Far or near, it’s just a train ride away
KUALA LUMPUR: For many students living away from home, the Deepavali break offers a chance to reunite with family, enjoy home-cooked meals and take a pause from university life.
At KL Sentral yesterday, young commuters were among those boarding the Electric Train Service (ETS) to return to their hometowns.
“I miss home so much. I’m especially looking forward to spending time with my family and enjoying my mother’s cooking,” said Universiti Malaya student Thavamangalanayagi Muniandy, 21.
She has been looking forward to the journey to Bukit Mertajam, Penang, as she had not been home for almost four months.
Her choice to travel by train was due to its accessibility from her university and the student concession fare.
Knowing that tickets could be difficult to secure closer to the festive period, she booked hers three months in advance.
Another UM student, Maryam Abdul Aziz, 19, was heading to Perak for the holiday, having last visited home about a month ago.
She said that spending time with family was important for her well-being after focusing so much on her studies.
“I need to have a holiday with my family,” she said.
She said travelling by train allowed her to avoid road congestion while making use of her student concession card.
University Tenaga Nasional student Deeviya Rajendaran, 19, said she was travelling home to Sungai Siput, Perak.
“I miss spending time with my family. Deepavali gives me the opportunity to be with them again and celebrate together.”
Last year, she missed the chance to mark the occasion with them.
“Back then, I couldn’t get the train tickets because they sold out very quickly. So this time, I made sure to buy my tickets a month earlier to secure my seat,” she said.
She chose the ETS because it was faster than driving, she said.
While some commuters were merely taking short trips, others were using the holiday period for longer adventures.
Kuala Lumpur resident Chua Bee Ling, 62, was going for an 11-day rail journey with friends from Johor Baru, travelling through Thailand, Laos and China.
They planned to visit Padang Besar and Songkhla before taking an overnight train from Haadyai to Bangkok, followed by trips to Laos and China’s Xishuangbanna and Kunming.
Chua said the planning began in July, with hotel and other transport arrangements made from August.
The group also opted for first-class sleeper tickets for the overnight journey.
“Travelling across several borders by train needed careful preparation, especially when handling luggage during transfers between stations.
“We have to carry our luggage up and down when crossing the borders, so I told everyone to bring smaller bags,” she said.
Despite the logistical challenges, Chua said the trip was an opportunity for them to explore new destinations and enjoy local food.
