Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB)’s Electric Train Service 3 (ETS3) for the southern route will begin operations on 30 August. For now, the route covers KL Sentral – Kluang – KL Sentral.
According to Transport Minister Anthony Loke, tickets for the train have been on sale since 23 August. They can be purchased via the KTMB Mobile (KITS) application, kiosk machines, and the official website.
The launch of the ETS3 was graced by His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, together with Transport Minister Anthony Loke. The Yang di-Pertuan Agong, personally took the driver’s seat and tested the ETS3 on a 285 km journey towards Kluang station from KL Sentral, that took 3 hours and 30 minutes in the 140 km/h train.
A total of 10 ETS3 units are expected to enter service by early 2026, with the first two expected to begin operations ahead of schedule. The remaining eight sets are currently being assembled in stages at the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC) plant in Batu Gajah.
By the end of 2025, the ETS network is expected to extend all the way south to Johor Bahru Sentral, marking the full completion of its West Coast Line expansion. According to Loke the track infrastructure is complete and only some signalling works are to be done. “The tracks to Johor Bahru are complete, so we expect operations to commence by December,” he added.
At present, one ETS is operating on the Kluang route. The ETS3 service from KL Sentral to Kluang departs at 7:45 am, with the return trip scheduled at 5:15 pm. The journey takes a minimum of 3.5 hours in either direction, with fares starting from RM80 one-way. Along the route, the train makes stops at Bandar Tasik Selatan, Kajang, Seremban, Pulau Sebang, Batang Melaka, Gemas, Segamat, Labis, Bekok, and Paloh.
(Source: KTMB via Facebook, Bernama)
