4-Hour East Coast Rail Link From Gombak To Kota Bharu Will Be Ready For You In 2027
It's now 82.45% into completion, ahead of schedule.
By Rehan Qamar — 15 May 2025, 12:04 PM
The highly anticipated East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is on track to be ready ahead of schedule
According to Bernama, Transport Minister Anthony Loke told Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim that the ECRL development is "Not just on time, it's ahead of schedule".
With the expected opening date set for the first day of 2027, many netizens are already excited about the new travel destinations they will soon be able to explore.
The project initially commenced in August 2017 and was targeted for completion by the end of 2026.
Two and a half months ahead of schedule, a key milestone was achieved with the completion of 400km of track installation from Maran, Pahang to Kota Bharu, Kelantan.
Loke said a track installation for a 100km stretch from Maran to Bentong is set to begin this month, along with other work
With further developments on the ECRL, this next installation phase is expected to wrap up by June.
This is accompanied by preparation for the ECRL's operational phase as installations of telecommunications and information systems will take place soon.
In addition, RM12 million in funding from China Communications Construction Company will go towards the ECRL Industrial Skills Training Programme
They aim to train 3,200 individuals for the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) phase.
"This year alone, 210 Malaysian trainees from diverse backgrounds will undergo an intensive one-year training in Liuzhou, China," Loke said.
He mentioned that completion of their training will assure the trainees guaranteed employment.
Spanning 665km, the ECRL will cover a wide array of destinations
The project will connect the East Coast states of Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang before linking the Klang Valley with the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
In less than two hours, it will pass through Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, and Bentong.
Zooming at a whopping 160km/h, the entire ECRL journey will only take four hours from start to finish.
