TRANSIT has found out that the Electric Train Service (ETS) between Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh is likely to start operations on 12 August 2010.
This will be exactly 15 years and 9 days since the first electric train service in Malaysia, the KTM Komuter, started operations (on 3 August 1995).
Ticketing:
The main ticketing offices for the ETS as well as the “Railcafe” lounges will be located at the Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh railway stations. There will also be a ticketing office at KL Sentral railway station.
Type of service:
The ETS will operate two services – an Express service (in red on the route map below) stopping at a limited number of stations, and a Transit service (blue hexagon on the route map below) that stops at all stations between Rawang and Ipoh.
It is likely that the express service will operate using 1 or 2 trains and the transit service will operate using the remaining trains (out of the fleet of 5). What is not known is the effect of this service on the existing shuttle trains. KTM may also consider using the diesel shuttle trains for the Transit service and reserving the electric trains for Express service – this would allow them to offer a very frequent and reliable and smooth electric express service.
Service hours:
Trains will operate between 5 am and 11pm. We have no further details yet about the train timetable.
Fares:
It is expected that the fare will be RM30-35 for the express service, with a lower fare for the Transit service. We at TRANSIT find this interesting, because the KLIA Express Rail Link also charges RM35 for a trip (whether Express or Transit) but the trip to KLIA is far shorter than the trip to Ipoh. We hope that the RM30-35 fare will allow KTM to make a reasonable return on the cost of the ETS operations. And perhaps we should be seeing a reduction in the fare of the KLIA Express (or at least the KLIA transit) service.
TRANSIT Says:
Frankly, we think that it is wonderful that the ETS service is starting operations soon – of course, we would have been much happier if it started on 12 (or 31) August 2007 – which could have happened if the government had purchased the trains when the electrification and double tracking project was started.
The presence of the ETS will make a big difference almost right away. Since August 11 is the expected first day of Ramadan, public transport users will benefit from the ETS for travel to the towns between KL and Ipoh. Imagine the Balik Kampung period – it will take perhaps 3-4 hours for a trip by car between KL and Ipoh, while train service will take 2 hours or so.
We will share more details about the ETS as they become available. Until then, we are looking forward to the opening of the service and a positive future for KTMB and KTM passengers.
Now…what is going to be done about public transport service in Perak, especially Ipoh?
Transit Malaysia 
8 replies on “KTM Update: ETS to start 12 August?”
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/8/10/nation/6829477&sec=nation
Yet, KTM has not mention anything regarding the express and transit services. It is quite suprising that ETS has left out Kajang and Rawang in their express service.
Hi Saktish
Thanks for the observation. We believe that Rawang would be a problem given the existing shuttle service, while Kajang is a surprise (since it is an intercity station as well as a KTM Komuter service).
Regards, Moaz for TRANSIT
Yezz.. I can ‘balik kampung’ every week.. He3
I wish I can take the new train each time i travel to ipoh (minimum 2x monthly). but i guess i’ll only take it once a month at most, since i’m only a novice at work with mearge income. nonetheless, rm30 is pretty reasonable.
Shall go and check out the new counter today… but i’m a little disappointed by the lack of highlight about the special ETS counter at KL Sentral. there’s no signage of where it’s located in KL Sentral.
Hope that Ipoh public transport can total renew. Ipoh bus very-very old (like their name, Century-100 years old), Ipoh cab still not using meter system, fare charge suka-suka based on their mouth.
i have try the ETS. and wow! its totally cool!
even its still new,but it was the best train that i have never been before!!
its easier to go home although the price was too high.
it does’nt a matter as the service just like in the flight.
^_^
saya merupakan seorang pelajar di institusi awam kawasan sri iskandar, perak. saya selalu menaiki Train ETS dari Batu Gajah ke KL Sentral. hampir 3 kali dalam sebulan saya akan menaiki train ETS disitu. saya ingin membuat aduan staff yang menjual tiket di Batu Gajah agak kurang mesra pelanggan. tiada senyuman tetapi muka masam dan cara percakapan agak kasar. saya juga membeli tiket dikaunter ETS di KL Sentral, perkara ini juga terjadi di mana saya hendak membeli tiket saya pada pukul 6 pagi, tetapi staff ETS memberi tiket pada pukul 6 petang. saya menyedari saya salah kerana tidak menyemak tiket itu terlebih dahulu tetapi pada keesokkan hari saya hendak menukar tiket tersebut, malangnya tidak boleh ditukar tetapi haruslah membeli tiket baru setengah harga. saya amat kecewa dan lebih mengecewakan seolah-olah staff ETS hendah marah kan saya dan meninggikan suara kepada saya. apabila saya mengisi borang yang diberikan oleh staff ETS, saya mengisi borang tersebut dan apabila saya selesai mengisi staff ETS menarik muka masam kepada saya. Tiada bukti tiket disebabkan saya telah menghilangkannya. hal ini juga terjadi kepada saya pada 5 Oktober 2013 apabila saya menghubungi talian KTM. staff ETS menjawab agak kurang ajar @ biadap. saya menanyakan tentang jadual tiket pada sebelah petang, dia menjawab dan apabila saya minta dia untuk menyatakan pada sebelah pagi dia menjawab dengan cepat dan saya tidak dapat dengar dengan jelas. saya meminta dia ulang tetapi dia menjawab ‘awak tak dengar ke saya cakap’ , dengan nada yang tinggi. nada suara yang kurang mesra pelangan dan tinggi amatlah kurang ajar. Boleh dikatakan semua staff ETS kurang mesra pelanggan dan agak biadap. saya sungguh kecewa disebabkan KTM adalah dibawah pengurusan orang Melayu tapi tiada nilai-nilai orang Melayu yang diterapkan. harap aduan saya ini dititikberatkan.
Pada 17 Disember 2015 keluarga saya seramai 8 orang bertolak dari Butterworth ke KL Sentral jam 6.00pm di koach B. KTS adalah baru tapi tandas di depan koach tidak berfungsi dengan sempurna. Tandas tiada air dan seluruh koach sangat berbau. Sudah beritahu pegawai kereta api tapi tidak dapat di perbankan.