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From RM125: ECRL Gombak to Kota Bharu fares, plus 30% off economy in the first month

Transit to Kuala Terengganu starts from RM95, and to KotaSAS from RM60.

Xiao Hai · HiGo Corner JournalTrendingLast checked 22 October 20264 min read

AI-generated image: an east-coast landscape at sunrise, with an elevated railway viaduct curving from the right edge of the frame into distant haze, carrying a line of overhead catenary masts; below it are coconut groves and a brown river, with a backlit ridge in the distance and the sun just left of centre; the lower part is darkened to carry the headline. There is no train on the viaduct. An orange right-angle bracket sits in each of the top corners, and a dark brand bar along the bottom carries the round HiGo mark. Text: a line at the top reading 「Trending · Malaysia」, large type in the middle reading 「From RM125, 30% off in month one」, a line below reading 「ECRL economy Transit · Gombak to Kota Bharu」, and at the very bottom 「Every corner, everywhere.」 「HiGo Corner Journal」 「higo.shop」.
Illustration: AI-generated (ChatGPT).
Last checked22 October 2026

From RM125, you can ride the ECRL from Gombak all the way to Kota Bharu. Planning a trip to the east coast? Time to start doing your sums.

The ECRL economy-class Transit fare from Gombak to Kota Bharu starts at RM125 one-way; for the first month of operations, passengers who do not hold any concession ticket get 30% off economy-class tickets, so that fare starts from RM87.50. Portal Berita RTM: fares Portal Berita RTM: discount

AI-generated image: a concrete railway viaduct on T-shaped piers runs from the left foreground into the distance, carrying a line of overhead catenary masts; below it are green paddy fields, with a flooded field in the foreground reflecting the viaduct and the clouds, coconut and banana trees on the left, and blue-grey hills and tall cumulus in the distance. There is no train on the viaduct, and no text or logos anywhere in the image.
An elevated railway crossing paddy fields; an illustration, not a photograph of the ECRL. Illustration: AI-generated (ChatGPT).Image: HiGo

What you need to know

  • Commercial service is targeted to begin on Saturday, 12 December 2026, once safety requirements are met and the relevant approvals obtained. Tickets are expected to go on sale in mid-November 2026.
  • The 30% comes from Transport Minister Anthony Loke. It applies to economy-class tickets only, for the first month of operations only, and only to passengers who do not hold any concession ticket.
  • The bigger savings sit on the concession side: 50% off for children aged 2 to 12, Malaysian senior citizens aged 60 and above, OKU card holders and government pensioners; 40% off for students aged 13 to 24.
AI-generated image: a bright station waiting gallery, with floor-to-ceiling windows along the left throwing sunlight across beige floor tiles; in the foreground a traveller with a black backpack and a dark suitcase stands with their back to the camera, another walks away from the camera wheeling luggage, and several people sit on metal benches at the right, in profile or looking down, with no identifiable features; at the far right another traveller in a headscarf walks away from the camera with a backpack and a suitcase. The white wall panels, a dark blue board on the right-hand wall and the light box at the top right are all blank; a very small blue sign beside the central column is too indistinct to read. There is no train, and no legible text or logos, in the image.
Passengers waiting on a station platform; an illustration, not a photograph of the ECRL. Illustration: AI-generated (ChatGPT).Image: HiGo

What it costs

Gombak to Kota Bharu is 523 km according to Bernama, and starts at RM125 in economy on Transit, or RM147 on the Express service. Shorter trips cost less: Kuala Terengganu starts at RM95 on Transit and RM110 on Express, while KotaSAS (Kuantan) starts at RM60 on Transit and RM68 on Express. The same starting fares apply on the return leg.

There are two services: Transit stops at every scheduled station along the way, while Express stops at only four - Gombak, KotaSAS, Kuala Terengganu and Kota Bharu. Fares vary depending on departure time, demand and the number of seats available. Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said passengers who book early or travel at certain times may get lower fares, subject to availability.

Not yet announced

Sales are expected to open in mid-November, but not which date, and not where you will buy - app, website or counter. The same goes for the last date of the 30% discount, the timetable, how often trains run, how long the journey takes, and fares for the stations in between.

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