JOHOR BARU: The Electric Train Service (ETS) that is expected to be fully completed by August will significantly boost the tourism industry here, says Tourism Malaysia.
Deputy Director General (Promotion) Datuk Musa Yusof said the timing of the ETS completion aligns well with preparations for Visit Malaysia 2026.
"The ETS will connect Johor Baru directly to Kuala Lumpur, which will strengthen the industry, especially in terms of tourist movement.
"It will allow visitors to travel between these two places in about three and a half hours, enabling them to visit more locations.
"If they stay the night for cultural events such as this, it will also help increase hotel occupancy rates," he said.
He added that the spillover effects of the ETS, which has reached Segamat since March, are already visible.
"We can already see Segamat benefiting from this, especially during the durian season," he said at a press conference after officiating a Gawai and Kaamatan Festival celebration at a hotel here.
In March, Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that two sets of ETS trains from China were expected to arrive in April and would be operational by August after undergoing necessary trials.
He mentioned that the trains, along with another eight sets, are being assembled in Batu Gajah, Perak, and will complete the southern route of the line, following the start of the ETS service at Segamat station in Johor on 15 March.
“We don’t have to wait for all 10 sets to start operating; we will use whichever set is completed.
"For Gemas to Johor Baru, there will be three phases - Phase 1 to Segamat, Phase 2 to Kluang, and Phase 3 to JB Sentral,” he said after travelling on the ETS from KL Sentral to Segamat station in March.
