KLANG, July 4 — Barely an hour after finishing his Advanced Financial Management examination at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Shah Alam, 24-year-old accounting student Afifi Afzil Azami was no longer thinking about balance sheets.

Instead, he and a classmate found themselves aboard the newly opened LRT3 Shah Alam Line, making an impromptu trip to Klang simply because neither had explored Selangor’s royal town before.

With free rides on the new line and its feeder buses until July 31, the pair decided there was no better time for a spontaneous “cuti-cuti Klang”.

“We had just finished our exam this morning at UiTM Shah Alam,” Afifi said.

“We got off at Pasar Klang station and walked around looking for somewhere to eat, but it seemed rather quiet. There were lots of fruit and vegetable traders there, so we got back on the train and came here instead,” he added.

Exam-free, the two university students said they planned to hit the LRT3 Line again to the neighbouring Jambatan Kota station, where they planned to have lunch.

After that, they would do another hop-and-ride to the Bukit Tinggi station to explore Aeon Mall and Lotus’s and the rest of Klang.

They were far from the only ones making the journey.

Just outside Jambatan Kota station, visitors could be seen following signs towards Little India, Pasar Jawa and the historic Kota Bridge, while others wandered in search of bak kut teh, cendol and other local favourites.

Many said they were visiting Klang for the first time on public transport, taking advantage of the complimentary rides announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim when the long-awaited LRT3 Shah Alam Line began operations last Monday.

Among them was 62-year-old Chan from Ampang, who travelled with two friends in search of a bak kut teh restaurant near Klang’s Little India.

It was also her first ride on the new line.

“We usually drive. Today we took the train to go here for a cuti-cuti Klang,” she said.

The group drove from Ampang before parking near Bandar Utama station and boarding the train to Klang.

“We’re driving-type people,” Chan said with a laugh.

“The train itself is good,” she added.

For Chan, the ease of getting around on foot came as an unexpected bonus.

“The pedestrian walkway is good. Good enough actually, as long as it’s walkable.

“Actually, this is the first time I’ve seen this type of walkway. In Kuala Lumpur, the walkways are much narrower. You either walk beside the road or away from it.

“But I can’t say Kuala Lumpur should do the same because the roads are different sizes,” she said.

Around Jambatan Kota station, wide covered pedestrian walkways, numerous zebra crossings and clear directional signs make it easy for visitors to explore the surrounding neighbourhood on foot.

The station also connects directly to several of Klang’s best-known landmarks, including Little India, Pasar Jawa and the historic Kota Bridge.

Subang Jaya resident Shashi Dharan, 69, and his son Anand, 37, were another pair making the most of the free rides.

The father and son said they usually drove whenever they visited Klang, but the free LRT3 rides gave them the perfect excuse to slow down and explore the town on foot instead.

“We’re taking advantage of the free ride. We want to explore this place. Previously we always drove into Klang.

“The pedestrian walkway is very convenient and clean,” Shashi said.

Just a short stroll from the station, Pasar Jawa remained lively through lunchtime as visitors stopped for cendol and rojak while office workers and Prasarana feeder bus drivers gathered at the food stalls.

Long known as a trading hub for Klang’s Javanese community, the market is also popular for traditional Malay snacks, particularly its wide variety of kerepek.

Nearby stands Kota Bridge, Malaysia’s first double-decker bridge spanning the Klang River.

Opened in 1961, the bridge’s upper deck has since been converted into a public space, while the lower deck remains open to pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

For first-time visitors, the attractions are close enough together that much of Klang’s historic centre can be explored on foot after stepping off the train.

A grocery shop owner near Pasar Jawa said the increase in visitors had yet to translate into larger purchases, although sales of cold drinks had picked up because of the current hot weather.

“Even RM3 more than before is still profit,” she said.

The LRT3 Line is fare-free until July 31.