Express Rail Link

The Express Rail Link is a standard gauge and electrified airport rail link in Malaysia that connects the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral) transportation hub, 57 kilometres apart. The line is utilised by two different train services operated by Express Rail Link Sendirian Berhad:

*, an express train service directly from the KLIA to KL Sentral, launched on April 14, 2002.
*, a commuter train service with three additional stops between the KLIA and KL Sentral, launched on June 1, 2002.

Rolling stock

Both the KL-RTS-KEL and KL-RTS-KTL use a total of 12 four-car Desiro ET 425 M electrical multiple unit (EMU) trainsets by Siemens AG: [ [http://www.siemens.at/transportation/download/malaysia1.pdf Siemens - Express Rail Link Kuala Lumpur] ]

* 8 trains serve the KL-RTS-KEL.
* 4 trains serve the KL-RTS-KTL.

The trains run at a maximum commercial speed at 160km/h, the fastest speed for rail travel in Malaysia. Because it achieves a minimal speed requirement for a high-speed rail, the ERL is regarded a high-speed rail service by Malaysian standards.

Future

An 11-km extension of the line to the KLIA Low-Cost Carrier (LCC) terminal is planned, with final approval expected by the end of 2007.Verify source|date=September 2007

ERL operator YTL has proposed extending the line all the way to Singapore [Citation |last=Moses |first=Rajan |title=Bullet to Singapore: From KL in 90 minutes |newspaper=New Straits Times |pages=1 |year=2006 |date=July 5, 2006] and as of June 2007, the Malaysian Government said the feasibility of the proposal was still being studied. [Citation |title=No decision yet on express rail link to S’pore |newspaper=The Star (Malaysia) |pages=8 |year=2007 |date=March 28, 2007] The RM8 billion project would slash rail travel time from more than 8 hours to about 90 minutes.

References

External links

* [http://www.kliaekspres.com KLIA Ekspes]
* [http://www.railwaygazette.com/news_view/article/2002/05/2843/airport_in_the_city_opens_for_business.html Airport in the city opens for business] "Railway Gazette International" May 2002