Express Rail Link
Encyclopedia
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
:
Construction began in May 1997 and was completed 5 years later. It was then handed over to SYZ consortium, a joint relations consortium between German and Malaysian companies consisting of Siemens AG
, Siemens Electric Engineering Sdn. Bhd and Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn. Bhd (SPYTL), a wholly owned subsidiary of YTL Corporation Bhd.
ERL Maintenance and Support was set up in 1999 and is responsible for the operations and maintenance of trains owned by ERL. The company was initially a joint venture between Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. and Siemens AG, but since June 2005 it has been wholly owned by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd.
The 1997 financial crisis that hit Asia caused a brief setback to the project but due to strong governmental support, the project went on to completion. The project raked up a cost of RM2.4 billion which was financed through equity mergers (RM500 million), loans from Development and Infrastructure Bank of Malaysia (RM940 million) and the remainder through import credit from four German financial institutions.
Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. achieved profits in 2003 after only a year of operations.
and KLIA Transit
use a total of 12 four-car Desiro
ET 425 M electrical multiple unit (EMU) trainsets by Siemens AG
:
The trains run at a maximum commercial speed at 160 km/h, the fastest speed for rail travel in Malaysia.
, Of the trains involved one of them was about to depart at 9.45pm for Kuala Lumpur International Airport while the other train, which was empty, rammed into its rear.
. Approval for such line has yet to be granted by the government. The operator was also extending the line to a proposed new airport near KLIA which is called KLIA East @ Labu
. The Labu Airport extension is now cancelled as the LCCT will be built adjacent to the KLIA main terminal.
ERL operator YTL has proposed extending the line all the way to Singapore
and as of June 2007, the Malaysian Government said the feasibility of the proposal was still being studied. The RM8 billion project would slash rail travel time from more than 8 hours to about 90 minutes.
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
and electrified
Railway electrification system
A railway electrification system supplies electrical energy to railway locomotives and multiple units as well as trams so that they can operate without having an on-board prime mover. There are several different electrification systems in use throughout the world...
airport rail link
Airport rail link
An airport rail link is a service providing passenger rail transport from an airport to a nearby city; by mainline- or commuter trains, rapid transit, people mover or light rail...
in Malaysia that connects the Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
(KLIA) with the Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Kuala Lumpur Sentral
Kuala Lumpur Sentral or Sentral Kuala Lumpur is a transit-oriented development that houses the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Opened on 16 April 2001, despite its name it is actually even less central than the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a colonial-era...
(KL Sentral) transportation hub, 57 kilometres apart. The line is utilised by two different train services operated by Express Rail Link Sendirian Berhad
Private company limited by shares
A private company limited by shares, usually called a private limited company , is a type of company incorporated under the laws of England and Wales, Scotland, that of certain Commonwealth countries and the Republic of Ireland...
:
- KLIA EkspresKLIA EkspresKLIA Ekspres is a non-stop, airport rail link service between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ERL station in Malaysia. The service is run by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. which began its operations on 14 April 2002...
, an express train service directly from the KLIA to KL Sentral, launched on April 14, 2002. - KLIA TransitKLIA TransitKLIA Transit is a rail service linking Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and KL International Airport as well as three other stops in between...
, a commuter train service with three additional stops between the KLIA and KL Sentral, launched on June 1, 2002.
Background
Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. (ERL) is a joint venture company between YTL Corporation Bhd., Lembaga Tabung Haji and Trisilco Equity Sdn. Bhd. with each partner holding 50%, 40% and 10% of the company respectively. On the 25'th of August 1997, the Malaysian government presented the company with a 30 year concession to finance, build, maintain and control the operations of the railway.Construction began in May 1997 and was completed 5 years later. It was then handed over to SYZ consortium, a joint relations consortium between German and Malaysian companies consisting of Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
, Siemens Electric Engineering Sdn. Bhd and Syarikat Pembenaan Yeoh Tiong Lay Sdn. Bhd (SPYTL), a wholly owned subsidiary of YTL Corporation Bhd.
