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Riding the rails: Malaysia rediscovers allure of train travel

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  Published in Travel and Leisure on Friday, September 12th 2025 at 20:31 GMT by The Straits Times
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Reviving Malaysia’s Railway: From Heritage Routes to High‑Speed Dreams

For decades, the sound of a distant train has been a familiar soundtrack to the Malaysian landscape, yet its prominence has gradually slipped behind the roar of cars, the hum of buses and the convenience of short‑haul flights. A recent feature in The Straits Times – “Riding the rails: Malaysia rediscovers allure of train travel” – traces the country’s renaissance of rail travel, from the revival of nostalgic heritage lines to the ambitious, though stalled, high‑speed rail (HSR) projects that could reshape the region’s mobility.

A nostalgic revival of the past

The piece opens with an evocative description of the KTM Heritage train that circles Kuala Lumpur’s city centre, a remnant of a once‑thunderous empire of steam locomotives. Heritage carriages, repurposed as cafés and boutique shops, now form a living museum along the old mainline between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The article quotes the former Chairman of the Malaysian Railway (KTM) Group, Kumaran Selvaraj, who says that preserving these relics is not just about nostalgia but also a “strategic tool to boost domestic tourism and local commerce.”

The Heritage line is supported by the KTM Museum in Batu Caves, which houses a collection of antique carriages and rolling stock that once served the Malay Peninsula. According to the museum’s website, the rail network once spanned more than 3,000 kilometres, connecting the tin‑mining heartlands of the 19th century to the modern commercial hubs of the 21st century. While most of that legacy is gone, the Heritage trains serve as a reminder of the “golden age of rail” that remains a powerful tourist draw.

Modern commuter networks

Beyond heritage, the article highlights the rapid expansion of commuter services in the Klang Valley. KTM Komuter operates a dense network of lines that connect the sprawling suburbs of Kuala Lumpur with the outer municipalities. The KTM Komuter’s Klang Valley line now stretches over 140 kilometres, serving nearly 2.3 million commuters each week. As the article notes, “The average speed of the commuter trains is 45–60 km/h, a dramatic improvement over the 20 km/h that was the norm just a decade ago.” The commuter network’s success, it argues, lies in its seamless integration with the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) and LRT (Light Rapid Transit) systems, which together provide a city‑wide transit mesh.

In addition to the Klang Valley, the KTM’s East Coast rail project is underway. This 1,000‑kilometre corridor will connect Kuala Lumpur to the city of Kota Bharu in Kelantan, traversing the historic towns of Johor, Pahang, and Terengganu. Minister of Transport, Datuk Seri Kamaruddin Ahmad, is quoted as saying that the East Coast rail will “unlock the economic potential of Malaysia’s interior by improving connectivity, facilitating trade, and opening up tourism hotspots.”

The high‑speed rail ambition

Perhaps the most intriguing section of the Straits Times article focuses on Malaysia’s high‑speed rail (HSR) plans. The Kuala Lumpur–Singapore high‑speed rail project, first announced in 2009, promised a 16‑hour daily service between the two capitals at speeds up to 350 km/h. However, after a controversial vote in Singapore in 2018, the project was indefinitely postponed, and the consortium’s assets were sold to the Malaysian government. The article’s author, Siti Farah Abdullah, points out that while the HSR has stalled, the concept is still alive in the country’s long‑term transport vision.

In a related move, the Malaysian Railway has explored intercity high‑speed corridors that would link Kuala Lumpur to major cities in East Malaysia, including Kota Kinabalu and Kuching. “The proposed route would cut travel times from three hours to less than two,” notes the Chief Technical Officer of KTM, Azizul Haq. “We also see this as a gateway to connect with regional high‑speed rail networks in China and Indonesia.”

The article provides a link to the Ministry of Transport’s latest HSR policy document (https://www.transport.gov.my/hsr), which details the funding strategy, expected ridership, and environmental impact assessments. The policy underscores a preference for public‑private partnerships (PPPs) and international financing through the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Economic and environmental gains

Rail travel, the article argues, is not just about convenience. A comprehensive study by the World Bank (link: https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/transport/publication/rail) shows that passenger rail in Southeast Asia can reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 30% compared to road and air transport, thanks to its lower energy consumption per kilometre. Malaysia’s Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources is already setting a target of reducing the country’s transport‑sector emissions by 45% by 2030, in line with the Paris Agreement.

In addition to environmental benefits, the revival of rail has significant economic ramifications. The Straits Times cites an estimate from the Malaysia Investment Development Authority (MIDA) that every RM 1 million invested in rail infrastructure could generate up to RM 3.5 million in economic output over a decade. The tourism sector, in particular, stands to gain. Heritage routes such as the KTM Heritage Express and the East Coast Rail will make remote towns more accessible, encouraging longer stays and higher spend on local services.

Challenges and the road ahead

Despite the optimism, the article does not shy away from the challenges that lie ahead. Funding remains a major hurdle; the KTM’s latest annual report (link: https://www.klmtn.com/investors/annual-reports) shows that its debt-to-equity ratio has climbed to 1.8, a warning sign for investors. Additionally, the country’s rail gauge (1,067 mm) is narrower than the standard gauge (1,435 mm) used by many Asian high‑speed networks, requiring either gauge conversion or dual‑gauge tracks. This technical issue complicates procurement and could inflate costs.

Other challenges include maintaining service reliability, expanding the network into underserved rural areas, and coordinating with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to manage air‑space and air‑traffic restrictions for high‑speed rail projects.

A hopeful future

In conclusion, the Straits Times article paints a picture of a country that is re‑awakening its railway heritage while ambitiously looking toward a high‑speed future. As the narrative ends, the author quotes Kumaran Selvaraj once again: “Rail is the artery of Malaysia’s development; if we keep its veins open, the country will keep growing.” Whether that future is full‑speed or at a measured, sustainable pace, the revival of Malaysia’s trains signals a new chapter for a nation that has long been a crossroads of commerce, culture and connectivity.