KTM Intercity

KTM Intercity
Left: Ekspres Rakyat Timuran Right: Shuttle Timuran
Overview
Native name	KTM Antarabandar(Malay) KTM城际铁路(Simplified Chinese) கேடிஎம் இண்டர்சிட்டி (Tamil)
Owner	Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB)
Area served	Peninsular Malaysia
Transit type	Inter-city rail
Number of lines	2
Line number	West Coast Line East Coast Line
Daily ridership	12,579 (Q3 2025) [1]
Annual ridership	793,178 (2024) [2]
Chief executive	Nurul Azha Mokmin - Head, Intercity Services
Headquarters	5, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Tasik Perdana, 50000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Website	KTM Intercity
Operation
Began operation	circa 1960s
Operator(s)	Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)
Rolling stock	KTM Class 23 KTM Class 24 KTM Class 25 KTM Class 26 KTM Class 29 KTM Class 61
Technical
Track gauge	1,000 mm (3 ft 3+3⁄8 in) metre gauge
Average speed	110 km/h (68 mph)
Top speed	120 km/h (75 mph)

KTM Intercity (Malay : KTM Antarabandar) are diesel-hauled intercity train services in Peninsular Malaysia, operated by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). Services primarily operate along the KTM East Coast Line between Tumpat and Gemas. Services along the KTM West Coast Line have been mostly replaced by electric-hauled KTM ETS services following electrification and double-tracking, with only two services remaining between Gemas and Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore. ^[3] KTM Intercity has long enjoyed moderate success, but increasingly faces competition with road and air travel, as expressways increase in number and budget airlines offer shorter travelling time. In 2006, KTM Intercity earned a profit of RM 70.94 million as group revenue, hovering around the RM 65 million mark since 2001.

Train services

Scheduled services

KTM Intercity operates the following scheduled services:

Service	Terminals	Rollingstock	Details
Ekspres Rakyat Timuran	Between JB Sentral and Tumpat via Gemas	Locomotive	JB Sentral–Tumpat (1 nightly trip, both directions)
Shuttle Timuran	Between Gemas and Tumpat	DMU	Dabong–Tumpat (1 daily trip, both directions)
			Gemas–Kuala Lipis (2 daily trips, both directions)
			Gua Musang–Kuala Lipis (1 daily trip, both directions)
			Gua Musang–Tumpat (2 daily trips, both directions)
			Kuala Lipis–Tumpat (1 daily trip, both directions)

Seasonal services

KTM Intercity operates the following seasonal services:

Service	Terminals	Rollingstock	Details
MySawadee [4]	Between KL Sentral and Hat Yai Junction	Locomotive	Seasonal service to/from Thailand
Ekspres Lambaian Aidilfitri	Between KL Sentral and Tumpat		Seasonal service during Eid al-Fitr
Ekspres Lambaian Aidiladha			Seasonal service during Eid al-Adha

Cross-border services

The Shuttle Tebrau is an international cross-border train service between Johor Bahru, Malaysia, and Woodlands, Singapore. The service commenced in 2015, replacing direct KTM Intercity services between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The service initially operated 14 daily trips between JB Sentral and the Woodlands Train Checkpoint, comprising 7 Johor Bahru-bound services and 7 Woodlands-bound services. The service has since expanded to operate 31 daily trips, comprising 13 Johor Bahru-bound services and 18 Woodlands-bound services. ^[5]

For passengers travelling from Johor Bahru to Woodlands, Malaysian immigration checks are conducted at JB Sentral before boarding. Singaporean immigration checks are conducted at Woodlands Train Checkpoint after alighting. For passengers travelling from Woodlands to Johor Bahru, both Singaporean and Malaysian immigration checks are conducted at Woodlands Train Checkpoint before boarding. No further immigration checks are conducted at Johor Bahru after alighting.

The Shuttle Tebrau service will be replaced by the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System in 2027.

Former services

KTM Intercity operated the following former services:

Service	Terminals	Rollingstock	Details
Ekspres Makmur	Between Gemas and Kuala Lipis [6]	Locomotive	Former service replaced by Shuttle Timuran
Ekspres Peninsular	Between JB Sentral and Hat Yai		Former services replaced by KTM ETS
Ekspres Rakyat	Between JB Sentral and Butterworth
Ekspres Selatan	Between JB Sentral and Gemas
Senandung Sutera	Between JB Sentral and Ipoh

Travel classes

KTM Intercity offers the following travel classes:

• Air-conditioned First Class (AFC) - First-class seats (1-2 configuration). AFC seats are available on Ekspres Rakyat Timuran services and seasonal services. AFC seats offer more legroom and recline compared to ASC seats.
• Air-conditioned Second Class (ASC) - Second-class seats (2-2 configuration). ASC seats are available on all KTM Intercity services. ASC seats on Shuttle Timuran services do not recline.
• Air-conditioned Day-Night Sleeper (ADNS) - Sleeper berths (20 upper berths and 20 lower berths per carriage). ADNS berths are available on Ekspres Rakyat Timuran services and seasonal services. ADNS berths can be converted to seats for daytime use.

