OVER the past year, an unexpected mode of transport has been gaining popularity among foreign tourists in Malaysia—the LRT and MRT.
Many visitors have praised the country’s public transport system, often comparing it to their own back home.
Recently, American content creator Dana shared a TikTok video highlighting her glowing experience using Kuala Lumpur’s Mass Rail Transit (MRT).
She opened her video stating that “Americans would lose their minds” if they ever saw the MRT in KL because “it puts the one in the US to shame.”
Dana was particularly impressed by the cleanliness of the stations.
”The stations are so pristine, you can even see your reflection on the floor because it’s just that clean.
“You can instantly tell that the stations are very well-maintained—no trash, dirt, graffiti, or homelessness in sight.
“Just look at the platforms—you can tell how clean they are. The metros are driverless, and they’re spotless inside too.”
She also highlighted a unique feature of Malaysia’s MRT—Rapid KL’s women-only coach.
“There’s a women-only area that women can choose to use so they feel more comfortable.”
Dana’s video quickly went viral, sparking discussions among netizens about Malaysia’s public transport system.
Many shared similar experiences, while others compared it to public transport in other major cities.
“My American friends were shocked when they visited me. ‘You don’t have rats in the subway?’” shared @KimkimGyu.
Another user, @kyo, ranked Malaysia’s MRT highly after traveling worldwide: “I’ve taken the New York subway, London Tube, Paris Metro, Bangkok BTS, and Singapore MRT, and for me, Malaysia’s MRT is the second best after Tokyo’s Shinkansen/Metro. That says a lot.”
However, some argued that it’s unfair to compare Malaysia’s MRT with much older transport systems in other countries, particularly in the US.
“It’s not fair to say that. This isn’t because it’s well-maintained, but because everything is still new. Just wait 30 years and see how it looks then. New York’s subway was built in the 1900s!” commented Karim A. Bachik.
Another user, @kazz90, echoed the sentiment: “This is less than 10 years old. The New York City subway has been around since before World War I. No matter how much you update, it’s still old at the end of the day. We’ll check on this in 50 years and see how it looks.”
