The KTM West Coast railway line is a main railway line in Malaysia. It runs from close to the Malaysia–Thailand border in Perlis (where it connects with the State Railway of Thailand) to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore, running near parallel to the west coast and serving the west coast states of Peninsular Malaysia. The line is owned and used entirely by Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). Past , the line continues on to become the Thai Southern Line, which continues up towards Hat Yai and Bangkok.
The 1,203.7 - kilometre line is busier than its east coast counterpart, the East Coast railway line since it is double-tracked and electrified for most of its route and has more services. The line handles a variety of passenger train services such as KTM ETS services, KTM Intercity services, State Railway of Thailand International Express services, KTM Komuter services within the Klang Valley, the George Town Conurbation and the Johor Bahru Conurbation, and freight trains. The entire line that is used for passenger services, except the Singapore section and the Pasir Gudang branch line, is fully double-tracked and electrified.
Major stations on the line include , , , , , , and the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore.
History The West Coast railway line was developed in stretches on 1 June 1885, with the opening of the Taiping–Port Weld Line, and 1932 when the line opened up to , thus spanning the entire west coast of Peninsular Malaysia from on the Malaysia–Thai border to Singapore. The line began with the construction of branches linking coastal ports with inland tin mining areas before they were gradually linked up by the main truck line running through the interior of the West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia.
The latest new lines to be built were the branch lines to West Port, North Port, Tanjung Pelepas, Pasir Gudang and the North Butterworth Container Terminal at the Port of Penang. The trunk line had also seen sections becoming disused, abandoned or even removed, with the latest being the closure and subsequent removal of the southernmost stretch of track between the Woodlands Train Checkpoint and in 2011.
Timeline Source:History of Malayan Railways/KTM (1869 to Present) 6 May 1890: Taiping – Kamunting 1 July 1892: Kamunting – Ulu Sepetang 7 November 1892: Kuala Lumpur – Rawang 1 June 1893: Kuala Lumpur – Pudu 10 July 1893: Rawang – Serendah 6 September 1893: Sungkai – Tapah Road 17 October 1893: Batu Gajah – Ipoh 27 April 1894: Kota Bharu – Batu Gajah 29 September 1894: Tapah Road – Talam 6 October 1894: Serendah – Kuala Kubu Bharu 1 March 1895: Pudu – Sungai Besi 18 March 1895: Talam – Kampar 1 May 1895: Kampar – Kota Bharu 1 June 1896: Ipoh – Tanjong Rambutan 27 November 1896: Tanjong Rambutan – Chemor 14 August 1897: Sungai Besi – Kajang 5 July 1897: Chemor – Sungai Siput 1 July 1898: Sungai Siput – Enggor 1 July 1899: Prai – Bukit Mertajam 1 September 1899: Ulu Sepetang – Pondok Tanjong 1 November 1899: Krian River – Bagan Serai 1 August 1900: Kuala Kubu Bharu – Kalumpang 1 September 1900: Bukit Mertajam – Nibong Tebal 15 September 1900: Enggor – Kuala Kangsar 1 November 1900: Kalumpang – Tanjung Malim 1 May 1901: Bagan Serai – Alor Pongsu 1 July 1901: Kuala Kangsar – Padang Rengas 1 February 1902: Alor Pongsu – Pondok Tanjong 1 May 1902: Taiping – Bukit Gantang 1 May 1902: Nibong Tebal – Krian River 14 June 1902: Kajang – Bangi 1 February 1903: Bangi – Batang Benar 2 April 1903: Batang Benar – Seremban 15 July 1903: Bukit Gantang – Padang Rengas 15 July 1903: Slim River – Tanjung Malim 15 August 1903: Sungkai – Slim River 15 July 1905: Seremban – Tampin 1 October 1906: Tampin – Gemas 1 March 1908: Gemas – Segamat 1 July 1909: Segamat – Johore Bahru 19 October 1914: Bukit Mertajam – Pinang Tunggal 1 March 1915: Pinang Tunggal – Gurun 4 October 1915: Gurun – Alor Star 15 October 1917: Alor Setar – Bukit Ketri 1 March 1918: Bukit Ketri – Padang Besar 17 September 1923: Johore Bahru – Woodlands
Services The West Coast railway line is served by a variety of train services:
