KTM West Coast railway line

The KTM West Coast railway line runs from Padang Besar close to the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis (where it connects with the State Railway of Thailand) to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore. It is called the West Coast railway line because it serves the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. The line is owned and used entirely by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).

KTM West Coast Line
KTM West Coast Line at Batu Gajah Railway Depot.
Overview
Native name	Landasan Keretapi KTM Pantai Barat (Malay) மலாயா மேற்கு கடற்கரை தொடருந்து வழித்தடம் (Tamil) 西海岸鐵路線 (Chinese)
Status	Operational
Owner	Keretapi Tanah Melayu
Locale	Peninsular Malaysia
Termini	Padang Besar Woodlands Train Checkpoint
Continues from	Padang Besar Branch
Stations	121
Service
Type	Higher-speed rail Inter-city rail Commuter rail Freight rail
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 (1885-06-01)
Completed	17 September 1923 (1923-09-17)
Closed	1 July 2011 (2011-07-01) (Woodlands–Tanjong Pagar)
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 overhead catenary (Padang Besar – Gemas)
Route map km km State Railway of Thailand Thailand Malaysia border 157.8 Padang Besar Padang Besar yard Padang Besar depot Bukit Ketri 138.8 Arau 128.4 Perlis Kedah border Kodiang 120.3 Anak Bukit yard Kedah River bridge Anak Bukit 97.8 Alor Setar 89.6 Tokai Yard 79.1 Kobah 72.0 Petronas Fertiliser Kedah Gurun 54.7 Sungai Petani yard Sungai Petani 33.3 Kedah Penang border Sungai Muda Bridge Tasek Gelugor 15.3 010.2 Bukit Mertajam Bukit Mertajam depot Bukit Mertajam Junction Simpang Ampat 20.6 Bukit Tengah depot Nibong Tebal 34.0 007.2 Bukit Tengah Penang Perak border Prai Yard Parit Buntar 40.3 Perai River Swing Bridge Parit Buntar yard 000.0 Butterworth Bagan Serai 50.7 North Butterworth Container Terminal Bukit Merah (Closed) Bukit Merah Lake Railway Bridge Pondok Tanjung (Closed) Kamunting 89.0 Taiping 94.3 Port Weld Station (Closed) Larut Tunnel Bukit Berapit Tunnel Padang Rengas 113.8 Kuala Kangsar 122.5 Perak River bridge (Formerly Victoria Bridge) Sungai Siput 143.7 Kanthan YTL Cement Freight Terminal Chemor Operational Station 155.3 Tasek 166.9 Ipoh 181.0 Falim Depot Lahat 187.5 Batu Gajah 195.0 Batu Gajah Central Depot 197.0 Kota Bharu 201.0 Kampar 218.0 Tapah Road 233.5 Sungkai 257.5 Slim River 281.7 Behrang 293.0 Tanjung Malim 300.5 Perak Selangor border Kuala Kubu Bharu 332.6 Rasa 333.4 Batang Kali 335.7 347.1 Serendah Serendah Freight Terminal Rawang EMU Depot Batu Caves 355.5 Rawang Selangor Kuala Lumpur border Kuang Taman Wahyu Sungai Buloh Kampung Batu Kepong Sentral Batu Cantonment Selangor Kuala Lumpur border Sentul EMU Depot Kepong Segambut Sentul Works (Depot) Sentul Batu Junction Putra Bank Negara Kuala Lumpur 388.0 KL Sentral Kelana Jaya line Bangsar Junction (Port Swettenham Jn) Abdullah Hukum Mid Valley Angkasapuri Seputeh Pantai Dalam Salak Selatan Petaling Bandar Tasik Selatan Kuala Lumpur Selangor border Kuala Lumpur Selangor border Jalan Templer Serdang Kampung Dato Harun Kajang Seri Setia Kajang 2 Setia Jaya UKM Subang Jaya Bangi Kelana Jaya line Selangor Negeri Sembilan border Batang Benar Glenmarie Halt (future) Nilai Sri Subang Halt (future) Labu Terminal Skypark (service suspended) Tiroi Batu Tiga Seremban EMU Depot Shah Alam Seremban Padang Jawa to Port Dickson Bukit Badak Senawang Klang Depot Sungai Gadut Klang Rembau Teluk Pulai Negeri Sembilan Melaka border Teluk Gadong Pulau Sebang/Tampin Kampung Raja Uda Batang Melaka Melaka Negeri Sembilan border Jalan Kastam yard │ Jalan Kastam East Coast Line Gemas 562.2 Northport Negeri Sembilan Johor border Port Klang EMU Depot depot Batu Anam Port Klang Segamat Selat Lumut Bridge Genuang Pulau Indah yard Tenang ( undergoing rebuilding ) Westports Labis Bekok Paloh ( undergoing rebuilding ) Chamek Kluang Mengkibol Rengam Layang-Layang Sedenak Kulai Senai (planned) Skudai Goods Skudai Junction Tanjung Pelepas Goods Kempas Baru Port of Tanjung Pelepas Pasir Gudang Port Danga City Mall Johor Bahru Sentral  RTS  756.8 Malaysia Singapore border Johor Causeway Woodlands Train Checkpoint  NS9  TE2   RTS  759.0 Bukit Timah Jurong Jurong Port   Tanjong Pagar

