ECRL fares from RM60: Tickets on sale mid-Nov, trains by Dec 12

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) may start passenger services on 12 December, Bernama reported. Ticket sales should open in mid-November. The date still needs safety and regulatory approvals.

ECRL fares start at RM60 for the shortest trip and RM125 for a Transit journey from Gombak to Kota Bharu. Express fares for the full route start at RM147.

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) announced the details on 19 October. Here are the dates, the fares by route, the discounts and what is still unclear.

When ECRL tickets and trains start

MRL chief executive Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak announced the plans at a press conference, Bernama reported. He said passenger services are targeted to begin on 12 December 2026.

However, The Vibes reported the start only as “mid-December”. Bernama stressed that the date depends on safety requirements and regulatory approvals.

Ticket sales are expected to open in mid-November, with no exact date given. Further fares and station details will appear on the official ECRL website, Bernama said.

Bernama also reported that builders have finished 98.16 per cent of construction. Train testing began on 25 August and covers more than 50,000km.

Fault-free running tests start on 23 October, Bernama said. Trial operations will then continue through November.

Two types of service will run on the 523km route between Gombak and Kota Bharu. The Edge reported that Transit trains stop at all stations.

Express trains stop at only four stations: Gombak, KotaSAS in Kuantan, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu. The full Express journey takes about four hours, The Edge said. Transit takes up to five hours.

ECRL fares by route

MRL published one-way, economy-class fares. These are starting prices under a dynamic fare system, so they may change with time, demand and seat availability.

Bernama said the RM125 fare for Gombak to Kota Bharu is not a fixed price for every journey. Other stations’ fares will be announced when sales open.

For Gombak to Kota Bharu, a Transit ticket starts at RM125 and an Express ticket at RM147. Gombak to Kuala Terengganu costs RM95 on Transit and RM110 on Express.

The shortest published trip is Gombak to KotaSAS. The Edge reported that a Transit fare starts at RM60 and an Express fare at RM68.

The Edge also gave a mid-range Transit fare of RM156 for Gombak to Kota Bharu. It said fares could exceed that figure at busy times.

There are three classes of seat: economy, premium economy and business. MRL has published only the economy fares so far.

The Edge said ten electric multiple unit sets will run 12 daily services from Monday to Thursday. On Friday to Sunday, there will be 16 daily services.

Discounts and what is still unknown

Several groups will pay less. The Vibes reported that children aged two to 12 get a 50 per cent discount.

The same discount applies to Malaysian senior citizens aged 60 and above, OKU cardholders and government pensioners, the report said. Students aged 13 to 24 get 40 per cent off.

These discounts apply to the published fares, the reports said. Neither report explains how passengers will claim them or which documents they need to show.

Several details are still missing. No source gives the exact date for ticket sales or says where passengers can buy them.

MRL has not yet published fares for stations between the main stops. Bernama said they will follow when sales begin.

The Edge added that MRL targets 1.4 million passengers in 2027. It reported that the project involves RM52.3 billion in investment and about 764 operations and maintenance staff.

CJ.MY will update this story when MRL confirms the sales date and the full fare table. Readers should check the official ECRL website before planning a trip