KTM introducing business class coach on ETS trains

KTM is set to introduce a business class coach in its ETS2 train service next month. The premium section will be one of six coaches on the nine new ETS2 train sets, which KTM will receive in stages until Q1 2020.

According to KTM’s CEO Mohd Rani Hisham Samsudin, the business class coach will be fitted with “conducive features that fits the business class branding.” Passengers get to enjoy wider and more comfortable seats, a travel kit, audio/video on demand, and USB charging ports. The coach will also have its own steward/stewardess.

Tickets for travel from October 11 will go on sale from 8.30 am tomorrow, September 12. There’s a promotional price of RM50 for an adult one-way ticket from KL Sentral to Ipoh, and RM112 for the ride from KL Sentral to Padang Besar. The promotion is valid for trips from October 11 to November 30, 2019. The usual concession discounts apply for those who are eligible.

The ETS has been successful for KTM, with 3.91 million passengers recorded in 2018. The first seven months of 2019 saw 2.15 million riders, which translates to 10,400 passengers per day on average. With the addition of these two services, there will 38 ETS services a day across Peninsular Malaysia.

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • Ah meng on Sep 11, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    Liow tiong lai far better than anthony loke

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 33 Thumb down 45
    • weakneswaran on Sep 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      better? please define “better”??

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 7
      • He don’t make policies sesuka hati just to uturn sesuka hati.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 14 Thumb down 0
    • If you mean better at just being minister in name only, yeah, you are right. Liow was good at being a minister without doing anything.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 11
    • Sick & Tired on Sep 12, 2019 at 12:23 pm

      No need to bring up politics la! I am sick and tired of it! This is an automotive blog, not a political blog!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
  • Peter Chan on Sep 11, 2019 at 12:25 pm

    How much does it cost to travel from KL to Singapore by business class ?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 3
    • Ghani on Sep 11, 2019 at 12:40 pm

      ETS doesn’t go into Sinkie. You’d have to use the HSR. Oops sorry HSR got cancelled, you would have to walk on foot. Thank Maday!

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 24 Thumb down 12
      • Anonymous on Sep 11, 2019 at 1:28 pm

        HSR not cancelled… just defered to end of May 2020.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 3
      • Anonymous on Sep 11, 2019 at 1:41 pm

        With the future HSR completed… i think it will be completed and operational by 2031 instead the original 2026..! KTM then would not need a business class for its ETS KL to JB services.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
      • Ouch Dei on Sep 11, 2019 at 2:15 pm

        Bas ekspres Gemas – Sinkie RM25 jer.. walk on foot, my foot

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 8
    • Ghani on Sep 11, 2019 at 1:00 pm

      ETS sampai Gemas onli. its gud if KTM put massage, barber, spa n kemudahan gym for top koporat honchos like us-

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 7 Thumb down 8
    • Anonymous on Sep 11, 2019 at 1:36 pm

      Southbound from KL… there is no ETS yet. Double tracking is under consruction for the stretch from Gemas to JB Sentral. This would the connect to KTM Komuter into Woodlands S’pore.

      ETS Double Tracking Gemas to JB Sentral construction is now 40% done and set to complete and be operational by early 2022. Thats in 3 years time.

      RTS is expected to replace KTM Komuter services. It was supposed to operational by end 2024… BUT PH Govt is slow to proceed… and we will know the expected completion date by end of Sept 2019 when they finally recommence works.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 4 Thumb down 0
    • There’s a luxury bus service between KL & Singapore, cheaper than Air Asia flight.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • no ets from kl to jb/singapore..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Manual Swift Sporter on Sep 11, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    I wouldn’t consider myself a political person, but I’m just amazed that people will consistently credit the current government for something that may have only been decided after years and years of supposed technical and financial R&D, decision making, signing of agreements and ordering.

    That said, I think this is a good move, as it attempts to tap into a new market of people who wouldn’t mind taking a train as long as it feels just like their Alphard, but without the traffic jam. I know I would (if I have had an Alphard, that is). Anything in favor of a better public transport experience is always a big welcome.

