ECRL Fares To Start At RM125 For Gombak-Kota Bharu Route; Ticket Sales Open Mid-November

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19  – Economy-class fares for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) transit service connecting Gombak and Kota Bharu will start from RM125 one-way, while express train tickets on the same 523-kilometre alignment will start from RM147.

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) Chief Executive Officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak announced that the Cabinet formally approved the dynamic pricing mechanism on October 16, ahead of the line’s targeted commercial launch in mid-December 2026.

“RM125 is the starting economy-class fare for the Gombak-Kota Bharu transit service, not a fixed price for every journey,” Darwis explained at a media briefing in Kuala Lumpur on Monday, October 19, 2026.

The dynamic fare structure will adjust ticket prices based on travel times, seat availability, and peak demand, with built-in regulatory ceilings to prevent excessive fare surges.

Fare Breakdown, Concessions, and Operational Readiness Timeline

The project operator detailed key fare structures, passenger discount frameworks, and project progress metrics:

• Route Starting Fares (Transit vs Express):
  • Gombak–Kota Bharu (523 km): Starts at RM125 (Transit) / RM147 (Express).
  • Gombak–Kuala Terengganu (378 km): Starts at RM95 (Transit) / RM110 (Express).
  • Gombak–KotaSAS (209 km): Starts at RM60 (Transit) / RM68 (Express).
• Train Service Types: Transit trains will serve all intermediate stations along the alignment, while Express services will stop exclusively at four major hubs: Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu, and Kota Bharu.
• Approved Discounts: The Cabinet approved a 50 per cent fare concession for children (ages 2–12), senior citizens aged 60 and above, registered OKU cardholders, and government pensioners. Malaysian students aged 13 to 24 will receive a 40 per cent discount.
• Seating Classes: Trains will feature three distinct accommodation classes: Economy, Premium Economy, and Business Class.
• Construction & Testing Progress: The megaproject reached 98.16 per cent completion as of October 2026, with site acceptance tests (SAT) and system integration tests (SIT) finalized. Train testing has exceeded 50,000 km since August 25, with fault-free running (FFR) tests commencing October 23 followed by full trial operations throughout November.

Official ECRL ticket sales will open online in mid-November, with commercial passenger services targeted to commence on December 12, 2026, pending final regulatory approvals from the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD).

–NMT