THE KTM Komuter service which has been extended down south to Sg Gadut in Negri Sembilan will begin operations today.
More than 2,000 commuters are expected to use the line that includes a stop at the newly-built Senawang station en route to Sg Gadut.
Welcome: A young boy shakes hands with the KTM Komuter mascot Komi during the short ride. Looking on is Hishamuddin )of Tourism Negri Sembilan
KTM commuter services general manager Mohd Hider Yusoff said the service would mainly serve the large number of passengers travelling from Sg Gadut and Senawang to the KL Sentral station daily.“With the new line, those living in these areas do not have to drive into Seremban to take the train, it will be more convenient for them,” he said during a familiarisation trip for the media on the new service from Sg Gadut to Seremban.
Some 200 students from SJKT Ladang Senawang, SK Sri Mawar and SJKC Kg Baru Rahang also joined members of the media on the short ride.
Both the Senawang and Sg Gadut stations are located along the 98km Seremban-Gemas rail route.
The extension is part of the RM3.45bil Seremban-Gemas double tracking and electrification project which is due for completion at the end of August next year.
Mohd Hider said 38 sets of six-car trains from China costing RM1.9bil would soon be added to the present Komuter fleet.
“The first train is set to run in October with the extra trains. We will be able to re-introduce the Seremban-KL limited express service by the middle of next year,” he said.
[TRANSIT: That assumes that testing & commissioning will go well]
Interval times will also be reduced from 30 minutes to 7.5minutes with the additional trains.
[TRANSIT: Once all the trains arrive – don’t expect miracles overnight – or in 2011 at all.]
Mohd Hider said KTM will be offering passengers free rides along the Sg Gadut-Seremban stretch for a week from today to publicise the new service.
He said the trains would run on 15-minute intervals during peak hours and every half-hour during off-peak hours.
“Both new stations are well-equipped, have adequate facilities and are disabled-friendly.
“There are ample parking bays and local bus services but we are in discussions to begin a feeder bus service that would ply the nearby housing areas,” he said.
Tourism Malaysia Negri Sembilan director Hishamuddin Mustafa, who was also present, said the new service would help boost tourism in the state.
“Rail travel is one of the best ways to explore the country as it is not only affordable but convenient for travellers.
“The Sg Gadut station is the ideal stop to visit tourist spots in Rembau like the hot springs, museum and Gunung Datuk. We are confident the new service will bring in more visitors,” he said.
TRANSIT Says:
We’re always pleased to hear of openings of new train service in Malaysia – especially when it is an improvement on a service as simple and effective as KTM Komuter service can be (assuming that KTM Komuter service had the support & finances that it needed).
The arrival of KTM Komuter (and future ETS?) services on this corridor will do a lot to make it easier for travelers between Negri Sembilan and KL as well as up to Ipoh.
And noting that the Sg. Gadut station gives access to Rembau, we wonder if we will see Rembau MP Khairy Jamaluddin take the KTM Komuter train someday – even if it is just for a photo op.
With all the bad news that we get regarding KTMB & KTM Komuter it is nice to be able to announce some good news.
But we have to express our disappointment with some news outlets which spun the comments from KTMB to imply that Komuter service would be much improved with 6-car trains arriving and in service by September – such as these articles:
To make it clear to everyone – the first test trains will arrive in September, followed by a portion of the fleet, perhaps 6 trains to start, by the end of this year.
Testing & Commissioning of each train is expected to take at least 3 months if not more. Testing & Commissioning for the KTM ETS trains took 6 months and for the 4-carriage Kelana Jaya LRT trains it took about 4 months – so a 3-4 month minimum should be expected.
What that means is that these new Komuter trains will not be operating in revenue service (carrying passengers) until the very end of 2011 – maybe just in time for New Year’s celebrations.
