ECRL Opening Mid-December: Fares Not Announced Yet
The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is targeted to open to passengers in mid-December 2026, and its fares have not been announced, Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) said on Oct. 6. MRL expects the Transport Ministry to announce the fares this month, with ticket sales starting in November (Bernama, NST). The Sun's report of the same briefing, by MRL's chief executive Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, said the fares are expected to be announced by the end of the year, once the Cabinet has finalised them (The Sun), so treat the October date as an expectation.
The ECRL fare list going round on Facebook and Instagram is not official. MRL said the fare rates circulating on social media are speculative (Malay Mail), and The Star's fact-check found that posters showing fares of RM35 to RM110 from Gombak were not official (The Star).
ECRL at a glance
| ECRL | What we know |
|---|---|
| Opening | Mid-December 2026 (target). It was January 2027 until the Transport Minister asked for an earlier start (The Vibes) |
| Fares | Not announced. MRL expects them to be “lower than airfares and slightly higher than bus fares” |
| Ticket sales | Targeted to start in November |
| Trips a day (Phase 1) | 12 return trips Monday to Thursday, 14 Friday to Sunday |
| Kota Bharu to Gombak | About 4 hours, against about 7 hours by road |
| Gombak to Kuantan | 1 hour 35 minutes on an express service, Loke said |
| Gombak to Kuala Terengganu | About 3 hours on an express service, Loke said |
| Top speed | 160 km/h |
| Route | 665 km from Kota Bharu to Port Klang, via Terengganu, Pahang and the Klang Valley |
| Stations | 20 on the full line: 10 passenger-only and 10 for passengers and freight |
| Trains | 11 six-car electric trains with toilets, luggage racks, food counters, prayer rooms and disabled facilities |
The times, trips and fare guidance are from MRL's Oct. 6 briefing (Bernama) and the Malay Mail's ECRL explainer. Phase 1, from Kota Bharu to Gombak, was 98.16% complete in September (Bernama, Oct. 6). Phase 2, from Gombak to Port Klang, is due to open in January 2028 (Bernama, Sept. 18).
Are the viral ECRL ticket prices real?
No. MRL said on June 16 that the fares circulating on social media “do not reflect the actual charges”, that official fares had not been announced and that they were still being refined with agencies including the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD). The Transport Ministry will announce the official fares once the evaluation and approval are done (Malay Mail).
- The Star's QuickCheck rated the claim that official prices had been announced as false. The viral posters showed fares of RM35 to RM110 from Gombak to six destinations.
- Two of those destinations, Kemaman and Besut, are not among the 20 stations on the ECRL's official website, and another version listed Jerantut and Besut, which are not on the line either.
- One poster carried the logo of a cafe, and the QR code and website on it did not work (The Star).
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in January that fares would certainly be announced before the ECRL starts operating, once APAD has approved them (NST).
Why mid-December?
- Aug. 14: Loke challenged MRL and the main contractor, China Communications Construction Company, to start passenger services as early as December instead of January 2027, because December matches the year-end school holidays. He said the ministry would help streamline approvals without compromising safety (The Vibes).
- Sept. 18: MRL said it accepted the challenge. Its testing train had entered a second phase from Kuantan to Gombak with positive results, and the fault-free run was due in October (Bernama).
- Oct. 6: MRL said it was confident of the mid-December target. The testing train had run non-stop from Gombak to Kota Bharu, 519 km, in 3 hours 19 minutes, at up to 160 km/h (Bernama).
The start still depends on final approval from APAD (The Vibes), so the date is a target.
ECRL stations
The full line has 20 stations. Wikipedia's station list shows these, and MRL's own website has the official list.
Phase 1, Kota Bharu to Gombak
- Kelantan: Kota Bharu, Pasir Puteh
- Terengganu: Jerteh, Bandar Permaisuri, Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Kemasik, Chukai
- Pahang: Cherating, Kuantan Port City, KotaSAS, Paya Besar, Maran, Temerloh, Bentong
- Selangor: Gombak (ITT Gombak)
Phase 2, Gombak to Port Klang
- Selangor: Bandar Serendah, Puncak Alam, Kapar, Jalan Kastam
Where to check
- Fares and dates: MRL asks the public to wait for official updates through the ECRL, MRL and Transport Ministry channels (Malay Mail). MRL's website is mrl.com.my.
This page will be updated when the Transport Ministry announces the fares or the opening date.
Figures are from MRL's briefing of Oct. 6, 2026 and Bernama, NST, Malay Mail, The Star and The Vibes reports, and are correct as of Oct. 15. Check MRL and the Transport Ministry for any change.
