ETS Express cuts travel time between KL and Ipoh

Starting this August, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) will introduce the ETS Express service, reducing travel time between Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh.

This new service will shorten the journey from KL Sentral to Ipoh to just two hours, compared to the previous travel time of around 2 hours and 40 minutes.

Faster travel with ETS Express

The ETS Express service is part of KTMB’s efforts to enhance travel efficiency.

According to KTMB Chief Operating Officer Mohd Zain Mat Taha, the improvement aligns with the ongoing upgrades under Phase 1 of the Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) project.

“This is an improvement we have made for passengers travelling from KL to Ipoh,” he stated at an event promoting Ipoh’s tourist attractions via the ETS.

The new service includes six ETS Express routes from the existing 32 services, covering sectors such as KL Sentral-Ipoh-KL Sentral, KL Sentral-Butterworth-KL Sentral, and KL Sentral-Padang Besar-KL Sentral.

These express trains will only stop at major stations, reducing travel time significantly.

For instance, the journey from KL Sentral to Butterworth will take three hours and 30 minutes, and to Padang Besar, four hours and 50 minutes.

Enhancing Ipoh’s tourism appeal

Ipoh Mayor Datuk Rumaizi Baharin highlighted the city’s ongoing efforts to boost tourism.

The Ipoh City Council has launched Visit Ipoh Year 2023 as a precursor to Visit Perak Year 2024 and Visit Malaysia Year 2026.

“This initiative aims to showcase Ipoh’s attractions through various activities and programmes, drawing both domestic and international tourists,” Rumaizi explained.

Ipoh’s tourism strategy focuses on the 3H concept: Hipster, Heritage, and Health.

This includes promoting hipster cafés, preserving 27 historic buildings from the British era, and highlighting sophisticated hospital facilities catering to foreign patients.

Additionally, the collaboration between MBI and KTMB involves advertising through ETS, reaching passengers travelling from Kuala Lumpur to Padang Besar and Gemas.

The introduction of ETS Express marks a significant improvement in travel between Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh, enhancing convenience for passengers and supporting Ipoh’s tourism initiatives.

By shortening travel times and promoting the city’s unique attractions, KTMB and MBI are set to attract more visitors to Ipoh.

For more information on the ETS Express service and Ipoh’s tourism offerings, visit KTMB and MBI’s official website.