    Now if only KTM can introduce another radical product called a “timetable”……

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 31 Thumb down 5
    • Spin Too Much on Sep 11, 2019 at 4:12 pm

      Not the regular sane people, nosiree. only the PH fanboys who are just born yesterday and thought all these good stuff are coming from their masters. You can see many gushing fandom statements bootlicking their politicians like no other.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 3 Thumb down 0
  • how to be the business class if ETS cannot even be on time as a basic requirement? please improve your service and schedule only then talking to charge premium. Otherwise, paper smart but poor implementation again from Malaysia!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 2
  • John Doe on Sep 11, 2019 at 2:59 pm

    You can first get the rail roads repaired.
    KTM is an old dinosaur which surprisingly no one manages its maintenance for the past 30 years. Once its repaired the trains don’t need to stop every 5km like how they keep stopping in india with people on top…then immediately you have proper class for all passengers before thinking about business class.
    Thankfully we have LRT and MRT if not we would be forced to buy DreamEdge.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 9 Thumb down 6
    • KTMB do not own the tracks or stations. They just operate the train. And no you cannot simply create new class and charges people any fare you like. Everything decided by the government. People want best service like first- class private company but at government subsidised price. Where got la. Last year government approved 20% rate review after so many years, this year decided go down again 20%. No train operator in the world make any profit without any subsidy.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 2
      • John Doe on Sep 12, 2019 at 11:22 am

        Owning and Operating is two separate matter.
        I’m speaking of Operating which includes maintenance, it’s called O&M.
        Are you suggesting 30 years ago, KTMB got awarded by the government just to send 1 or 2 men on a train ride?
        The price is not the matter now, it’s the ill maintained assets of the trains resulting requiring subsidies in perpetual. Who caused this issue and infact ask this to be completely refurbished instead of the new HSR?

        Your statement of “No train operator in the world make any profit without any subsidy” is uneducated to say the least.

        Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
        • Show me any operator that make a profit on operation. Any profit would come from real estate and property management, and those profit would subsidised the train operation e.g Japan Railway. Maintenance should be the responsibility of the track owner but not here. Since KTMB do not own any asset, there’s no other revenue income except operation. Try to do a little research before calling people uneducated.

          Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
    • ETS track from KL to the Thai border is nearly brand new?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Gabriel on Sep 11, 2019 at 3:08 pm

    Since they are introducing business class (which is targeting the T20 group), they should consider to introduce extra economy coach targeting B40 and M40 groups, or reduce the current rate instead. By doing that, it will be more accessible to people from all walk of life.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 15 Thumb down 5
    • Indeed an interesting idea. This would tap the bus passenger market.

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • Truth About PT Commentors on Sep 11, 2019 at 3:59 pm

    Another great achievement from Anthony Loke!
    Kudos we all love how you area able to bring improvements! So many I lost count..

    Hope the 50 dupes dont come here again.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 5
  • Harun Azmin on Sep 11, 2019 at 4:00 pm

    Terbaik sekarang saya dapat mmenggunakan ini tak perlu high speed rail! we love anthony loke

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 2
  • Liow Tiong Lai on Sep 11, 2019 at 4:02 pm

    Hope all those 50 dupes dont come again…
    Liow Tiong Lai never contributed anything to the MOT. Hanya makan…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 4
    • Edwin L on Sep 12, 2019 at 8:55 am

      What’s with you and your dupes here? Got so much free time ah?

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • i think KTM should provide more train service for northbound at cheaper price since there’s a high demand, especially during festival season to reduce the traffic jam rather than provide business-class coach service.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 5 Thumb down 0
  • shahid shamim on Sep 11, 2019 at 5:41 pm

    Pls provide/increase number of additional coach for Alor Setar to Kuala Lumpur route especially in weekend. We need normal coach and not business coach. Tickets always run out faster and this is going on from past 8 months but no action from KTM.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 6 Thumb down 0
    • alxand on Sep 12, 2019 at 2:11 pm

      agree… extra coach needed coz tix always runs out…more coach per train no need extra frequency

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • vVivi Zurianti on Sep 12, 2019 at 9:05 am

    Take exec bus from KL……at the way to Orchard Road, Sing.

    More convenient and cheaper. Hassle free too. I have been doing this for many years already.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Abu Kashim Zarim on Sep 14, 2019 at 9:10 pm

    Welldon the government to provide more conveniance to the people

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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