PETALING JAYA: From reconnecting with old friends to cutting travel time by half, commuters praised the Shah Alam Line (formerly LRT3) for not just its smooth service, but its life-changing effect.
Retired teacher Krishna Bahawan, 82, said the new line made it easier for him to visit his long-time friends in Klang without needing to drive.
“I was a school teacher in Klang for many years and made many friends there but haven’t been able to see them in person for years since I don’t feel confident driving as much at my age.
“Now I can finally catch up with them face-to-face instead of just idling away at my home in Kelana Jaya,” he said, adding that the line which opened yesterday will help him keep fit by walking more.
University student Colt Tan, 20, was ecstatic that he could now cut about 30 minutes of travel time from his commute to Bandar Utama to meet his friends.
“Previously, it could take at least one and a half hours to get to 1 Utama from the USJ7 LRT station near my home since I have to take the train all the way to KL Sentral to swap lines.
“But the transfer at Glenmarie LRT (to Glenmarie 2) means I cut out about 10 train stops from my commute, saving me about 30 minutes for each trip,” he said.
A 70-year-old retiree, who only wanted to be known as Chan, said he was equally impressed at the overall cosiness of the stations due to the various amenities.
“The walk on the connecting bridge between the Bandar Utama MRT and LRT stations was surprisingly short, and more importantly, completely covered and well ventilated.
“I am also glad that they have installed a lot more fans and benches at all of the new line’s platforms compared to the older LRT lines,” he said while riding the Shah Alam Line to Klang for a day trip.
Meanwhile, a fellow 67-year old retiree coming from Klang, who only wanted to be known as Ariffin, said he felt liberated as he no longer had to depend on driving to visit popular spots.
“I can finally ‘jalan-jalan’ wherever and whenever I want without being stuck in hours-long traffic jams just to get to popular areas like Kuala Lumpur.
“It’s great that most of the Shah Alam line stations also have ample parking so I can park my car at any of the stations,” he said.
Retired secretary Umah Rajendran, 53, was similarly thrilled that she could bring her children to popular malls like 1 Utama and i-City without driving.
“I’m just glad my children can experience city life more easily, thanks to this new line without needing to depend on a car,” Umah, who lives in Klang’s Bandar Bukit Tinggi, said.
An estimated 10,000 passengers rode on the Shah Alam Line yesterday morning on the first day of operations, according to outgoing Prasarana Malaysia Bhd group chief executive officer Amir Hamdan, who was on the ground at several stations.
He said the high number of passengers was a great achievement due to the line featuring a shorter route and shorter trains, compared to the Putrajaya MRT Line, which recorded similar numbers during its launch back in March 2023.
“We are very happy with the response so far. There are some minor issues here and there, but I don’t think they are major matters,” he said.
Amir added there were currently no immediate plans to introduce women-only coaches, but adjustments will be made according to usage patterns.