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 areas, 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 Penang and Johor Bahru Sentral in the south in Johor.

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 Malaysia–Thai border 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, North Port, Tanjung Pelepas, Pasir Gudang and the North Butterworth Container Terminal at the Port of Penang. 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:

• KTM Intercity
  • Ekspres Rakyat Timuran between Tumpat and Johor Bahru 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 Johor Bahru Sentral.
  • Shuttle Tebrau between Johor Bahru Sentral and Woodlands Train Checkpoint
• KTM ETS
  • ETS Express (express service that only stops at fewer main stations)
    • Between KL Sentral and Ipoh
    • Between KL Sentral and Butterworth
    • Between KL Sentral and Padang Besar
  • ETS Platinum (express service that only stops at major stations, one of 6 coaches upgraded to business class with free wifi, charging sockets, on board dining & single seats)
    • Between KL Sentral and Butterworth
    • Between KL Sentral and Padang Besar
  • ETS Gold (stops at all major stations and a few minor stations)
    • Between Gemas and Ipoh
    • Between Gemas and Butterworth
    • Between Gemas and Padang Besar
  • ETS Silver (stops at all stations)
    • Between KL Sentral and Ipoh
• KTM Komuter
  • 1 Batu Caves-Pulau Sebang Line between Batu Caves and Pulau Sebang/Tampin.
  • 2 Tanjung Malim-Port Klang Line between Tanjung Malim and Port Klang.
  • 10 KL Sentral-Terminal Skypark Line between KL Sentral and Terminal Skypark. (suspended due to low ridership)
  •  1  Butterworth-Ipoh Line between Butterworth and Ipoh.
  •  2  Padang Besar-Butterworth Line between Padang Besar and Butterworth.
• International Express between Padang Besar and Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal

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 Senai. 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 April 2025.

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. 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. This will be reduced to just seven-and-a-half minutes once the KVDT is completed.

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 Bangsar - Pelabuhan Klang and Salak Selatan - Seremban.

Line network

Main trunk line

Part of the main trunk line near Kampar

The West Coast main trunk line stretches from Padang Besar on the Malaysia–Thailand border to the 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 West Port, 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 West Port 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 line to Terminal Skypark is 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
• Between Tasek and Tanjung Rambutan To be removed as is a portion of the old main line that was abandoned after double tracking, and not connected to the new main line, never used and meant as branch line compared to Teluk Intan branch line

