ECRL fares to be announced this month, tickets on sale in November
The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is getting closer to welcoming its first passengers, with fares for the service set to be announced later this month. Tickets will then go on sale in November, ahead of the line’s commercial launch in mid-December 2026.
This was shared by Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, who also gave a hint of what passengers can expect to pay. While exact figures have yet to be revealed, he said fares will sit somewhere between what you’d pay for a bus ticket and a flight.
“We expect dynamic and affordable fares that will be lower than airfares and slightly higher than bus fares.” – Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, Chief Executive Officer of Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd.
The first stretch to open will be Phase One, which runs between Kota Bharu in Kelantan and Gombak in Selangor. There will be 12 return trips daily from Monday to Thursday, going up to 14 from Friday to Sunday. As for travel time, the journey from Kota Bharu to Gombak is expected to take around four hours, compared to roughly seven hours by road.
Speaking of speed, the ECRL’s inspection train recently completed a non-stop run covering 519km between Gombak and Kota Bharu in just three hours and 19 minutes, hitting speeds of up to 160km/h along the way. Other routes are expected to have similarly short travel times, with Gombak to Kuala Terengganu taking about three hours, while an express trip from Gombak to Kuantan is said to take just one hour and 35 minutes.
Passenger services will be run using 11 six-car electric trains, each able to carry up to 425 passengers. When fully completed, the 665km line will connect Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor through 20 stations, with the remaining Phase Two stretch from Gombak to Port Klang scheduled for completion in January 2028.
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