KTM West Coast railway line

West Coast Line
West Coast Line
	A KTM Class 26 hauling freight at Ipoh station.
Overview
Native name	Landasan keretapi Pantai Barat (Malay); 西海岸鐵路線 (Chinese)
Owner	Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Locale	Peninsular Malaysia
Termini	Padang Besar; Woodlands Train Checkpoint
Continues from	Southern Line – Padang Besar Branch
Stations	121
Service
Type	Higher-speed rail; Inter-city rail; Commuter rail; Freight rail
System	Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Services	KTM Intercity; KTM Komuter; KTM ETS; KTM Kargo
Operator(s)	Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Depot(s)	Padang Besar; Bukit Mertajam; Bukit Tengah; Batu Gajah; Rawang; Sentul; Seremban; Klang;
History
Opened	1 June 1885
Technical
Line length	1,151 km (715 mi)
Number of tracks	1 or 2
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Electrification	25 kV 50 Hz AC (KTM ETS)
Route map
	Legend
	Thailand
	Malaysia
	Padang Besar
	depot
	Perlis
	Kedah
	Kedah
	Penang
	Bukit Mertajam
	Bukit Mertajam depot
	Bukit Tengah
	depot
	Penang
	Perak
	Perai River
	Swing Bridge
	North Butterworth
	Container Terminal
	Bukit Merah
	closed
	Bukit Merah Lake
	Railway Bridge
	Kanthan
	Freight Terminal
	Batu Gajah
	Central Depot
	Perak
	Selangor
	Serendah
	Freight Terminal
	Rawang
	EMU Depot
	Selangor
	Kuala Lumpur
	Selangor
	Kuala Lumpur
	Sentul Works (Depot)
	Sentul
	Bangsar Junction
	(Port Swettenham Junction)
	Bandar Tasik
	Selatan
	Kuala Lumpur
	Selangor
	Kuala Lumpur
	Selangor
	planned
	& future
	Selangor
	Negeri Sembilan
	Glenmarie Halt
	(future)
	Sri Subang Halt
	(future)
	Seremban
	EMU Depot
	Negeri Sembilan
	Melaka
	Melaka
	Negeri Sembilan
	Jalan Kastam
	yard
	Jalan
	Kastam
	Negeri Sembilan
	Johor
	EMU Depot
	depot

The West Coast railway line runs from Padang Besar railway station close to the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis (where it connects with the State Railway of Thailand) to Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore. It is called the West Coast railway line because it serves the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia.

The 1,151-kilometre line is busier than the East Coast railway line because the West Coast railway line handles a variety of passenger train services such as the KTM ETS services, the KTM Intercity services, the International Express, the KTM Komuter in the Klang Valley and Greater Penang, and freight trains. Of this total length, 759 km is double-tracked and electrified.

The major stations on the line include KL Sentral in Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth in Butterworth, Penang and JB Sentral in the south in Johor Bahru.

History[]

The West Coast railway line was developed in stretches on June 1, 1885, with the opening of the Taiping–Port Weld Line, and 1932 when the line opened up to Tanjung Pagar, thus spanning the entire west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Padang Besar on the to Singapore. The line began with the construction of branches linking coastal ports with inland tin mining areas before they were gradually linked up by the main truck line running through the interior of the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia.

The latest new lines to be built were the branch lines to West Port, , Tanjung Pelepas, Pasir Gudang and the . The trunk line had also seen sections becoming disused, abandoned or even removed, with the latest being the closure and subsequent removal of the southernmost stretch of track between the Woodlands Train Checkpoint and Tanjong Pagar in 2011.