between and . The route between Gemas and JB Sentral is part of the West Coast Line while the route between Gemas and Tumpat is on the East Coast Line) at (train services to on the East Coast Line) between and Woodlands Train Checkpoint
(express service that only stops at fewer main stations, on routes traveling beyond , one of 6 coaches upgraded to business class with free wifi, charging sockets, on board dining & single seats) Between and Between and Between and (express service that only stops at major stations, one of 6 coaches upgraded to business class with free wifi, charging sockets, on board dining & single seats) Between and Between and Between and Between and Between and (stops at all major stations and a few minor stations) Between and Between and Between and
between and . between and . between and . (suspended due to low ridership) Butterworth–Ipoh Line between and . Padang Besar–Butterworth Line between and . Paloh–JB Sentral Line between and Kempas Baru–Pasir Gudang Line between and International Express between and Bangkok's Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal
Former services
between and (terminated on 1 January 2026 following full deployment of ETS services on this route)
between and (terminated temporarily on 1 January 2026)
Projects
Klang Valley Double Track Project The project was implemented by KTM to rehabilitate and upgrade the signalling system, electrification and tracks of the railway in the Klang Valley region, which are the oldest double-tracked and electrified railway in the country. The project began in 2016. Phase 1 of the KVDT, which entails the rehabilitation of 42 km of tracks between and , as well as between and Batu Junction, while projected to be completed in 2021, was only completed in 2025. It was projected that once complete, train frequencies will be reduced to just seven-and-a-half minutes.
Phase 2 of the KVDT, which began in 2023, will cover the sections from Port Klang/Bangsar Junction to , and from to . It is schedueled to be completed by 2027.
Line network
Main trunk line
The West Coast main trunk line stretches from on the Malaysia–Thailand border to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint in Singapore.
The main trunk line is double-tracked and electrified from Padang Besar to . The line between JB Sentral and the Woodlands Train Checkpoint remains single-tracked and not electrified and will be decommissioned once the termination of the Shuttle Tebrau services and the opening of the RTS Link in 2027.
The West Coast railway line connects with the State Railway of Thailand at Padang Besar, while the East Coast Line branches off at .
Branch lines The West Coast railway line includes several branch lines from the main trunk line, namely: Bukit Mertajam Junction to and the North Butterworh Container Terminal (NBCT) Batu Junction to Port Klang/Bangsar Junction to and West Port, with further branch lines: to at the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (Subang) Airport to Northport Pulau Indah to various West Port shipping terminals Skudai Junction to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas Pasir Gudang Junction to and Johor Port
The Bukit Mertajam Junction to , Batu Junction to , Port Klang Junction to station, as well as the branch line to are double-tracked and electrified.
The line from to Westport and its shipping terminals, to the NBCT, Skudai Junction to the Port of Tanjung Pelepas, as well Pasir Gudang Junction to and Johor Port are single lines and not electrified.
There are also branch lines where most or only a few tracks exist but are currently not used for any service, closed or dismantled are: Between and Port Weld Between and Teluk Intan (abandoned and not connected to the main line) Between Kuang, Batu Arang and Batang Berjuntai Between Connaught Bridge Junction, Klang Utara and Kuala Selangor Between and Port Dickson Between and (abandoned after double tracking, and not connected to the new main line, never used and meant as branch line compared to Teluk Intan branch line) Between and Malacca City (abandoned since the Japanese invasion of Malaya, most of the tracks were removed and repurposed for the Burma Railway) Singapore–Kranji branch line, between and None of these disused branch lines are double tracked nor electrified.
