KTM boss: Get your ETS train tickets fast
KUALA LUMPUR: Those planning to travel back to their hometowns by ETS train for the Deepavali weekend should get their tickets soon as there are only 40% of the tickets left.
KTM Bhd president Datuk Sarbini Tijan said there were less than 27,000 seats left for those planning to travel between Oct 28 and Nov 1.
“We advise people to plan and buy their tickets early to ensure they get to return to their hometowns,” said Sarbini at the KL Sentral station.
“It would be better to buy a return ticket to ensure you can come back and not wait till the last minute.”
He said 60% of the tickets were snapped up by Sunday, after four additional trips with 1,280 seats were added for each of the five days.
Sarbini was speaking to reporters after he and special adviser to the Transport Minister Tan Sri M. Kayveas distributed gifts to passengers of an ETS train from KL Sentral station to Padang Besar in conjunction with Deepavali.
Kayveas also launched a special menu, from Oct 17 to Nov 5, featuring masala vadai, masala tosai, medhu vadai, kesari, sambar, nasi briyani ayam and muruku.
KTM Intercity general manager Justine Jude said customers could also purchase their tickets online or through their mobile app, KTMB-MobTicket.
“Debit cards and credit cards can also be used to buy tickets at our counters,” said Jude.
In response to Budget 2017, Sarbini said that RM1.1bil was allocated to purchase 19 new ETS trains until 2019.
He added that there was also an RM100mil allocation to repair the East Coast railway line from Gua Musang to Tumpat.
“Each set of the 19 trains will have six coaches, of which one will be business class,” said Sarbini.
He said that among the other tracks that needed to be upgraded were from Gemas, Negri Sembilan, to Johor Baru; Seremban to Port Dickson; Tanjung Pelepas to Pasir Gudang and Kempas to Senai Airport; and Sungai Golok to Pasir Mas (Kelantan).
“In the Klang Valley, the tracks are more than 22 years old and restoration work has started from Rawang to Salak Selatan, including the lines to Seremban and Port Klang,” Sarbini said.