Services[]

The West Coast railway line is served by a variety of train services:^[1]^[2]^[3]

KTM Intercity
- Ekspres Rakyat Timuran between Tumpat and JB Sentral. (The route between Gemas and JB Sentral is part of the West Coast Line while the route between Gemas and Tumpat is on the East Coast Line)
- Ekspres Selatan between Gemas and JB Sentral.
- Shuttle Tebrau between JB Sentral and Woodlands Train Checkpoint
ETS KTM ETS
- Business Class (one of 6 coaches upgraded with free wifi, charging sockets, on board dining & single seats; and only stops at a few major stations)
  - Between KL Sentral and Padang Besar
- ETS Platinum (express service that only stops at a few major stations)
  - Between KL Sentral and Butterworth
  - Between KL Sentral and Padang Besar
- ETS Gold (stops at all major stations a few minor stations)
  - Between KL Sentral and Ipoh
  - Between KL Sentral and Padang Besar
  - Between KL Sentral and Butterworth
  - Between Gemas and Butterworth
  - Between Gemas and Padang Besar
- ETS Silver (stops at all stations)
  - Between KL Sentral and Ipoh
KTM Komuter
- 1 Seremban Line between Batu Caves and Pulau Sebang/Tampin.
- 2 Port Klang Line between Tanjung Malim and Port Klang.
- 10 Skypark Link between KL Sentral and Terminal Skypark.
- 1 Bukit Mertajam-Padang Rengas route between Bukit Mertajam and Padang Rengas.
- 2 Padang Besar-Butterworth route between Padang Besar and Butterworth.
International Express between Padang Besar and Bangkok's Hua Lamphong Railway Station

Projects[]

Gemas–Johor Bahru electrification and double-tracking[]

After many years of announcements about the intention to upgrade the final stretch of single track of the West Coast Line, the Government began the public display exercise for the Gemas–Johor Bahru electrification and double-tracking project on 27 October 2015. The public display exercise, required for all development of new railways under Section 84 of Malaysia's Land Public Transport Act 2010, ran until 27 January 2016. Chinese company China Railway Construction Company (CRCC) has been awarded to build the Gemas–Johor Bahru electrification and double-tracking project.

The length of the line to be electrified and double-tracked is 197 km between Chainage 563.040 at Gemas to Chainage 754.180 at Johor Bahru. The project includes the construction of 11 stations at Segamat, Genuang, Labis, Bekok, Paloh, Kluang, Mengkibol, Rengam, Layang-Layang, Kulai and Kempas Baru, and 3 future stations at Tenang, Chamek and . The upgraded line is supposed to cater for at least 22 services daily involving KTM ETS, KTM Intercity and shuttle train services. Electrification for the stretch will have the same specifications as that of the Seremban-Gemas stretch, name at 25 kV AC 50 Hz single phase and supplied via an overhead catenary. Train operations for this stretch will be integrated with the Train Control Centres at KL Sentral and Gemas. The design speed for the tracks is 160 km/h.

Construction began in 2016 and is expected to be completed by October 2022.^[4]^[5]

Klang Valley Double Track Project[]

The project was implemented by Keretapi Tanah Melayu began in 2016 and phase 1 is expected to be completed by 2021.^[6] The project entails the rehabilitation of 42 km of tracks between Rawang and Salak Selatan as well as Sentul and Simpang Batu. This will focus on enhancing 16 stations along these routes and upgrade the existing signalling and electrification system.^[7] This will be reduced to just seven-and-a-half minutes once the KVDT is completed.^[8]

The 42km rehabilitation under Phase I, which are:

Phase 1A (Rawang – Simpang Batu)
Phase 1B (Kuala Lumpur – Simpang Bangsar)
Phase 2 (Simpang Batu – Kuala Lumpur)
Phase 3 (Sentul – Simpang Batu)
Phase 4 (Simpang Bangsar – Salak Selatan)

Phase II is from Simpang - Pelabuhan Klang and Salak Selatan - Seremban.

Line network[]

Main trunk line[]

The West Coast main trunk line stretches from Padang Besar on the Malaysia-Thailand border to Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore.

The main trunk line is double-tracked and electrified from Padang Besar to Gemas. From Gemas to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint, the line is single-tracked and not electrified. Loops at stations allow trains to pass. Double tracking and electrification works are currently being carried out.

The West Coast railway line connects with the State Railway of Thailand at Padang Besar, while the East Coast line branches off at Gemas.

