BENTONG: Transport Ministry has plans to extend the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) by 32 km from Kota Bharu to Rantau Panjang in Kelantan so that it can be connected to Thailand,  says Transport Minister Loke Siew Fook.

The plan will be submitted to the Cabinet next year. The cost is estimated to be more than RM2 billion.

“Transport Ministry hopes to connect ECRL to Thailand. It will be a setback not to connect it to Thailand where this link will connect the entire ASEAN rail.

“Once the ECRL is connected to Thailand, this will be a boost to the Trans-Asian Railway.

“For long-term plan, we hope to link the railways. From Thailand, it can be connected to Laos and then China. Once in China, the railroads are connected to Asia and Europe,’’ he said.

Nevertheless, Loke said the plan by Transport Ministry would only be implemented once the Cabinet decides to proceed. 

Loke said this at a press conference after the Genting ECRL tunnel breakthrough ceremony was held on July 12.

The 665km ECRL project achieved an important milestone after the 16.39km Genting Tunnel, the last tunnel of 41 tunnels, was completed in three years.

The Genting Tunnel, likely to be the longest rail tunnel in Southeast Asia, was the most expensive and most challenging among other tunnels.

The entire ECRL project is now 85 per cent completed, covering from Kota Bharu, Kelantan to Gombak, Selangor.

The construction of rail links from Gombak to Port Klang would probably take another year to complete, Loke said.

With the completion of tunnel boring work, the ECRL project now enters its next phase, which includes installing tracks, electrical systems, signals, communications and internal equipment for stations.

The project is expected to be completed at the end of 2026 with passenger service to begin in phases from January 2027.

ECRL reduces travelling hours from Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu to about four hours, providing a fast, safe and efficient option.