• 
  ASC: Air-conditioned Second Class
• 
  ADNS: Air-conditioned Day-Night Sleeper

List of KTM Intercity stations

Main articles: KTM East Coast railway line and KTM West Coast railway line

The following is a list of stations served KTM Intercity:

• Stations in bold indicate major stops.
• Green ticks indicate two-way stops.
• Red ticks indicate one-way stops.

Name	ERT	T-KL	T-GM	T-D	GM-KL	KL-G	JB-W
Tumpat	Y	Y	Y	Y
Kampung Kok Pasir halt			Y	Y
Wakaf Bharu	Y	Y	Y	Y
Bunut Susu halt	Y	Y	Y
Pasir Mas	Y	Y	Y	Y
Chica Tinggi halt			Y	Y
To' Uban halt		Y	Y	Y
Sungai Keladi halt			Y	Y
Bukit Panau halt		Y	Y	Y
Tanah Merah	Y	Y	Y	Y
Temangan		Y	Y	Y
Sungai Nal halt			Y	Y
Kuala Krai	Y	Y	Y	Y
Pahi halt		Y	Y	Y
Manek Urai		Y	Y	Y
Kampung Baru Sungai Mengkuang halt		Y	Y	Y
Ulu Temiang halt		Y	Y	Y
Kampung Baru Bukit Abu halt		Y	Y	Y
Bukit Abu		Y	Y	Y
Kuala Gris halt		Y	Y	Y
Dabong	Y	Y	Y	Y
Kemubu		Y	Y
Sri Jaya halt		Y	Y
Sri Mahligai halt		Y	Y
Sri Bintang halt		Y	Y
Sungai Tasin halt		Y	Y
Jerek Baru halt		Y	Y
Bertam halt		Y	Y
Bertam Baru		Y	Y
Limau Kasturi		Y	Y
Sungai Sirian halt		Y	Y
Kampung Sungai Sirian halt		Y	Y
Pan Malayan halt		Y	Y
Gua Musang	Y	Y	Y		Y
Lapan Tupai halt		Y
Mentara Baru halt		Y			Y
Merapoh	Y	Y			Y
Telok Gunong halt		Y			Y
Sungai Temau		Y			Y
Chegar Perah		Y			Y
Aur Gading halt		Y			Y
Kampung Berkam halt		Y			Y
Bukit Betong halt		Y			Y
Padang Tengku		Y			Y
Kuala Lipis	Y	Y			Y	Y
Kerambit	Y					Y
Mela halt						Y
Jerantut	Y					Y
Jendarak halt						Y
Kuala Krau	Y					Y
Mentakab	Y					Y
Mengkarak						Y
Triang	Y					Y
Kemayan	Y					Y
Bahau	Y					Y
Gemas	Y					Y
Segamat	Y
Kluang	Y
Kulai	Y
Kempas Baru	Y
JB Sentral	Y						Y
Woodlands							Y

See also

• Rail transport in Malaysia
• Trans-Asian Railway

References

1. "Daily Rail Ridership in Peninsular Malaysia". Daily Rail Ridership. Land Public Transport Agency (APAD). 27 October 2025. Archived from the original on 7 January 2026. Retrieved 7 January 2026.
2. "KTMB Performance Update". Malayan Railways, Malaysia. Archived from the original on 21 April 2025. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
3. Tuesday, 12 Oct 2021 06:51 PM MYT. "KTMB adds ETS, KTM Intercity train services for interstate travellers". Malay Mail . Retrieved 13 February 2022.
4. Hassan, Hazlin (8 June 2024). "Budget-conscious Malaysians flock to Hat Yai for holiday as prices rise at home". The Straits Times.
5. Lim, Adrian (16 June 2015). "New shuttle train service between Woodlands and JB Sentral from July 1". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 August 2021. Retrieved 1 October 2025.
6. "KTM Train Schedule effective on April 1, 2021" (PDF). 1 April 2021.