KUALA TERENGGANU, Oct 21 — Young people and housewives in Terengganu have shared their views on the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) fares, announced recently, with some saying that the rates were reasonable in view of the travel time and convenience offered.
Mother of two daughters Nurul Asyikin Mohd Nazri, 25, who lives in Kluang, Johor, said the fares would allow her to travel back to her hometown in Bukit Payong, Marang, on her own whenever her husband, who serves in the military, is away on operations or long-term courses.
“For example, last May, my husband attended a three-month course in Kedah, so I had to ask my parents, who live in Marang, to pick me and my children up in Kluang as I do not have a driving licence. My children were only two and three years old, so it was difficult for me to take them on a long bus journey.
“With the ECRL, especially with children aged two to 12 enjoying a 50 per cent discount, I will certainly use the service to return to Terengganu with my children. My father will no longer have to drive all the way from Terengganu to pick us up, and my husband will not have to travel from Johor or wherever he is attending a course to fetch us from Terengganu,” she told Bernama.
Asyikin added that once the service begins operating in December, her husband or her in-laws in Johor would only need to drop her off at the ECRL station in Gombak, and she and her children would reach Terengganu in about three hours, compared with five to six hours by car.
Public higher education institution administrative officer Nurul Nabila Hasnor Zubaidy, 27, who works in Kuala Nerus, said she initially felt that the ECRL fares announced on Monday (October 19) were rather expensive.
However, Nabila, who frequently travels to Kuala Lumpur for personal and work-related matters, said that after examining the fares and comparing them with other modes of transport, such as express buses and flights, she acknowledges that the ECRL is a highly practical option for long-distance travel, due to its shorter travel time and comfort.
“As someone who often travels alone to Kuala Lumpur, I find the fares quite reasonable when the advantages of the ECRL are taken into account. For example, I usually fly to Kuala Lumpur.
"Although the flight takes only about 45 minutes, procedures such as baggage check-in and security screening require passengers to arrive at the airport at least two hours before departure.
“The same goes for buses, which take longer. If we are unlucky, especially during the school holidays and festive seasons, we risk getting caught in traffic congestion, further prolonging the journey,” she said.
In terms of convenience and comfort, the ECRL offered a better transport alternative, particularly for those wishing to return to their hometowns during festive seasons, with fares considered reasonable.
Meanwhile, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) student Ahmad Sobirin Sugeng, 20, said the fares are still worthwhile, despite being slightly higher than those for express buses, as the ECRL would save him travel time when returning to his hometown in Klang, Selangor.
The Business and Management student noted that the 40 per cent discount offered to students aged 13 to 24 would make the ECRL a preferred mode of transport, particularly among young people who frequently travel between their hometowns and educational institutions.
“Although the ECRL has yet to begin operations, I have already planned to use the service for my trips at the end of this year and next year,” he said.
Another UniSZA student, Siti Nor Nabilah Azman, 26, from the Faculty of Islamic Contemporary Studies, said a rail service such as the ECRL was a long-awaited convenience since she began studying in Terengganu three years ago, as it would eliminate the need for long journeys back to Muar, Johor.
“All this while, I have relied on express buses to travel to and from Johor. Sometimes, tickets for buses from Terengganu to Johor are sold out, so I have to go to the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan in Kuala Lumpur first, to buy another ticket to Muar.
"As a result, I spent the whole day travelling back to Johor. I also return to Johor frequently for family matters,” she said.
On Monday, Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak announced that economy-class fares for the ECRL transit service from Gombak to Kota Bharu, covering 523km, will start from RM125 one way, while fares for the express service on the same route would start from RM147.
For the 378km Gombak-Kuala Terengganu journey, transit fares will start from RM95 one way, while express fares would start from RM110. For the 209km Gombak-KotaSAS journey, fares will start from RM60 for the transit service and RM68 for the express service.
He said that children aged two to 12, Malaysian citizens aged 60 and above, disabled persons holding OKU cards, and government pensioners would receive a 50 per cent discount, while students aged 13 to 24 would be eligible for a 40 per cent discount.
