The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) is the biggest change to east coast travel in decades, and after years of "2027" headlines the first section is now weeks away. Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL), the Finance Ministry-owned company that owns the line, told media editors on 6 October 2026 that it is confident of starting commercial operations between Kota Bharu and Gombak in mid-December 2026. Three days later, tabling Budget 2027, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim said the Kota Bharu to ITT Gombak phase was expected to begin operating in December.
This guide sets out what has actually been confirmed by MRL and the government as of 13 October 2026, and what has not.
What opens in December, and what does not
The full ECRL is 665km with 20 passenger stations, according to MRL. Only the first phase opens this year: Kota Bharu in Kelantan to the Integrated Transport Terminal (ITT) Gombak in Selangor, passing through Terengganu and Pahang. The second phase, from Gombak to Port Klang (including Serendah Baru, Puncak Alam, Kapar and Jalan Kastam), is reported to be scheduled for completion at the end of 2027, so a direct ride to Klang is not part of the December opening.
Phase 1 was 98.16% complete as of September 2026. All ten 132kV feeder stations on the Kota Bharu to Gombak alignment were energised by 11 August 2026, which MRL described as completing the line's main power supply.
The 16 Phase 1 stations
From north to south, the stations on the Kota Bharu to Gombak section are:
- Kelantan: Kota Bharu, Pasir Puteh
- Terengganu: Jertih, Bandar Permaisuri, Kuala Terengganu, Dungun, Kemasik, Chukai
- Pahang: Cherating, Kuantan Port City, KotaSAS, Paya Besar, Maran, Temerloh, Bentong
- Selangor: ITT Gombak
Kuantan has two stations: Kuantan Port City near the port at Gebeng, and KotaSAS at the state administrative centre. Budget 2027 also includes a bus station at the Kota Bharu ECRL station and RM270 million for stage bus services in major cities, including connections to 15 stations along the east coast before the opening. Malaysia and China have also agreed to extend the line to Rantau Panjang on the Thai border, though no date has been given for that.
How long the journey takes
MRL's figure for Kota Bharu to Gombak is about four hours, against roughly seven hours by road. Two test runs back it up:
- A non-stop Comprehensive Inspection Train ran Gombak to Kota Bharu, 519km, in 3 hours 19 minutes, at speeds of up to 160km/h.
- On 7 October MRL reported the inspection train ran ITT Gombak to KotaSAS in about 85 minutes each way.
Regular services will stop at stations, so expect timetabled journeys to be longer than the non-stop test. MRL has said an express pattern on the Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu route can be done in under four hours. The full timetable has not been published.
How many trains
MRL says Phase 1 will run 12 return trips a day from Monday to Thursday and 14 from Friday to Sunday. Each passenger train has a capacity of 425 passengers. Operations will be handled by ECRL Operation Sdn Bhd, whose chief executive Mohd Zaidi Sharif attended the 6 October briefing.
Fares: what has been said
No fare has been announced. What is on record:
- MRL chief executive Darwis Abdul Razak said on 6 October that fares are expected to be announced in October, with the Transport Ministry making the announcement, and ticket sales targeted to start in November.
- He described the pricing as "dynamic and affordable fares that will be lower than airfares and slightly higher than bus fares".
- In June 2026, MRL warned that fare figures circulating on social media were speculation and that only the ministry would announce official rates.
"Dynamic" suggests prices may vary by demand or how early you book, but the structure has not been published. Any table showing exact Kota Bharu to Gombak prices before the ministry's announcement should be treated as unofficial.
Getting to and from ITT Gombak
ITT Gombak is built beside Terminal Bersepadu Gombak, the bus terminal next to the Gombak LRT station, which is the northern end of the Kelana Jaya Line. MRL describes the ECRL station as designed to link with the LRT station. MRL has not yet published the final walking route between the platforms, so allow extra time on your first trip.
What to do before December
- Wait for the Transport Ministry's fare announcement, expected this month, and book only through the channels MRL or the ministry names.
- Check the school holiday overlap. The year-end school holidays run from late November to the end of December, so early December trains may sell quickly once tickets open.
- Plan the last mile. The Kota Bharu bus station and the stage bus routes are budget measures, so check what is actually running at your destination station before you travel.
*Sources: Malaysia Rail Link, news releases of 11 August, 6 October, 7 October and 9 October 2026 and its East Coast Rail Link project page (665km, 20 stations, 425 passengers per train), read 13 October 2026; Bernama, 6 October 2026; Ministry of Finance, Budget 2027 speech, 9 October 2026; station names as listed in MRL and press coverage of the alignment. Fares and the final timetable were not published as of 13 October 2026.*
*Cover image: ECRL CR200J trainset before delivery, May 2026, by Oblivionis, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0.*
