KUALA LUMPUR: The restructuring of several long-distance Electric Train Service (ETS) routes allows multiple trips to be carried out using a single train set, says its chief executive officer Datuk Azlan Shah Al Bakri.
He said this practice is also done globally.
“We are working at a certain capacity, but the demand is greater. We can’t use more assets.
“A trip from Kuala Lumpur to Padang Besar utilises only one train set, but if we stop at certain destinations, we can conduct three trips using one train set.
“This allows for better seating capacity, frequency and more trains for our customers to meet greater demand,” he told reporters after handing out 600 Deepavali goodie bags together with Deputy National Unity Minister R. Yuneswaran at KL Sentral here on Monday (Nov 2).
On KTMB’s plans for 2027, he said they have already made one million seats available for the travel period between January and February.
“These are just scheduled trips. By adopting our current measures, we can put in more trips.
“This creates better capacity, frequency and availability for customers,” he said.
Previously, KTMB said it will restructure service schedules for several long-distance routes beginning Jan 1 next year, namely those that connect destinations in the northern and southern networks of the ETS system.
It said trips from JB Sentral to Butterworth and Padang Besar, as well as trips from Butterworth to Segamat, will no longer be offered through a single train service.
It also said passengers for these routes will have to transit at KL Sentral before continuing their journey to their respective destinations.
Ticket purchases for long-distance ETS trips involving transits at KL Sentral will also have to be done separately.
However, KTMB said it will be improving the booking system to enable ticket purchases for these trips through only one transaction next month.
