Balik kampung tickets being snapped up

File pic of the North-South Expressway

GEORGE TOWN: Bus and train tickets are being snapped up by those planning to go back to their hometowns in the east coast to celebrate Hari Raya despite the festival being three weeks away.

A check by The Star at the Sungai Nibong Express Bus Terminal found that bus tickets to Terengganu and Kelantan are almost sold out. However, tickets to the northern states such as Kedah and Perlis and to states in the south are still available.

A Konsortium Transnasional Bhd (KTB) ticket counter staff member, who does not want to be named, said it was the usual trend each year as Hari Raya approached.

“Those who buy the tickets early are usually university students who plan to go back du­ring the Raya break. If they wait until the last mi­­nute, the tickets are usually sold at a higher price or are sold out. The demand is usually greater a few days before Raya,” she said.

She said the sales of tickets to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Baru and Singapore were slow.

Bus operators will be increasing daily trips during the balik kampung period in anticipation of an increase in demand.

“We will be increasing our Penang-Kuala Lumpur service and vice versa to seven trips daily during this period.

“The prices of the tickets will remain the same this Hari Raya,” said a spokesman for Aeroline, an executive coach company.

He added that ticket prices from Penang to Kuala Lumpur and vice versa remain at RM60 each way for adult and passengers aged 13 and below, RM30 each way.

A check at the K.K.K.L Express bus ticket counter found that tickets to towns in Johor such as Muar and Batu Pahat had already been sold out.

The company’s ticket seller, Noor Ezlinda Zain, 29, said if there was more demand clo­ser to Hari Raya, the company might engage more buses and drivers for additional trips.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd has announced that 333,000 tickets are up for sale for its Electronic Train System (ETS) and Intercity services during the travelling period from June 24 to July 17.

A check on KTM’s website showed tickets for KL Sentral to Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur to Padang Besar were already sold out, while tickets for Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur are still available.

However, many retirees, who are entitled to the senior citizen’s discount when travelling on express buses, said they would not travel during the festive season to avoid being caught in the heavy traffic along the highways.