Malaysia's ETS train: the intercity way to travel the West Coast

KTMB describes the ETS as "Malaysia's fastest metre gauge intercity train", reaching up to 140 km/h along Peninsular Malaysia's west coast.

There are three types of service:

• ETS Platinum — fewer stops, the quickest
• ETS Gold — stops at selected stations
• ETS Silver — stops at every station along the way

Concessions and discounts are available on all three, according to KTMB.

Sources: KTMB — Electric Train Service (ETS) and the KTMB ETS timetable effective 18 April 2026, both read 7 October 2026.

KTMB lists the major ETS routes as:

• Gemas – KL Sentral – Padang Besar
• KL Sentral – Ipoh
• KL Sentral – Butterworth
• KL Sentral – Padang Besar

KTMB's timetable effective 18 April 2026 goes further south, with services running from JB Sentral in Johor Bahru through to Padang Besar on the Thai border. The timetable lists 44 ETS train numbers.

For newcomers, the useful stops are KL Sentral, the capital's main rail hub; Ipoh; Butterworth, on the mainland across the strait from Penang island; and Padang Besar, on the border with Thailand.

KTMB lists the facilities on board the ETS:

• LED TVs
• a bistro for food and drinks
• a coach for passengers with disabilities (OKU)
• a musolla prayer space in coach C
• CCTV

ETS Platinum also offers a Business Class coach, and Business Class passengers can use the Ruby Lounge at KL Sentral, which opened on 12 June 2020.

Fares vary by route and service, so check the current price on KTMB's online ticketing service or mobile app when you book. For a newcomer, the ETS is one of the most comfortable ways to explore Malaysia's west coast — a weekend in Ipoh or Penang without the drive.