The new Aerotrain service at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) will officially begin operations come July 1.
Confirming service resumption next month, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said he is hopeful the latest development would allow a greater comfort for travelling passengers transiting between the main terminal and the satellite building.
“I am happy to announce that we are entering the final phase of testings in the coming days.
“If all goes smoothly, we have decided to reopen the train service at 10am on July 1,” he told a press conference after attending a trial-run at the KLIA Terminal 1 building here.
At present, Loke said the final phase of testing involved live simulations of the Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and relevant personnels.
He also said the existing feeder bus system will remain operational as a support for the time being to the Aerotrain system until it reaches optimal level.
“If and when everything is operating optimally, the management (Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad) will determine whether to discontinue or retain the service,” he said.
He added that safety is always top priority, and that all trials were being monitored by the Land Public Transport Agency (Apad), later acknowledging the delays in service resumption.
“Safety is very important. That is why we took time to carry out various tests. These tests are of course monitored by Apad.
Describing the service resumption as timely, Loke said Malaysia is set to host several Asean meetings later this year and welcome more international visitors in conjunction with Visit Malaysia Year 2026.
“KLIA, of course, is our major gateway in Malaysia, and we are looking forward to the resumption of the aerotrain to make the entire process at KLIA even smoother.
“This year is important because we are the chair of Asean, and by 2026, it is a major year for Malaysia’s tourism because we are hosting Visit Malaysia Year so the resumption of the aerotrain is a very important part of that preparation,” he said.
With a transit time of under two minutes, each aerotrain set comes in three coaches with a passenger capacity of 90 each — bringing the total number of each set to 270.
During peak hours, two coaches will be in operation; while only one will be in operation during off-peak hours from 12am to 5am.
The Aerotrain, a key component of KLIA’s internal transport system since 1998, was suspended in March 2023 following a breakdown.
The new Aerotrain system is expected to improve the passenger experience, reduce operational disruptions, and support the anticipated increase in air passenger traffic in the coming years. — Malay Mail
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