East Coast Rail Link

Connectivity and Economy

ECRL – East Coast Rail Link is the government’s initiative aims for efficient national infrastructure which connect ports, cities and and upgrade public transport in the rural areas, particularly in the states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang. The least developed states in the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia, also known as East Coast Economic Region or East Coast Economic Corridor.

It is part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, also part of The Pan-Asia Railway Network. Where, ECRL connects Singapore to the south of the peninsula. And, to the north, via Southern most province of Thailand – Narathiwat, it connects Hat Yai, Bangkok, Vientiane and  Kunming.

Scheduled to be operational early 2027 for the Kota Bharu – Gombak section, and Gobak – Port Klang section in year 2028. It’s anticipated to foster economy development along the railway line, especially surrounding areas of the stations. Spill-over effects include but not limited to industry, agriculture, tourism, and hence create more job opportunity for the people.

Located north of Kuala Lumpur, Terminal Bersepadu Gombak already opened for Long Distance Bus service. Once ECRL is in operations, the terminal will serve as the transportation hub of northern Kuala Lumpur and its surrounding areas.

ECRL facilitates connectivity and accessibility for numerous destinations

• port to port connectivity between Kuantan and Klang, which will serve as Land-bridge connecting the two ports, particularly the sleepy Deep Water Port of Kuantan at the east coast.
• Stations in Klang area are well connected to the highway grid in Klang Valley, which includes West Coast Expressway E32, North Klang Valley Expressway E1, Shah Alam Expressway E5 and many more. Eventually, not only alleviate Congestion of Port Klang but also make the port to be more accessible and convenient for both cargoes and passengers movements.
• Stations of Kuala Terengganu and Cherating will facilitate accessibility to many of the tourism resources along the coastal areas,
  including beautiful islands offshore, numerous beaches and Kenyir Lake in Terengganu.
• Station of Temerloh for Jerantut – the gateway to Taman Negara and Station of Bentong for Bentong, Raub – the gateway to the origin of Musang King Durian – King of Malaysian fruits.

ECRL extension to Thailand brings long-term benefits, says Loke

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project should be extended to the northern border and integrated with the Thai rail network to unlock its full potential, says Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

Loke said the proposal to extend the ECRL to Rantau Panjang would bring long-term benefits to residents and the country.

“To ensure this proposal provides the best long-term benefits for the country and stimulates the local border economy, it must connect to Thailand and not just end in Rantau Panjang,” Loke said during Question Time in Parliament on Tuesday (Aug 19).

… Loke was responding to Ahmad Fadhli Shaari (Perikatan–Pasir Mas), who asked about the extension proposal. Read more…

ECRL Mid December 2026 Launch Possible Says MRL

06-October-2026 | BusinessToday

ECRL operator Malaysia Rail Link said it is eyeing to launch the commercial operations of the train service by mid-December 2026, in line with the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) request to debut the national rail infrastructure’s services during the year-end school holidays instead of the scheduled January 2027 timeline.

MRL, the project and asset owner of the ECRL, announced that the mid-December 2026 target was realistic underpinned by positive test results shown during the System Integration Testing (S.I.T.) of the ECRL rail network which encompasses among others signalling, communications, traction power, and the overhead catenary system (OCS).

It noted the mid-December 2026 target was also backed by the commitment by ECRL Project’s engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) contactor, China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), to complete and formally handover Phase 1 (Kota Bharu-Gombak) of ECRL’s mainline, stations, buildings, and work sites to MRL by mid-October 2026.

MRL Chief Executive Officer, Dato’ Sri Darwis Abdul Razak, said he was pleased with ECRL Project’s Phase 1 (Kota Bharu-Gombak) progress of 98.16 percent as at September 2026, and expressed confidence to meet its operational target by mid-December 2026.

MRL, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Minister of Finance (Incorporated) [MOF (Inc.)], is the project and asset owner of the ECRL. MRL holds a 50 percent stake in ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd (EOSB), which is a 50:50 joint venture company between Malaysia and China to operate and maintain the ECRL rail network.

The 665-km ECRL network will run through the east coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang before connecting to Selangor on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia. Once operational, ECRL is expected to cut travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak to about four hours, compared with around seven hours by road transport.

ECRL Kota Bharu-Gombak Alignment Completes Electrification

11-August-2026 | MRL

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project has reached another key milestone with the activation of its final 132kV feeder station, completing the main power supply network for the Kota Bharu-Gombak rail line.

The Feeder Station 08 in Maran, Pahang was activated today, bringing all 10 132kV feeder stations along the Kota Bharu-Gombak alignment into operation.

Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) said the activation marks the completion of the main power supply system, which forms the backbone of the ECRL’s electrified rail network.

The milestone is expected to strengthen the overall readiness of the ECRL system and facilitate full system integration ahead of the planned commercial operation of the Kota Bharu-Gombak section in January 2027.

The activation ceremony was officiated by MRL Chief Executive Officer Dato’ Sri Darwis Abdul Razak and China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) Managing Director Deng Bo, with senior officials from Tenaga Nasional Bhd (TNB), MRL and the ECRL project also in attendance.