Branch lines[]

The West Coast railway line includes several branch lines from the main trunk line, namely:

Bukit Mertajam Junction to Butterworth
Batu Junction to Batu Caves
Port Klang/Bangsar Junction to Port Klang and Westport, with further branch lines:
- Subang Jaya to Terminal Skypark at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (Subang) Airport
- Port Klang to Northport
- Pulau Indah to various Wesport shipping terminals
Skudai Junction to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas
Kempas Baru to Pasir Gudang

The Bukit Mertajam Junction to Butterworth, Batu Junction to Batu Caves, Port Klang Junction to Port Klang station, as well as the branch lines to Terminal Skypark and Northport are double tracked and electrified.

The line from Port Klang to Westport and its shipping terminals, as well as the branch lines between Skudai Junction and the Port of Tanjung Pelepas and the Kempas Baru and Pasir Gudang are single lines and not electrified.

There are also branch lines where the tracks exist but are not used for any service or closed are:

Between Tapah Road and Teluk Intan (abandoned and not connected to the main line)
Between Seremban and Port Dickson

None of these disused branch lines are double tracked nor electrified.

Stations[]

Main Trunk Line[]

Station names	Serving cities	Services	Major landmarks	Remarks
(Connects to Padang Besar branch line, Southern Line (Thailand))
Padang Besar	Padang Besar, Perlis	ETS 2
Bukit Ketri	Bukit Ketri, Perlis	2
Arau	Arau, Perlis Pulau Langkawi, Kedah	ETS 2
Kodiang	Kodiang, Kedah	2
Megat Dewa				Closed and demolished
Tunjang				Closed and demolished
Anak Bukit	Anak Bukit, Kedah	ETS 2
Alor Setar	Alor Star, Kedah	ETS 2
Kobah	Pendang, Kedah	2
Ladang Jenun				Closed and demolished
Gurun	Gurun, Kedah	ETS 2
Sungai Petani	Sungai Petani, Kedah	ETS 2
Pinang Tunggal				Closed and demolished
Tasek Gelugor	Tasek Gelugor, Penang	ETS 2
Penanti				Closed and demolished
Simpang Ampat	Simpang Ampat, Penang	1
Nibong Tebal	Nibong Tebal, Penang	ETS 1
Parit Buntar	Parit Buntar, Perak	ETS 1
Bagan Serai	Bagan Serai, Perak	ETS 1
Bukit Merah	Bukit Merah, Perak		Bukit Merah Laketown Resort	Closed and demolished
Pondok Tanjung				Closed and demolished
Kamunting	Kamunting, Perak	1
Taiping	Taiping, Perak	ETS 1
Bukit Berapit				Closed and demolished
Padang Rengas	Padang Rengas, Perak	ETS 1
Kuala Kangsar	Kuala Kangsar, Perak	ETS
Salak Utara				Closed and demolished
Sungai Siput	Sungai Siput, Perak	ETS
Chemor				Closed and demolished. Freights only.
Tanjung Rambutan	Tanjung Rambutan, Perak			Closed.
Tasek	Ipoh, Perak	ETS
Ipoh	Ipoh, Perak	ETS
Lahat	Lahat, Perak			Freights only
Batu Gajah	Batu Gajah, Perak	ETS
Kota Bharu	Batu Gajah, Perak			Freights only
Kampar	Kampar, Perak	ETS
Tapah Road	Tapah Road, Perak	ETS
Sungkai	Sungkai, Perak	ETS
Slim River	Slim River, Perak	ETS
Behrang	Behrang, Perak	ETS
Tanjung Malim	Tanjung Malim, Perak	ETS 2
Kalumpang				Closed and demolished.
Kerling				Closed and demolished.
Kuala Kubu Bharu	Kuala Kubu Bharu, Selangor	ETS 2		Replaced the nearby station formerly .
