Wouldn’t you love to watch the sun rise from the beach at Kuala Dungun in Terengganu, or enjoy sunset off a fishing boat while you ‘candat sotong’ off Kuala Terengganu? Well soon you can do both by hopping on the soon to begin East Coast Rail Link(ECRL). With the ECRL targeted commercial operation expected to be in mid December 2026, it will take around 3 hours to Kuala Dungun on the ECRL Transit and be on the beach, or at the Kuala Terengganu station in 2hrs 54mins Express.
ECRL start date, proposed fares announced
The Malaysian Government, through a Cabinet decision on 16th October 2026, has approved the proposed East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) passenger service fares. The statement stated that the fares were to be affordable and people-friendly, using a dynamic fare mechanism. This basically means ‘book early for a better price’. When planning your trip, remember that ticket prices can change depending on factors such as travel times, demand and seat availability. It also gives consideration to the value of the services offered and the long-term sustainability of the ECRL’s operations.
While the full fare list was not released in the statement, proposed Economy fares for three destinations were given, with return fares priced at the same starting point. Travellers will have a choice of two types of service to cater for different passenger needs. Express services will stop at four main stations, Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu. Transit services will stop at each scheduled station.
| Route | Distance | Express Fare (one-way) Timing |
Transit Fare (one-way) Timing |
| Gombak – KotaSAS fares | 209 km | RM68 (1 hr 27 mins) | RM60 (2 hrs 5 mins) |
| Gombak – Kuala Terengganu | 378 km | RM110 (2 hrs 54 mins) | RM95 (3 hrs 51mins) |
| Gombak – Kota Bharu | 523 km | RM147(around 4 hrs) | RM125 (up to 5 hrs) |
Gombak is currently the Southern end station, until the completion of the line to Port Klang.
Concession Fares
Discounts of up to 50% are available for eligible people including
- Children aged two to 12 years,
- Malaysian senior citizens aged 60 years and above,
- Disabled Cardholders
- Government pensioners.
Students aged 13 to 24 will enjoy a 40 per cent discount.
Ticket sales are scheduled to begin in mid-November 2026, with passenger commercial operations on the Gombak–Kota Bharu route targeted to begin in mid-December 2026, subject to completion of safety requirements and related approvals.
Available services
Initially, a total of 10 sets of Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains will be deployed with operating speeds of up to 160 km per hour, connecting Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Selangor.
From Monday to Thursday, 12 trips a day will be available, with six trips in each direction. From Friday to Sunday, frequency will be increased to 16 trips per day giving eight return trips. In total, the company plans to make around 2.2 million seats available throughout 2027.
Facilities on board
Economy, Premium Economy and Business class options will be available to meet the needs of different passengers. Trains with Economy and Premium Economy class configurations have a capacity of up to 425 passengers, a capacity of 409 passengers for a Business class configuration.
Facilities on board include luggage racks, food and beverage counters, prayer rooms and special seats for the disabled. The ECRL train also uses LTE-Railway (LTE-R) network technology for operational communication purposes and is equipped with 4G/5G internet and WiFi networks for passenger convenience along the route.
ECRL services will be operated by ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd (EOSB), a joint venture company between Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) and China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC). EOSB will be responsible for the operation and maintenance of the ECRL, while MRL will remain the owner of ECRL’s projects and assets.
Get more information on fares, itineraries and ticket sales through the official ECRL website.
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