KTMB to launch upgraded ticketing system on Aug 17

KTMB plans to launch a more robust online ticketing system on Aug 17, which it claims would be better able to handle heavy user traffic. — ASRI ABDUL GHANI/The Star

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) is relaunching its online ticketing system on Aug 17, which it claims will be able to better handle heavy user traffic.

KTMB chief executive officer Datuk Kamarulzaman Zainal said the previous system had difficulty coping with high traffic volume, for example when too many users were attempting to buy tickets online simultaneously.

“As such, we want to avoid the problem by using ‘cloud’ technology, to ease buying of tickets at the counters or via online at home,” he said in a Bernama report.

He added that the new KTMB Integrated Ticketing System (Kits) would also make online ticket purchasing more efficient and secure.

Users will need to signup with Kits in order to get a Passenger Name Record (PNR) number, which is required to purchase tickets through the new system.

The national railway company aimed to increase online ticket sales, and also reduce congestion at the offline ticketing counters, with Kits.

Last November, its online ticketing system crashed after KTMB announced the sale of tickets for ETS and KTM Intercity services for three months at once, from December 2019 to February 2020.

This period coincided with the year-end school holidays, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Chinese New Year and Thaipusam. It usually only handled ticket sales on a month-to-month basis.

KTMB attributed the crash to overwhelming demand for ETS tickets, recording 400,000 users at once.

During the problem period, it took 30 minutes to sell one ticket instead of the usual two minutes.

Kamarulzaman was reported saying that KTMB was saddled with a legacy IT infrastructure that was purchased in 2000, but would be undertaking upgrades to bring it on par with airline ticketing services.