Rasa	Rasa, Selangor	2
Batang Kali	Batang Kali, Selangor	ETS 2		Replaced the nearby station formerly Ulu Yam.
Serendah	Serendah, Selangor	2
Rawang	Rawang, Selangor	ETS 2
Kuang	Kuang, Selangor	2
Sungai Buloh	Sungai Buloh, Selangor	ETS 2 Interchange: 9
Kepong Sentral	Kepong, Kuala Lumpur	ETS 2
Kepong	Kepong, Kuala Lumpur	2
Segambut	Segambut, Kuala Lumpur	2
Putra	Kuala Lumpur	12 Interchange: 34
Bank Negara	Kuala Lumpur	12 Interchange: 34
Kuala Lumpur	Kuala Lumpur	ETS 12 Interchange: 59
Kuala Lumpur Sentral	Kuala Lumpur	ETS 1 2 5 6 7 8 9 10		Central interchange with all intercity and commuter trains, rapid transit, monorail and airport rail link
Mid Valley	Mid Valley City, Kuala Lumpur	1 Interchange: 25
Seputeh	Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur	1
Salak Selatan	Salak South, Kuala Lumpur	1
Bandar Tasik Selatan	Bandar Tasik Selatan and Bandar Tun Razak, Kuala Lumpur	ETS 1 Interchange: 4 7
Serdang	Seri Kembangan, Kuala Lumpur	1
Kajang	Kajang, Selangor	ETS 1 Interchange: 9
UKM	UKM and Bangi, Selangor	1
Bangi	Bangi, Selangor	1
Batang Benar	Batang Benar, Negeri Sembilan	1
Nilai	Nilai, Negeri Sembilan	1
Labu	Labu, Negeri Sembilan	1
Tiroi	Labu, Negeri Sembilan	1
Seremban	Seremban, Kuala Pilah and Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan	ETS 1
Senawang	Senawang, Negeri Sembilan	1
Sungai Gadut	Sungai Gadut, Negeri Sembilan	1
Rembau	Rembau, Negeri Sembilan	1
Pulau Sebang/Tampin	Pulau Sebang, Melaka City and Alor Gajah, Malacca & Tampin, Negeri Sembilan	ETS 1	Melaka Heritage City	Main station serving Malacca
Batang Melaka	Batang Melaka and Jasin, Malacca	ETS		Nearest Station to Jasin
Air Kuning Selatan				Closed
Gemas	Gemas, Negeri Sembilan	ETS		Interchange with East Coast railway line
Batu Anam
Segamat	Segamat, Muar and Tangkak, Johor
Genuang	Genuang, Johor
Tenang	Tenang, Johor
Labis	Labis, Johor
Bekok	Bekok, Johor
Paloh	Paloh, Johor
Chamek	Chamek, Johor			Closed
Kluang	Kluang, Batu Pahat and Mersing, Johor
Mengkibol	Mengkibol, Johor
Rengam	Renggam, Johor
Layang-Layang	Layang-Layang, Johor
Kulai	Kulai and Pontian, Johor		Senai International Airport
Skudai	Skudai, Johor			Freights only
Tanjung Pelepas	Iskandar Puteri, Johor		Port of Tanjung Pelepas	Freights only
Kempas Baru	Kempas, Johor.
Danga City Mall	Johor Bahru, Johor		Danga City Mall	Closed
Johor Bahru Sentral	Johor Bahru, Kota Tinggi and Pontian, Johor & Woodlands, Singapore		Southern Integrated Gateway	Interchange with Shuttle Tebrau to Singapore
Woodlands Train Checkpoint	Woodlands, Singapore			Shuttle Tebrau services only

Batu Junction–Batu Caves Branch Line[]

Station names	Serving cities	Services
Batu Junction between Segambut and Putra stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Sentul	Sentul, Kuala Lumpur	1
Batu Kentonmen	Batu Kentonmen and Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur	1
Kampung Batu	Bandar Baru Selayang and Kampung Batu, Kuala Lumpur	1
Taman Wahyu	Taman Wahyu, Kuala Lumpur	1
Batu Caves	Batu Caves, Selangor	1

Port Klang Junction–Port Klang Branch Line[]