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

Stations

Main Trunk Line

Station names	Cities or Towns served	Territory	Services	Major landmarks	Remarks
(Connects to Padang Besar branch line, Southern Line, Thailand)
Padang Besar	Padang Besar	Perlis	ETS   2	Padang Besar Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex
Bukit Ketri	Bukit Ketri		2
Arau	Arau Pulau Langkawi		ETS   2
Kodiang	Kodiang	Kedah	2
Megat Dewa					Closed and demolished
Tunjang					Closed and demolished
Anak Bukit	Anak Bukit		ETS   2
Alor Setar	Alor Star		ETS   2
Kobah	Pendang		2
Ladang Jenun					Closed and demolished
Gurun	Gurun		ETS   2
Sungai Petani	Sungai Petani		ETS   2
Pinang Tunggal		Penang			Closed and demolished
Tasek Gelugor	Tasek Gelugor		ETS   2
Penanti					Closed and demolished
Simpang Ampat	Simpang Ampat		1
Nibong Tebal	Nibong Tebal		ETS   1
Parit Buntar	Parit Buntar	Perak	ETS   1
Bagan Serai	Bagan Serai		ETS   1
Bukit Merah	Bukit Merah			Bukit Merah Laketown Resort	Closed and demolished
Pondok Tanjung					Closed and demolished
Kamunting	Kamunting		1
Taiping	Taiping		ETS   1
Bukit Berapit					Closed and demolished
Padang Rengas	Padang Rengas		ETS   1
Kuala Kangsar	Kuala Kangsar		ETS   1
Salak Utara					Closed and demolished
Sungai Siput	Sungai Siput		ETS   1
Chemor					Closed and demolished. Freights only
Tanjung Rambutan	Tanjung Rambutan				Closed
Tasek	Ipoh				Currently not in use
Ipoh	Ipoh		ETS   1
Lahat	Lahat Simpang Pulai				Freights only
Batu Gajah	Batu Gajah		ETS
Kota Bharu	Gopeng				Freights only
Malim Nawar	Malim Nawar				Closed and demolished
Kampar	Kampar		ETS	Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR)
Tapah Road	Tapah Cameron Highlands		ETS
Sungkai	Sungkai		ETS
Trolak	Trolak				Closed and demolished
Slim River	Slim River		ETS
Behrang	Behrang				Currently not in use
Tanjung Malim	Tanjung Malim		ETS  2	Sultan Idris Education University (UPSI)
Kalumpang		Selangor			Closed and demolished.
Kerling					Closed and demolished.
Kuala Kubu Bharu	Kuala Kubu Bharu		ETS  2		Replaced the nearby station formerly Kuala Kubu Road.
Rasa	Rasa		2
Batang Kali	Batang Kali		ETS  2		Replaced the nearby station formerly Ulu Yam.
Serendah	Serendah		2
Rawang	Rawang		ETS  2
Kuang	Kuang		2
Sungai Buloh	Sungai Buloh		ETS  2 Interchange: 12
Kepong Sentral	Kepong Bandar Sri Damansara		ETS  2 Interchange: 12
Kepong	Kepong	Kuala Lumpur	2
Segambut	Segambut		2
Putra	Kuala Lumpur (city centre)		1 2 Interchange: 3 4
Bank Negara	Kuala Lumpur (city centre)		1 2 Interchange: 3 4
Kuala Lumpur	Kuala Lumpur (city centre)		ETS  1 2 Interchange: 5 9
Kuala Lumpur Sentral	Kuala Lumpur (city centre) Brickfields		ETS  1 2 Interchange: 5 6 7 8 9 10		Central interchange for intercity and commuter trains, rapid transit, monorail and airport rail links
Mid Valley	Mid Valley City		1 Interchange: 2 5
Seputeh	Seputeh		1
Salak Selatan	Salak South		1
Bandar Tasik Selatan	Bandar Tasik Selatan Bandar Tun Razak		ETS  1 Interchange: 4 7	Southern Integrated Terminal (TBS)
Serdang	Seri Kembangan	Selangor	1
Kajang	Kajang		ETS  1 Interchange: 9
Kajang 2	Kajang 2 Bandar Baru Bangi		1
UKM	UKM Bangi Lama		1	National University of Malaysia (UKM)
Bangi	Bangi Lama		1
Batang Benar	Batang Benar	Negeri Sembilan	1
Nilai	Nilai		1
Labu	Labu		1
Tiroi	Tiroi		1
Seremban	Seremban Kuala Pilah Port Dickson		ETS  1
Senawang	Senawang		1
Sungai Gadut	Sungai Gadut		1
Rembau	Rembau		1
Pulau Sebang/Tampin	Pulau Sebang Malacca City Alor Gajah Tampin	Malacca	ETS  1	Melaka Heritage City	Main station serving Malacca
Batang Melaka	Batang Melaka Jasin		ETS		Nearest Station to Jasin
Air Kuning Selatan		Negeri Sembilan			Closed and demolished
Gemas	Gemas		ETS		Interchange with East Coast railway line
Batu Anam		Johor			Closed
Segamat	Segamat Muar Tangkak
Genuang	Genuang				Freights only
Tenang	Tenang				Closed
Labis	Labis
Bekok	Bekok
Beradin					Closed and demolished
Jagoh					Closed and demolished
Paloh	Paloh
Batang Ridan					Closed and demolished
Chamek	Chamek				Closed
Niyor					Closed and demolished
Kluang	Kluang Batu Pahat Mersing
Mengkibol	Mengkibol				Freights only
Renggam	Renggam
Layang-Layang	Layang-Layang
Sedenak					Closed and demolished
Kulai	Kulai Pontian			Senai International Airport
Skudai	Skudai				Freights only
Tanjung Pelepas	Iskandar Puteri			Port of Tanjung Pelepas	Freights only
Kempas Baru	Kempas
Danga City Mall	Johor Bahru			Danga City Mall	Closed
Johor Bahru Sentral	Johor Bahru Kota Tinggi Pontian & Woodlands			Southern Integrated Gateway	Interchange with Shuttle Tebrau to Singapore
Woodlands Train Checkpoint	Woodlands	Singapore			Shuttle Tebrau services only
Bukit Timah	Bukit Timah				Closed
Tanjong Pagar	Tanjong Pagar				Closed

