INTERACTIVE: KL-JB ETS off to strong start, ranks third in ridership

By SHYAFIQ DZULKIFLI

PETALING JAYA: The Electric Train Service (ETS) from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Baru has become the third most popular route on the ETS network just three months after its launch, trailing only the established KL–Ipoh and KL–Butterworth routes.

An analysis of ETS ridership data from the data.gov.my portal shows that the KL–JB Sentral route recorded a total of 69,628 passengers between Dec 12, 2025, and April 8, 2026. 

This places the KL-JB Sentral route behind Ipoh (122,406) and Butterworth (86,090).

Despite being a relatively new addition, the KL-JB Sentral route has quickly entered the top tier of ETS services.

JB Sentral is the only southern destination among the 10 busiest ETS routes from KL Sentral, as the others are in the north.

Daily ETS ridership data for the KL Sentral-JB Sentral route also points to a sharp upward trend since the service began operations. 

Daily passenger numbers grew from about 200 to 300 passengers per day in December last year to more than 1,000 on peak days by March 2026.

The highest daily ridership was recorded on March 21, during the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festive period, when the route carried 1,196 passengers. 

A similar spike was observed during Chinese New Year, with ridership rising to 955 on Feb 17, nearly doubling from 518 passengers a week earlier.

While KL Sentral remains the largest contributor to JB Sentral, with 69,628 passengers, there is also strong feeder demand from southern towns. 

Kluang recorded 21,751 passengers, followed by Segamat (8,967), with other key contributors included Kulai and Seremban.

The top 10 origin stations for passengers heading to JB Sentral are all located in the central and southern regions of Peninsula Malaysia.

This pattern facilitates long-distance travel from Kuala Lumpur and regional connectivity within Johor and Negri Sembilan.

The KL–JB Sentral ETS service was launched on Dec 12, 2025, following the completion of the 192km Gemas–Johor Baru Electrified Double-Tracking Project (EDTP). 

The launch, officiated by Johor Regent Tunku Ismail Sultan Ibrahim at Kempas Baru station, introduced four daily services connecting the Klang Valley to Johor Baru.

JB Sentral has also emerged as the third most popular ETS destination overall, behind KL Sentral and Ipoh. 

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