Station names	Serving cities	Services	Major landmarks
Port Klang (Bangsar) Junction between KL Sentral and Mid Valley stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Abdullah Hukum	Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum, Bangsar and Mid Valley City Kuala Lumpur	2 Interchange:1 5
Angkasapuri	Angkasapuri, Kuala Lumpur	2
Pantai Dalam	Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur	2
Petaling	Kampung Pasir, Old Klang Road and Taman OUG, Kuala Lumpur	2
Jalan Templer	Jalan Templer and Petaling Jaya, Selangor	2
Kampung Dato Harun	Kampung Dato Harun, Selangor	2
Seri Setia	Seri Setia and Sungai Way, Selangor	2
Setia Jaya	Bandar Sunway, Selangor	2 Interchange: B1
Subang Jaya	Subang Jaya, Selangor	210 Interchange: 5
Terminal Skypark	Subang Airport, Selangor	10	Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport
Batu Tiga	Batu Tiga, Selangor	2
Shah Alam	Seksyen 19, Shah Alam, Selangor	2
Padang Jawa	Padang Jawa, Selangor	2
Bukit Badak	Jalan Bukit Badak, Klang, Selangor	2
Klang	Klang, Selangor	2
Teluk Pulai	Teluk Pulai, Selangor	2
Teluk Gadong	Teluk Gadong, Selangor	2
Kampung Raja Uda	Kampung Raja Uda, Selangor	2
Jalan Kastam	Jalan Kastam, Port Klang, Selangor	2
Port Klang	Port Klang, Selangor	2
(Continue to Westport)

Bukit Mertajam Junction–Butterworth Branch Line[]

Station names	Serving cities	Services	Major landmarks
Bukit Mertajam Junction between Simpang Ampat and Tasek Gelugor stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Bukit Mertajam	Bukit Mertajam, Penang	ETS 1 2
Bukit Tengah	Bukit Tengah, Penang	2
Perai	Perai, Penang	Freights only
Butterworth	Butterworth, Penang	ETS 2	Penang Bridge, Port of Penang

References[]

^ "State Railway of Thailand".
^ "Keretapi Tanah Melayu".
^ Ong, Ryan (2019-09-29). "You Can Now Take a Single-Seater Business Class KTM Train from KL to Perlis! - WORLD OF BUZZ". worldofbuzz.com/. Retrieved 2019-12-19.
^ Rizalman Hammim (21 June 2020). "Benefits and challenges of the Gemas-Johor Baru Railway Electrified Double-Tracking Project". New Straits Times.
^ "Benefits and challenges of the Gemas-Johor Baru Railway Electrified Double-Tracking Project". The Star. 12 July 2020.
^ "The Klang Valley Double Track Project (KVDT) - Official Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (S.P.A.D.) Website". www.spad.gov.my.
^ "The Klang Valley Double Track Project (KVDT) - Official Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (S.P.A.D.) Website". www.spad.gov.my. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
^ "Phase 1 of KTM Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) Project is right on schedule for completion in 2019 - Barisan Nasional". www.barisannasional.org.my. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.

[1] "State Railway of Thailand".

[2] "Keretapi Tanah Melayu".

[3] Ong, Ryan (2019-09-29). "You Can Now Take a Single-Seater Business Class KTM Train from KL to Perlis! - WORLD OF BUZZ". worldofbuzz.com/. Retrieved 2019-12-19.

[4] Rizalman Hammim (21 June 2020). "Benefits and challenges of the Gemas-Johor Baru Railway Electrified Double-Tracking Project". New Straits Times.

[5] "Benefits and challenges of the Gemas-Johor Baru Railway Electrified Double-Tracking Project". The Star. 12 July 2020.

[6] "The Klang Valley Double Track Project (KVDT) - Official Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (S.P.A.D.) Website". www.spad.gov.my.

[7] "The Klang Valley Double Track Project (KVDT) - Official Suruhanjaya Pengangkutan Awam Darat (S.P.A.D.) Website". www.spad.gov.my. Archived from the original on 6 August 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.

[8] "Phase 1 of KTM Klang Valley Double Track (KVDT) Project is right on schedule for completion in 2019 - Barisan Nasional". www.barisannasional.org.my. Archived from the original on 14 January 2018. Retrieved 14 January 2018.

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