5 replies on “KTM Update: Komuter service extended to Sg. Gadut 14 May 2011 (Update #1)”
We don’t need all these marketing gimmicks form KTM Komuter, if they are able to provide a more frequent and on time services with less breakdowns or none and really respect the basic need and wants of the children, senior citizens, pregnant women, physically, visually, audioly (deaf) impaired passengers/commuters/users I’m more than happy already. Save the money to improve these areas rather than spending useless money on all these marketing gimmicks!!!
jeffrey ang, seriously you’re total naysayer. i admit that KTM is in bad state but why don’t applaud them for this? if no ads then you aspect people in sg gadut gonna take a ride? all those breakdowns are due to supplier problems and KTM got serious problem to find a suitable spare parts for their coaches, that’s why more than half coaches is unused. whats important now to get a supplier from credible, trusted constructors for their new coaches.
@Sepol
What about enforcing the rules and regulations about women coach?? Improving the floor tiles for the blind at the station/platform?? Malayisan Blind Association in Brickfields had conveyed this complaint and concern for ages already. What about proper/enough/adequate electronic/LED display for the deaf (pekak)??? Malaysian Deaf Associations in Cheras also conveyed this issued a long long time ago!! Even the ticketing system especially the frequent mulfunctions and breakdowns of Touch ‘N’ Go is a pain in the neck too!!! If KTMB knows that the supplier for the components and parts are so unreliable they have to seek solutions and solved it a long long time ago not wait until now. Or they don’t have money and nearly “pokai” for the improvements?? Sepol, could you please answer me all these questions??!
@Sepol
For example, if the train announce that beware of pickpocket or other emergency announcement our audioly impaired OKU friends (deaf) can hear it?? Other passengers won’t beother to help them because they look so “normal”. They did not look different from us. Even facilities for the wheelchair bound OKU is still unsatisfactory at all in many stations and platform according to OKU association of Malaysia.
@Sepol
And they (KTMB) have tonnes of money for all kinds of marketing gimmicks??
Transit Malaysia 
5 replies on “KTM Update: Komuter service extended to Sg. Gadut 14 May 2011 (Update #1)”
We don’t need all these marketing gimmicks form KTM Komuter, if they are able to provide a more frequent and on time services with less breakdowns or none and really respect the basic need and wants of the children, senior citizens, pregnant women, physically, visually, audioly (deaf) impaired passengers/commuters/users I’m more than happy already. Save the money to improve these areas rather than spending useless money on all these marketing gimmicks!!!
jeffrey ang, seriously you’re total naysayer. i admit that KTM is in bad state but why don’t applaud them for this? if no ads then you aspect people in sg gadut gonna take a ride? all those breakdowns are due to supplier problems and KTM got serious problem to find a suitable spare parts for their coaches, that’s why more than half coaches is unused. whats important now to get a supplier from credible, trusted constructors for their new coaches.
@Sepol
What about enforcing the rules and regulations about women coach?? Improving the floor tiles for the blind at the station/platform?? Malayisan Blind Association in Brickfields had conveyed this complaint and concern for ages already. What about proper/enough/adequate electronic/LED display for the deaf (pekak)??? Malaysian Deaf Associations in Cheras also conveyed this issued a long long time ago!! Even the ticketing system especially the frequent mulfunctions and breakdowns of Touch ‘N’ Go is a pain in the neck too!!! If KTMB knows that the supplier for the components and parts are so unreliable they have to seek solutions and solved it a long long time ago not wait until now. Or they don’t have money and nearly “pokai” for the improvements?? Sepol, could you please answer me all these questions??!
@Sepol
For example, if the train announce that beware of pickpocket or other emergency announcement our audioly impaired OKU friends (deaf) can hear it?? Other passengers won’t beother to help them because they look so “normal”. They did not look different from us. Even facilities for the wheelchair bound OKU is still unsatisfactory at all in many stations and platform according to OKU association of Malaysia.
@Sepol
And they (KTMB) have tonnes of money for all kinds of marketing gimmicks??