The new ETS3 electric train service offers a faster, 4-hour 20-minute journey between KL Sentral and JB Sentral, with a 30% launch discount.
JOHOR BAHRU: The inaugural Electric Train Service 3 (ETS3) between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru is a major relief for Johor residents and regular commuters.
The first train departed KL Sentral at 8 am today carrying 233 passengers and arrived at JB Sentral at 12.20 pm.
Passengers hailed the new direct service as proof of modernisation in Peninsular Malaysia’s southern public transport network.
Engineer Izzat Safian, 35, said the ETS3 offers significant savings in both cost and travel time compared to driving or taking a bus.
“Now, with this ETS3, the journey is smoother and I can be more relaxed and calm,” he said at JB Sentral.
Singaporean housewife Sulia Shamsudin, 42, chose the ETS3 for her family’s return from a Kuala Lumpur holiday out of excitement to try the new service.
Kuala Lumpur resident Kwong Can Han, 34, took the train to his wife’s home in Taman Sutera for a different experience and to enjoy the scenery.
The ETS3 reduces travel time between KL Sentral and JB Sentral to approximately four hours and 20 minutes.
This compares to a typical seven-hour journey by road, with trains travelling at speeds up to 140 kilometres per hour.
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Bhd (KTMB) currently operates four daily ETS services on the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route.
Tickets are available via the KITS Style app, the KTMB website, or at KTMB kiosks.
A special 30% discount on fares is offered for southern sector trips from 13 December until 11 January 2026.
The new service completes the extension of the ETS route, which previously terminated at Kluang.