Batu Junction–Batu Caves Branch Line

Station names	Cities or Towns served	Territory	Services	Major landmarks	Remarks
Batu Junction between Segambut and Putra stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Sentul	Sentul	Kuala Lumpur	1
Batu Kentonmen	Batu Kentonmen Jalan Ipoh		1
Kampung Batu	Bandar Baru Selayang Kampung Batu		1 Interchange: 12
Taman Wahyu	Taman Wahyu		1
Batu Caves	Batu Caves	Selangor	1

Port Klang Junction–Port Klang Branch Line

Station names	Cities or Towns served	Territory	Services	Major landmarks	Remarks
Port Klang (Bangsar) Junction between KL Sentral and Mid Valley stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Abdullah Hukum	Kampung Haji Abdullah Hukum Bangsar KL Eco City Mid Valley City	Kuala Lumpur	2 Interchange: 1 5
Angkasapuri	Angkasapuri		2
Pantai Dalam	Pantai Dalam		2
Petaling	Kampung Pasir Jalan Klang Lama Taman OUG		2
Jalan Templer	Jalan Templer and Petaling Jaya	Selangor	2
Kampung Dato Harun	Kampung Dato Harun		2
Seri Setia	Seri Setia Sungai Way		2
Setia Jaya	Sungai Way Bandar Sunway		2 Interchange: B1
Subang Jaya	Subang Jaya		2 10 Interchange: 5
Terminal Skypark	Subang		10	Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport
Batu Tiga	Batu Tiga		2
Shah Alam	Shah Alam		2
Padang Jawa	Padang Jawa i-City UiTM		2
Bukit Badak	Jalan Bukit Badak, Klang		2
Klang	Klang (city centre)		2
Teluk Pulai	Teluk Pulai		2
Teluk Gadong	Teluk Gadong		2
Kampung Raja Uda	Kampung Raja Uda		2
Jalan Kastam	Jalan Kastam, Port Klang		2
Port Klang	Port Klang		2
(Continue to West Port)

Bukit Mertajam Junction–Butterworth Branch Line

Station names	Cities or Towns served	Territory	Services	Major landmarks	Remarks
Bukit Mertajam Junction between Simpang Ampat and Tasek Gelugor stations (Continue to main West Coast Line)
Bukit Mertajam	Bukit Mertajam Kulim	Penang	ETS   1   2
Bukit Tengah	Bukit Tengah		1   2
Perai	Perai		Freights only
Butterworth	Butterworth		ETS   1   2	Penang Bridge Penang Sentral Port of Penang

See also

• KTM East Coast railway line
• Southern Line (Thailand)
• Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System