Butterworth: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has taken delivery of two out of a planned 10 new Electric Train Service (ETS) sets, valued at RM400 million, with the full deployment of these trains set to begin next year. This strategic acquisition is aimed at enhancing both the quality and capacity of the ETS service, which is experiencing a steady increase in passenger numbers.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, ETS and Intercity Services general manager Nurul Azha Mokmin has confirmed that the newly arrived train sets are currently undergoing testing and commissioning. The introduction of these trains is expected to support the growing demand for ETS services, which have reported an annual passenger growth of about 10 percent, reflecting high user satisfaction. With the Gemas to Johor Bahru route nearing completion, KTMB plans to extend ETS services to new destinations.
Nurul Azha detailed that the procurement of the 10 ETS train sets is aimed at initiating operations on the Gemas-Johor Bahru route starting next year. Following this, KTMB intends to launch new routes from Johor Bahru to Butterworth and Padang Besar. She shared these updates during an event at Butterworth Station, where the Ruby Lounge, an exclusive waiting area for ETS Business Class passengers, was officially opened. The event also included the distribution of Aidiladha souvenir packs by KTMB's chief technical officer, Ahmad Nizam Mohamed Amin.
In preparation for the upcoming Aidiladha celebration, more than 250,000 ETS and Intercity train tickets have been sold since sales began on May 29. This figure includes 119,000 tickets for the popular Ekspres Selatan service, covering the Johor Bahru-Gemas route. KTMB is also continuing its special Ekspres Lambaian Aidiladha service on the KL Sentral-Tumpat and Tumpat-KL Sentral routes. This year, the service will offer two trips with a total of 872 tickets available, with one-way fares ranging from RM80 to RM95.
As of now, 762 out of the 872 tickets for the Ekspres Lambaian Aidiladha service have been sold. The train is scheduled to depart tonight and return to KL Sentral on June 8.