Passenger operations on the East Coast Rail Link will officially begin commercial services in mid December 2026.
Malaysia Rail Link confirmed that the Cabinet approved the passenger fare structure on 16 October 2026, establishing an economy transit fare starting from RM125 for the journey between Gombak and Kota Bharu.
With the ECRL, you can travel from the Klang Valley to the capital of Kelantan in under 5 hours.
Dynamic pricing across Transit and Express services
Ticket prices fluctuate depending on passenger demand, booking timing, and seat availability.
For the 523 kilometre journey connecting Gombak and Kota Bharu, starting fares cost RM125 on the Transit service and RM147 on the Express service.
The 378 kilometre route between Gombak and Kuala Terengganu starts at RM95 for Transit and RM110 for Express.
Commuters travelling 209 kilometres between Gombak and KotaSAS in Kuantan will pay from RM60 on Transit and RM68 on Express.
Identical starting rates apply in the reverse direction. Transit trains call at every station along the alignment, while Express services stop only at Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu, and Kota Bharu.
Express trains cut travel times to four hours
The Express train between Gombak and Kota Bharu takes around 4 hours, while the Transit service takes up to five hours.
Express journeys between Gombak and Kuala Terengganu require 2 hours and 54 minutes, compared with 3 hours and 51 minutes on Transit.
The Gombak to KotaSAS trip takes 1 hour and 27 minutes on Express and 2 hours and five minutes on Transit.
The rail line provides an alternative that bypasses highway congestion during peak festive periods.
Concession discounts of up to 50%
The government has approved a 50% ticket discount for children aged two to 12, Malaysian senior citizens aged 60 and above, Persons with Disabilities cardholders, and government pensioners.
Students aged 13 to 24 qualify for a 40 per cent fare reduction.
Official schedule and daily frequency
The ECRL passenger service utilises 10 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train-sets built by CRRC Dalian which can operate up to a top speed of 160km/h.
The timetable offers 12 daily trips from Monday to Thursday, split into six runs each way. Service increases to 16 daily trips from Friday to Sunday, providing eight runs per direction. Total passenger capacity is projected at roughly 2.2 million seats across 2027.
Operations and maintenance are managed by ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd, an equal joint venture between Malaysia Rail Link and China Communications Construction Company.
Ticket sales begin in mid November 2026
Official bookings will open in mid November 2026, leading up to the targeted commercial rollout in mid December 2026 once safety approvals are completed.
Detailed route timetables, station schedules, and purchasing options will be hosted on the official portal at www.ecrl.com.my.
Onboard train amenities and connectivity
ECRL trains feature Economy, Premium Economy, and Business class seating.
Trains configured with Economy and Premium Economy carry up to 425 passengers, while layouts that add Business class hold 409 passengers.
Facilities include luggage racks, a food counter, prayer rooms, accessible seating for disabled passengers, and passenger WiFi with 4G and 5G connectivity.
Operational communications are supported by LTE Railway network technology along the track alignment.
