New electric train service linking KL and JB debuts in preview run

Just before dawn broke on Dec 11, Malaysia’s new electric train service (ETS) linking Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru rolled out of Kuala Lumpur Railway Station on a media preview run, a day ahead of its official launch on Dec 12.

- Hazlin Hassan Malaysia Correspondent and Harith Mustaffa

The train reached Kempas Baru station in JB at 10am, where the Regent of Johor, Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim attended the completion and operationalisation ceremony of the service.

In his speech, Datuk Seri Anwar said the completion of the project marks a new milestone for Johor as a fast-developing state, with its economic performance having “surpassed Penang and Selangor”.

He also spoke about the leaders' retreat with Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Dec 4, where they reiterated that the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone will benefit the state, its neighbour and Malaysia’s economy.

“Today, we informed the Prime Minister of Singapore that we have completed a very important chapter by providing a transport network that will benefit the country and in this context the state of Johor,” Mr Anwar said in his speech.

“We need airports, ports, and highways and transportation networks that are advanced, like what we’ve seen, and today, we have almost completed the fundamental infrastructure (in Johor).”

There will be four services daily on the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route: Two departures from KL Sentral (7.45am and 5.35pm) and two from JB Sentral (8.40am and 4.20pm). Starting on Jan 1, 2026, the first service from KL Sentral will depart at 7.55am.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke told journalists at the Kempas Baru event that two more services will be added on both routes in January, with more trips set to be added the following month.