GOMBAK: The long-awaited East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) may open on Dec 12, or even earlier, if final testing proceeds smoothly.
The mid-December opening date is subject to the completion of safety requirements and related approvals, said Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak.
The Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer added that the fault-free run for the system will begin on Oct 23, followed by trial operations next month.
MRL is the project owner of the standard gauge railway that will serve both cargo and passengers from Port Klang all the way to Kota Baru.
A one-way journey on the economy class from the Gombak station in Selangor to Kota Baru starts from RM125 one way, with pricing subject to a dynamic pricing mechanism akin to those used by airlines.
Speaking during a press briefing at the ECRL Gombak station, where part of the fare structure of the 523km alignment was revealed, Darwis said the Cabinet approved the fare on Oct 16, after considering various factors including value delivery, affordability and sustainability of the modern rail service.
Initially, ECRL will derive 70% of its revenue from cargo operations slated to start in 2028.
By then, all the ports in the east coast such as the Kuantan Port will be connected by rail to Port Klang, while cargo transfer stations at Temerloh and Serendah will facilitate cargo transfers with KTM Bhd’s trains and trucks.
Like the ERL service to KL International Airport, ECRL features a passenger service called Transit that stops at all the 16 stations under Phase 1 – Gombak, Bentong, Temerloh, Maran, Paya Besar, KotaSAS (new Kuantan City), Kuantan Port City, Cherating, Chukai, Kemasik, Dungun, Kuala Terengganu, Bandar Permaisuri, Jertih, Pasir Puteh and Kota Baru.
Under Phase 2, another four stations towards Port Klang will open – Serendah, Puncak Alam, Kapar and Jalan Kastam.
The Express service makes only two stops along the way to Kota Baru – at KotaSAS and Kuala Terengganu – completing the entire journey in just four hours, while the equivalent journey on the Transit takes nearly five hours.
The fare for the express service starts from RM147 one way, with dynamic pricing kicking in to push the fare upwards during periods of peak demand.
The corresponding fares for the Gombak to KotaSAS route are RM60 (Transit) and RM68 (Express), while the trip to Kuala Terengganu costs RM95 (Transit) and RM110 (Express).
The full schedule and complete fare prices covering all the intermediate stations will be revealed when ticket sales begin mid November, with more details available at www.ecrl.com.my.
As of now, senior citizens, government pensioners, OKU card holders and children aged up to 12 will get to travel at half price, while students from 13 to 24 years old will be eligible for a 40% discount.