Stations Main Trunk Line Station namesCities, Towns, Landmarks servedTerritoryCumulative distance (km)[(Padang Besar ～Kuala Lumpur) Railway route map of the West Coast Main Line in Malaysia https://raildiagram.com/2024/04/12/padang-besar-%ef%bd%9ekuala-lumpur-rail-track-diagram-map-of-ktm-west-coast-line-in-malaysia/]ServicesRemarks(Connects to Padang Besar branch line, Southern Line, Thailand) Padang Besar 0.0 Padang Besar Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex Bukit Ketri 19.0 ArauKuala PerlisPulau LangkawiMARA University of Technology's (UiTM) Arau CampusUniversity of Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP)Northern University of Malaysia (UUM) 29.4 KodiangMegat Dewa 37.5 Anak BukitJitra Kepala Batas 60.0 Connects to Sultan Abdul Halim Airport Alor Setar 68.2 Pendang 85.8 Gurun 103.1 Sungai Petani 124.5 Tasek GelugorPadang Serai 142.5 Simpang Ampat 165.7 Nibong TebalUniversity of Science Malaysia's Engineering Campus (KKUSM) 179.1 Parit Buntar 185.4 Bagan SeraiAlor Pongsu 195.8 Kamunting 234.1 Taiping 239.4 Padang Rengas 258.9 Kuala Kangsar 267.6 Sungai Siput 288.8 Chemor Closed and demolished. Freights only Ipoh 312.0 Currently not in use Ipoh 326.1 Connects to Sultan Azlan Shah Airport LahatSimpang Pulai 332.6 Freights only Batu Gajah 340.1 Gopeng 346.1 Freights only KamparTunku Abdul Rahman University's (UTAR) Kampar Campus 363.1 Tapah RoadTapahCameron Highlands 378.6 Sungkai 402.6 Slim River 426.8 Behrang 438.1 Currently not in use Tanjung MalimSultan Idris Education University (UPSI) 445.6 Kuala Kubu Bharu 467.7 Rasa 478.5 Batang Kali 480.8 Replaced the nearby former station Ulu Yam. Serendah 492.2 Rawang 500.6 Kuang Sungai Buloh 514.9 Interchange: KepongBandar Sri Damansara 520.7 Kepong SegambutJinjang Selatan Segambut Kuala Lumpur (city centre) Interchange: Replaced the nearby former station The Mall Replaced the nearby former station JPM 532.6 Interchange: Kuala Lumpur (city centre)Brickfields 533.6 Interchange: Central interchange for intercity and commuter trains, rapid transit, monorail and airport rail links Mid Valley City Interchange: Seputeh Salak South Bandar Tasik SelatanBandar Tun RazakSouthern Integrated Terminal (TBS) 542.8 Interchange: Seri Kembangan Kajang 559.8 Interchange: Kajang 2Bandar Baru Bangi Bangi LamaNational University of Malaysia (UKM) Bangi Lama Batang Benar Nilai 584.8 Labu Tiroi SerembanKuala PilahPort Dickson 605.9 Senawang Sungai Gadut Rembau 629.6 Pulau SebangMalacca CityAlor GajahTampin 655.1 Main station serving Malacca Batang MelakaJasin 680.6 Gemas 707.6 Interchange with East Coast railway line SegamatMuarTangkak 733.6 Genuang 742.1 Freights only Tenang Closed Labis 763.1 Bekok 779.0 Paloh 792.9 Chamek Closed KluangBatu PahatMersing 816.6 Mengkibol 823.3 Freights only Renggam 835.3 Layang-Layang 848.2 KulaiPontian 871.5 Connects to Senai International Airport Skudai/Senai Skudai Freights only Tanjung Pelepas Iskandar PuteriPort of Tanjung Pelepas Freights only Kempas 892.4 Johor BahruKota TinggiPontianSouthern Integrated Gateway 903.0 (Shuttle Tebrau) Woodlands Train CheckpointWoodlands 905.1 (Shuttle Tebrau only) Shuttle Tebrau services onlyBukit Timah ClosedTanjong Pagar Closed
Batu Junction–Batu Caves Branch Line Station namesCities, Towns, Landmarks served TerritoryCumulative distance (km)ServicesRemarksBatu Junction between Segambut and Putra stations (Continue to main West Coast Line) Sentul Batu KentonmenJalan IpohReplaced the nearby former station Jalan Ipoh Bandar Baru SelayangKampung Batu Interchange: Taman Wahyu Batu Caves
Port Klang Junction–Port Klang Branch Line