimated at around three and four hours, respectively.

The journey from Gombak Integrated Terminal to Kota Sultan Ahmad Shah (KotaSAS) is expected to take only one hour and 35 minutes, compared to about three hours by road.

— Anthony Loke Siew FookMinister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook detailing the travel time benefits of the ECRL.

Before commencing passenger operations, all 10 ECRL train sets must successfully complete a Fault-Free Run (FFR) test covering 8,000 kilometers. This rigorous testing phase is essential to ensure the trains meet performance and reliability standards. The ministry is also exploring ways to expedite the FFR process, which typically spans two to three months, without compromising safety.

FFR is one of the important processes to ensure the performance and reliability of the train are at the specified level before the service is opened to passengers.

— Anthony Loke Siew FookMinister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook explaining the significance of the Fault-Free Run test.

Five ECRL train sets have already arrived in Malaysia, with the remaining sets to be delivered sequentially after undergoing various tests in China. The ticket prices for the ECRL have not yet been announced, and any fare details will be disclosed before the service launches.

We are also examining methods to shorten the FFR period because the process usually takes two to three months, without compromising safety.

— Anthony Loke Siew FookMinister of Transport Anthony Loke Siew Fook discussing efforts to expedite the testing phase.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Utusan Malaysia in Malay. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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