ERL Maintenance and Support was set up in 1999 and is responsible for the operations and maintenance of trains owned by ERL. The company was initially a joint venture between Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. and Siemens AG, but since June 2005 it has been wholly owned by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd.
The 1997 financial crisis that hit Asia caused a brief setback to the project but due to strong governmental support, the project went on to completion. The project raked up a cost of RM2.4 billion which was financed through equity mergers (RM500 million), loans from Development and Infrastructure Bank of Malaysia (RM940 million) and the remainder through import credit from four German financial institutions.
Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. achieved profits in 2003 after only a year of operations.
Rolling stock
Both the KLIA EkspresKLIA Ekspres
KLIA Ekspres is a non-stop, airport rail link service between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ERL station in Malaysia. The service is run by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. which began its operations on 14 April 2002...
and KLIA Transit
KLIA Transit
KLIA Transit is a rail service linking Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and KL International Airport as well as three other stops in between...
use a total of 12 four-car Desiro
Desiro
The Siemens Desiro is a family of diesel or electric multiple unit passenger trains. The main variants are the Desiro Classic, Desiro ML, Desiro UK and the future Desiro City and Desiro RUS. The trains are mostly used for commuter and regional services, and their rapid acceleration makes them...
ET 425 M electrical multiple unit (EMU) trainsets by Siemens AG
Siemens AG
Siemens AG is a German multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Munich, Germany. It is the largest Europe-based electronics and electrical engineering company....
:
- 8 trains serve the KLIA EkspresKLIA EkspresKLIA Ekspres is a non-stop, airport rail link service between Kuala Lumpur Sentral and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport ERL station in Malaysia. The service is run by Express Rail Link Sdn. Bhd. which began its operations on 14 April 2002...
. - 4 trains serve the KLIA TransitKLIA TransitKLIA Transit is a rail service linking Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and KL International Airport as well as three other stops in between...
.
The trains run at a maximum commercial speed at 160 km/h, the fastest speed for rail travel in Malaysia.
Accidents
On August 24, 2010, Express Rail Link suffered their first reported accident in which 3 passengers were injured. Two ERL trains collided at Kuala Lumpur SentralKuala Lumpur Sentral
Kuala Lumpur Sentral or Sentral Kuala Lumpur is a transit-oriented development that houses the main railway station of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia. Opened on 16 April 2001, despite its name it is actually even less central than the old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, a colonial-era...
, Of the trains involved one of them was about to depart at 9.45pm for Kuala Lumpur International Airport while the other train, which was empty, rammed into its rear.
Future
The operator is proposing line extension towards the Low Cost Carrier terminal at Kuala Lumpur International AirportKuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
. Approval for such line has yet to be granted by the government. The operator was also extending the line to a proposed new airport near KLIA which is called KLIA East @ Labu
KLIA East @ Labu
KLIA East @ Labu, , was a proposed future budget carrier international airport. It would have been the third civilian airport serving Kuala Lumpur, or "KL". The airport was to be located at Labu, which is 8.6 kilometres away from Kuala Lumpur International Airport...
. The Labu Airport extension is now cancelled as the LCCT will be built adjacent to the KLIA main terminal.
ERL operator YTL has proposed extending the line all the way to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and as of June 2007, the Malaysian Government said the feasibility of the proposal was still being studied. The RM8 billion project would slash rail travel time from more than 8 hours to about 90 minutes.
External links
- KLIA Ekspes
- Kuala Lumpur's airport in the city opens for business Railway Gazette InternationalRailway Gazette InternationalRailway Gazette International is a monthly business journal covering the railway, metro, light rail and tram industries worldwide. Available by annual subscription, the magazine is read in over 140 countries by transport professionals and decision makers, railway managers, engineers, consultants...
May 2002