December 3, 2025 | 07:41 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Taking a train from Johor Bahru in southern Malaysia to the capital city of Kuala Lumpur will only take 3.5 hours starting from the end of this year. This duration cuts approximately half of the current travel time by diesel trains or buses without traffic jams. This is made possible after Malaysia operates the Electric Train Service (ETS) starting on December 12, 2025.
Ibrahim ibni Iskandar, the King of Malaysia and Sultan of Johor, will inaugurate this service in Johor Bahru on December 11, a day before it is opened to the public.
The inauguration of this electric train route will ease the journey for tourists from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Tourists can cross the border in Johor Bahru before continuing the train journey to Kuala Lumpur. Previously, the Johor Bahru-Kuala Lumpur train route was available, but it was served by diesel trains with a travel time of about 7.5-8 hours. The current ETS only serves routes connecting Kuala Lumpur to cities in the north and west of Malaysia such as Ipoh, Penang, and to Padang Besar at the Thailand border.
Plan to Reach Padang Besar
According to a report by The Straits Times, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that the trains will initially be connected to Kuala Lumpur. Long-distance routes, such as services to Butterworth and Padang Besar, are expected to commence in subsequent stages. "For longer routes, trains can only make two trips a day - one up, one down. Shorter sectors like Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur allow for more frequent journeys," he said.
As reported by Travel and Leisure, this electric train is capable of reaching speeds of up to 140 km/h and initially operated from KL Sentral to Kluang in August 2025. This train service was initially announced in 2011 by the national railway operator of Malaysia, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM). The project's construction began in 2016 and includes places such as Johor Bahru, Segamat, Kluang, and Kulai.
Although this electric train is expected to benefit local Malaysian residents traveling between major cities on the peninsula, it can also be beneficial for tourists from Singapore.
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