The fast track to Ipoh

Rail commuters will be able to travel from here to Ipoh in less than three hours when Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) introduces its inter-city express train service (ETS) from April 1.The premium service, which will among others have wi-fi services, will only stop at major stations along the way.

KTMB introduced the normal Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh shuttle service beginning December last year. The journey between Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh takes about three hours.

It is understood that the ETS will, among others, stop at the Nilai/KLIA, Bandar Tasek Selatan, KL Sentral, Tg Malim, Tapah, Kampar and Batu Gajah stations.

With the ETS, the travelling time from Seremban to Kuala Lumpur will be 45 minutes while the KL-Ipoh route will take about two hours and 10 minutes.

The source said the new train set will look like an upgraded version of the present KTM Komuter trains.


The source said since it was a premium service, commuters must be prepared to pay more to travel on the train.
“This is a departure from the old mode of rail travel.

“We want commuters to feel even more comfortable and to be able to do work while in the train,” he said, adding that the proposed fare had yet to be approved by the Transport Ministry.

It is understood that the service will begin at 5am with the last being at 10pm at two-hour intervals.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) offer a fixed promotion train ticket at RM30 one-way for the Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh trip until February for Malaysian celebrating Aidilfitri, Deepavali, Christmas and Chinese New Year in Ipoh who the Electric Train Service (ETS) as an alternative mode of transport from Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station. After the promotion period ends, the ticket would be sell at RM45.40 one-way and discounts would be given to senior citizens, children, the disabled and government retirees.