KTMB Targets 1.2 Mln ETS3 Passengers In 2026 With full Rollout

By Hasnah Jusid

JOHOR BAHRU, Dec 31 (Bernama) -- About 1.2 million passengers are expected to use 12 Electric Train Service 3 (ETS3) trips next year for the southern and northern sectors once the operation is fully implemented.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) chief operating officer Afzar Zakariya said KTMB is targeting an average of 3,400 passengers daily, including 2,600 passengers on the Kuala Lumpur–Johor Bahru route.

He said an average of 400 passengers per day are expected to use each of the Johor Bahru–Butterworth and Johor Bahru–Padang Besar routes.

“Starting this month, KTMB is operating eight ETS3 services daily, comprising four northbound and four southbound trips.

“Next year, the service will be extended from Johor Bahru to Butterworth and Padang Besar, with two services each, bringing the total to 12 services, which are expected to begin operations in early 2026,” he told Bernama.

Afzar said rail-based transport plays an important role in national development, particularly through the Gemas–Johor Bahru Electrified Double-Track project and the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link), which he described as a game changer.

He said the RTS Link connecting Woodlands North station in Singapore and Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru is expected to be a catalyst for increased use of public transport, including ETS3 and southern commuter services.

“Once the RTS Link begins operations, we expect more passengers from Singapore to use domestic rail networks such as ETS3 and commuter services as part of their onward journeys to other cities in Malaysia,” he said.

From an economic perspective, Afzar said the increase in visitor arrivals from Singapore is expected to boost the hospitality, retail and services sectors, particularly in Johor Bahru, Kluang, Melaka and Kuala Lumpur.

He said with the support of rail services such as ETS3, KTMB views the RTS Link, which is expected to begin operations in early 2027, as a strategic connector that will further strengthen the regional rail transport ecosystem.

-- BERNAMA