| Port Klang-Kota Bharu East Coast Rail Line | |
|---|---|
| ECR | |
.jpg) CR200J, the planned EMU for passenger service | |
| Overview | |
| Native name | Laluan Rel Pantai Timur Pelabuhan Klang-Kota Bharu |
| Status | Under construction [1] (76.06% as of December 2024) [2] |
| Owner | Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd |
| Locale | Section A : Kota Bharu – Pasir Puteh – Jerteh - Bandar Permaisuri – Kuala Terengganu Section B : Dungun – Kemasik – Chukai – Cherating – Kuantan Port City – KotaSAS – Gambang – Maran Section C : Temerloh – Bentong – Gombak – Serendah – Puncak Alam – Kapar – Northport/Westport |
| Stations | 20 |
| Website | mrl |
| Service | |
| Type | Inter-city rail & Rail freight transport |
| Operator(s) | Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd & CCCC Joint Venture |
| Depot(s) | Kuantan Port City |
| Rolling stock | CRRC CR200J 6-car set EMU |
| Ridership | 5.40 million by 2030 (estimated) |
| History | |
| Planned opening | 1 January 2027 |
| Technical | |
| Line length | 665 km (413 mi) Double Track[3] |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge |
| Electrification | 25 kV 50 Hz AC Overhead line |
| Conduction system | With driver |
| Operating speed | 160 km/h (passenger train) 80 km/h (freight train)[4] |
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]
- ^ "ECRL construction progress ahead of target". Malaysiakini. 22 December 2020. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
- ^ "ECRL project on schedule, 72.93% completed, says Loke".
- ^ Choong, Meng Yew (30 November 2023). "Ensuring fuss-free speeds". The Star. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
- ^ "Reality check: ECRL passenger train's maximum speed confirmed at 160 km/h, not 351 km/h". 18 November 2023. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
- ^ https://www.theedgemarkets.com/article/ecrl-alignment-extended-665km-says-wee ECRL alignment extended to 665km, says Wee
- ^ "ECRL Project Information". mrl.com.my. Archived from the original on 8 July 2017. Retrieved 10 March 2017.
- ^ "MRL instructs CCCC to suspend ECRL works on grounds of national interest". The Edge Markets. 4 July 2018.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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)