GOMBAK, Oct 19 — Fares for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) will start from as low as RM60 one way for Economy Transit services between Gombak and Kota Sultan Ahmad Shah (KotaSAS) in Kuantan, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) said today.

Economy Transit tickets for the 523km Gombak-Kota Bharu route will start at RM125 one way, while Express fares will start at RM147.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said the Cabinet approved the fares on October 16 under an “affordable and rakyat-friendly dynamic fare mechanism”.

He told a press conference at the Gombak ECRL Terminal that the approval allows fares to be implemented flexibly ahead of the ECRL’s targeted commercial operation in mid-December 2026.

Fares for the 378km Gombak-Kuala Terengganu route will start at RM95 for Transit and RM110 for Express.

The 209km Gombak-KotaSAS route will start at RM60 for Transit and RM68 for Express.

The same starting fares will apply to journeys in the opposite direction.

Transit services will stop at every scheduled station, while Express services will serve only four main stations: Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu.

Ticket prices may vary according to travel time, demand and seat availability under the dynamic fare mechanism the Cabinet agreed on June 28, 2024, with its implementation formula approved on October 16 this year.

The Express journey from Gombak to Kota Bharu will take about four hours, compared with up to five hours for Transit.

On the Gombak-Kuala Terengganu route, Express will take two hours 54 minutes against three hours 51 minutes for Transit.

The Express trip to KotaSAS will take one hour 27 minutes, compared with two hours five minutes via Transit.

Darwis said children aged two to 12, Malaysian citizens aged 60 and above, cardholders with disabilities and government pensioners will get a 50 per cent discount.

Students aged 13 to 24 will receive a 40 per cent discount, he added.

Asked about ridership, Darwis said MRL is targeting 60 per cent, which it hopes to raise to 90 per cent eventually.

He said no subsidies have been implemented so far and that the project’s success should not be judged on financial returns alone, as the investment is meant to deliver benefits over many years.

Darwis said recouping the RM50.27 billion invested from passenger numbers alone would take “many, many, many years”.

He said revenue would also come from freight operations, and that MRL hopes many companies will use the service to help support operations.

He added that the ECRL’s true success will be measured not by the day the first train departs, but by its ability to save people time, widen economic opportunities and become part of everyday life for generations.

In the initial stage, 10 electric multiple unit (EMU) train sets will run at speeds of up to 160kph, connecting Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.

The ECRL will run 12 daily trips from Monday to Thursday, with six in each direction.

Services will increase to 16 daily trips from Friday to Sunday, with eight in each direction.

About 2.2 million seats will be made available throughout 2027.

Trains will offer Economy, Premium Economy and Business class, carrying up to 425 passengers in the Economy and Premium Economy configuration and 409 when Business class is included.

Facilities will include luggage racks, a food and beverage counter, a prayer room and dedicated seating for passengers with disabilities.

The trains will also have 4G/5G internet connectivity and Wi-Fi along the route, while LTE-Railway technology will be used for operational communications.

ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd, a joint venture between MRL and China Communications Construction Company Ltd, with each holding a 50 per cent equity interest through their respective joint venture entities, will operate and maintain the railway.

MRL will remain the owner of the ECRL project and its assets.

Darwis said the partnership is meant to ensure safe, efficient and reliable services while building local expertise in Malaysia’s rail industry.

He said the railway is expected to improve connectivity between the East Coast and the Klang Valley, boosting tourism, trade, employment and education and supporting more balanced regional development.

He added that it would also offer an alternative to highway travel, particularly during festive periods and school holidays, when congestion is heaviest.

Official ECRL ticket prices and sales are targeted to be made public in mid-November 2026, while commercial passenger operations on the Gombak-Kota Bharu route are targeted to begin in mid-December.

Darwis said MRL is continuing system testing, safety checks, certification and operational readiness work to ensure a safe and orderly launch.

The public can find more information on fares, schedules and ticket sales on the official ECRL website at www.ecrl.com.my, with details for all stations targeted to be published by mid-November.