MRL East Coast Rail Link

Port Klang-Kota Bharu
East Coast Rail Line
 ECR 
CR200J, the planned EMU for passenger service
Overview
Native nameLaluan Rel Pantai Timur Pelabuhan Klang-Kota Bharu
Status Under construction [1]
(72.93% as of September 2024) [2]
OwnerMalaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd
LocaleSection A : Kota BharuPasir PutehJerteh - Bandar PermaisuriKuala Terengganu
Section B : DungunKemasikChukaiCheratingKuantan Port CityKotaSASGambangMaran
Section C : TemerlohBentongGombakSerendahPuncak AlamKaparNorthport/Westport
Stations20
Websitemrl.com.my
Service
TypeInter-city rail & Rail freight transport
Operator(s)Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd & CCCC Joint Venture
Depot(s)Kuantan Port City
Rolling stock6-car set EMU
Ridership5.40 million by 2030 (estimated)
History
Planned opening1 January 2027; 2 years' time (1 January 2027)
Technical
Line length665 km (413 mi) Double Track[3]
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+12 in) standard gauge
Electrification25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line
Conduction systemWith driver
Operating speed160 km/h (passenger train)
80 km/h (freight train)[4]
East Coast Rail Link
Proposed network
ECRL 1.0 (2017)
Pengkalan Kubor
Wakaf Bharu
KTM Intercity
MRL Kota Bharu
Jelawat
Tok Bali
Kelantan
Terengganu
state border
Kampung Raja
Penarik
Kuala Terengganu
Kuala Telemong
(proposed)
Pengkalan Berangan
Dungun
Bukit Besi spur line
Kerteh
(proposed)
Kemasik
Kemaman spur
Chukai
Terengganu
Pahang
state border
Cherating
Kuantan Port City
Kuantan Port City spur
Kota SAS
Kuantan Sentral
(proposed)
Gambang
Maran
Mentakab
KTM │ MRL
Bentong
Bentong Tunnel (
18 km
11 mi
)
Pahang
Selangor
state border
Gombak Utara
Gombak
Integrated Transport Terminal Gombak 5
Serendah
future stations
Kapar
KTM Jalan Kastam
Northport and Westport
ECRL 2.0 (2018)
MRL Kota Bharu
Pasir Puteh
Kelantan
Terengganu
state border
Jerteh
Bandar Permaisuri
Kuala Terengganu
Pengkalan Berangan
(future)
Dungun
Kemasik
Chukai
Terengganu
Pahang
state border
Cherating
Kuantan Port City
Kuantan Port City 2
Kota SAS
Gambang
Maran
Temerloh
to Mentakab
via branch line
KTM Intercity
Kemasul
(future)
Pahang
Negeri Sembilan
state border
Klawang
Nilai Sentral
(
Nilai Arab
Industrial Park
)
 ETS  1
Putrajaya Sentral
Jenjarom
Westport
ECRL 3.0 (2021)[5]
MRL Kota Bharu
Pasir Puteh
Kelantan
Terengganu
state border
Jerteh
Bandar Permaisuri
Kuala Terengganu
Pengkalan Berangan
(future)
Dungun
Kemasik
Chukai
Terengganu
Pahang
state border
Cherating
Kuantan Port City
Kota SAS
Gambang
Maran
Temerloh
to Mentakab
via branch line
KTM Intercity
Bentong
Genting Tunnel (
18 km
11 mi
)
Pahang
Selangor
state border
Gombak
Integrated Transport Terminal Gombak 5
Serendah
 ETS  2
future stations
Kapar
KTM Jalan Kastam
Northport
Westport

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) (Malay: Laluan Rel Pantai Timur) is a standard gauge double-track railway link infrastructure project connecting Port Klang on the Straits of Malacca to Kota Bharu in northeast Peninsular Malaysia, connecting the East Coast Economic Region states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan to one another, and to the Central Region of the Peninsula's west coast.[6]

The railway link infrastructure project would carry both passengers and freight from the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia to its East Coast and vice versa. Construction began in August 2017.

On 3 July 2018, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) instructed China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) to suspend all works under the engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contract (EPCC) of the ECRL project. The suspension was then lifted a few months later after the signing of a supplementary agreement between MRL and CCCC in April 2019 on the revised construction cost and realignment of the southern route of the rail link.[7][8][9]

ECRL is realized by a semi-automatic Chinese technology that lays 1.5 km of tracks a day with an accuracy of 10 millimeters also thanks to GPS satellites.[10]

  1. ^ "ECRL construction progress ahead of target". Malaysiakini. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  2. ^ "ECRL project on schedule, 72.93% completed, says Loke".
  3. ^ Choong, Meng Yew (30 November 2023). "Ensuring fuss-free speeds". The Star. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  4. ^ "Reality check: ECRL passenger train's maximum speed confirmed at 160 km/h, not 351 km/h". 18 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  5. ^ https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/ecrl-alignment-extended-665km-says-wee ECRL alignment extended to 665km, says Wee
  6. ^ "ECRL Project Information". mrl.com.my. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
  7. ^ "MRL instructs CCCC to suspend ECRL works on grounds of national interest". The Edge Markets. 4 July 2018.
  8. ^ Anis, Mazwin Nik; Kaos, Joseph Jr.; Carvalho, Martin. "Work on ECRL expected to resume next month - Nation | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  9. ^ "Focus of new tenders in revised ECRL in south, says CIMB Research - Business News | The Star Online". www.thestar.com.my. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  10. ^ "The semi-automatic Chinese technology that lays 1.5 km of tracks a day also thanks to satellites". 12 December 2023. Archived from the original on 15 December 2023. (with video)