MRL said a stable and consistent electricity supply is critical to the operation of a modern railway, supporting key systems including electrification, signalling, telecommunications, the operations control centre and train services.

The first feeder station to be activated was Feeder Station 06 at Kuantan Port City, Gebeng, which came online in December 2025.

With the activation of Feeder Station 08, the entire main power supply network for the Kota Bharu-Gombak section has now been completed and energised.

Darwis said the latest milestone further strengthens the project’s readiness to enter the system integration testing phase.

“The activation of Feeder Station 08 completes the activation of all 132kV feeder stations for the Kota Bharu-Gombak ECRL alignment, further strengthening the project’s readiness to enter the ECRL operational system integration testing phase,” he said.

He added that the achievement reflected the commitment of all parties involved in ensuring critical infrastructure components meet the highest safety and quality standards.

Darwis also credited the close cooperation between MRL, CCCECRL and TNB, as well as the support of the state governments, local authorities, district offices, land and mines offices and other government agencies involved in the project.

MRL, a wholly owned company of Minister of Finance (Incorporated) [MOF (Inc.)], is the owner of the ECRL project and its assets, while CCCECRL serves as the project’s main contractor.

The 665km ECRL will connect the East Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang with Selangor on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Once operational, the ECRL is expected to reduce travel time between Kota Bharu and Gombak to about four hours, compared with around seven hours by road.

Malaysia eyes connection to Pan-Asian Railway Network

Malaysia is laying the tracks for a transformative future in regional connectivity, with growing momentum behind the Pan-Asian Railway Network and renewed interest in the long-discussed Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high-speed rail (HSR).

“Our upgraded west coast rail system positions Malaysia as a vital link in the Kunming–Singapore corridor. This isn’t just about connectivity; it’s about integrating Malaysia into a fast-evolving regional supply chain and strengthening our logistics role in Asean,”

Transport Minister Anthony Loke, fresh from Chinese President Xi Jinping’s state visit, said that Xi had underscored the importance of realising the cross-border rail link.

He added that this opens up new trade corridors into western China, including Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang — regions with large Muslim populations. Read more…

Malaysia’s ECRL progress recapped: Latest updates, station details and why it matters

By Syed Jaymal Zahiid | 03 Jan 2025

Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) and China Communications Construction ECRL (CCCECRL) December 19 signed a joint-venture agreement to oversee the operations of the 665km East Coast Rail Link (ECRL).

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the newly formed partnership will establish a new operating company with both parties holding equal stakes and responsibility for operational risks including financial deficits.

The Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) train design and ECRL logo are pictured at Zenith Hotel in Putrajaya December 18, 2024. — Picture by Yusof Mat Isa

What’s the status of the project?

The rail link is now approximately 76 per cent complete, according to the Transport Ministry, and Loke has said the ECRL should begin operating by January 2027.

What are the stations?

MRL said there will be a total of 20 stations, comprising 10 passenger only stations and 10 passenger & freight stations

• SECTION A
  Kelantan (Kota Baru – Dungun)
  Kota Bharu – Tunjung
  Pasir Puteh
  Terengganu
  Jerteh
  Bandar Permaisuri
  Kuala Terengganu
  Dungun

• SECTION B
  Terengganu (Dungun-Mentakab)
  Kemasik
  Chukai
  Pahang
  Cherating
  Kuantan Port City
  KotaSAS
  Paya Besar
  Maran
• SECTION C
  Pahang (Mentakab-Port Klang)
  Temerloh [KTMB interchange]
  Bentong
  Selangor
  Terminal Bersepadu Gombak [LRT interchange]
  Bandar Serendah [KTMB interchange]
  Puncak Alam
  Kapar
  Jalan Kastam (Port Klang) [KTMB interchange]
  Northport
  Westport

MRL said the aim is to have four interchange stations connecting users to KTMB and LRT services.

What trains will be used?

At the announcement of the JV agreement, Loke unveiled the design of the new Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, courtesy of Chinese company CRRC Dalian.

The six-car EMU trains are designed to carry up to 430 passengers and come equipped with facilities for persons with disabilities.

Eleven sets of these EMU trains have been allocated by CRRC Dalian, with the first set expected to arrive by the end of 2025, according to the minister.

The trains can travel up to 160km per hour, making a trip from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Baru in around four hours.

Driving there, the most popular mode of travelling to the east coast at the moment, would take up to six or seven hours.

ECRL Gombak Tunnel breakthrough

How to buy tickets?

Probably at the designated stations. It’s unclear if the tickets will be available through any online platforms, but it’s possible.

Why is this project important?

While the ECRL was designed to cut short travel time, the project’s primary purpose and main source of revenue will actually come from freight transport.

Loke said the link is meant to nudge a shift towards rail use for cargo transportation from road, which the unity government has described as an “important policy”.

The ECRL is expected to save freight transportation costs, while being environmentally friendly as well as improve road safety.

The Najib administration, which initiated the project, said the ECRL can be a catalyst for economic growth in the states of Pahang, Terengganu, Kelantan and Negeri Sembilan.

These states are currently far behind most industrialised west coast cities.

Source: MalayMail