KUALA LUMPUR: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) recorded a 72% increase in passenger numbers for its Electric Train Service (ETS) during this year’s Chinese New Year period.
In a statement on Friday (March 6), KTMB said that from Feb 13 to 22, the ETS recorded 227,512 passengers compared with 132,636 during the same period in 2025, reflecting passengers’ confidence in the ETS as a main mode of travel during the festive season.
"The increase was driven by higher travel demand during the festive season, as well as users’ preference for ETS as a smoother alternative to avoid road traffic congestion, which usually rises during peak festive periods,” the statement said.
Meanwhile, KTMB Group chief executive officer Azlan Shah Al Bakri said the ETS service's punctuality also improved to 86% this year, up from 80% last year.
"In ensuring stable and consistent operations, KTMB continues to strengthen safety monitoring and mitigation measures, particularly to address challenges such as trespassing along railway tracks, cable theft incidents and disruptions to signalling systems,” he said.
To meet the high demand during the festive season, KTMB provided 60 ETS train services, the highest number ever offered.
The increase in capacity was made possible following the full delivery of 10 new ETS3 train sets, enabling KTMB to optimise services to ensure more Malaysians can return to their hometowns comfortably, safely and on time.
In addition, KTMB also introduced four EMU Plus train services specifically for the KL Sentral-Ipoh route this year to facilitate smoother passenger movement for festive travel. - Bernama
