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KOTA BHARU – Some Kelantan residents have called for a review of East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) fares, saying the economy-class one-way ticket price of RM125 for the Gombak-Kota Bharu route is expensive and could discourage people from using the service.
They said more affordable fares would make the railway service accessible to a wider range of passengers, particularly lower-income households, while students and senior citizens welcomed discounts offered to their respective groups.
Restaurant waiter Amir Akram Che Adam, 26, said the convenience of faster journeys would not outweigh the cost if fares remained too high, especially for those in the B40 low-income group.
“I still choose to travel by bus because the fares are lower, even though the journey takes longer. The one-way fare of RM125 could be reviewed to make it cheaper for ordinary people,” he said.
The one-way fare for the ECRL Express service from Gombak to Kota Bharu starts at RM147.
Hotel worker Norfalizah Mat Saad said she had expected the fares to be lower than the announced rates, adding that pricing should reflect the current economic situation.
“Fares need to take the current economic situation into account, as the ability to use public transport should not be limited to certain groups of people.
“Based on feedback from tourists during my time working, they tend to prefer cheaper transport options when travelling to Kelantan. Perhaps a one-way or transit fare below RM100 would be more suitable,” she said.
However, the fare reductions have received a positive response from students, who are eligible for a 40 per cent discount if they are aged between 13 and 24.
Universiti Malaya Education Centre student at its Bachok campus, Irdina Khayra Mohamad Najib, 18, said the discount made the service more attractive to students keen to experience travelling by train.
“With the student discount, the fares are lower, so we can try taking the ECRL. At least we get to experience using this service,” she said.
Irdina, who hails from Seremban, Negeri Sembilan, said she usually took a bus from Jelawat to Seremban, with the eight-hour journey costing RM75.
In Kuantan, private-sector employee Norzazrina Zainuddin, 39, described the ECRL fares as reasonable but called for clearer information on ticket prices for individual routes.
“The fare from Gombak to Kelantan is around RM100-plus. I hope more detailed information on fares for each route will be provided.
“For example, the fare for a transit journey from KotaSAS to Kelantan, so that passengers can find out how much they need to pay,” she said.
Food stall operator Hamzah Ismail, 46, also considered the fares reasonable and said he looked forward to using the ECRL, particularly to avoid traffic congestion.
Meanwhile, senior citizen Fatimah BB Saip Khan, 64, welcomed the 50 per cent discount for older passengers, saying it would help ease their travel expenses.
“The 50 per cent discount for senior citizens is an advantage because it helps reduce travel costs for people like us,” she said.
