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The Malaysian capital is building a new three line metro system. Although it's called LRT (Light Rail) it is a fully independent metro network. There are three lines operated by different companies:

LRT 1 - AMPANG LINE and SRI PETALING LINE (Lines C and D)

The formerly known 'STAR' (for "Sistem Transit Aliran Ringan") system is an elevated driver operated system. After construction began in 1993, the line started revenue service in three stages: 16 Dec 1996 Sultan Ismail - Ampang (12 km); 12 July 1998 Chan Sow Lin - Sri Petaling (southern branch) and finally in Dec. 1998 the northern stretch to Sentul Timur. Total length of the line is 27 km (17.6 at grade without level crossings, 9.4 elevated mainly between Sultan Ismail and Plaza Rakyat), 25 stations (17 at grade, 8 elevated). Trains run at a maximum speed of 70 km/h (commercial speed 35 km/h) and are air-conditioned. During 1999, its first full year of operation, it carried 26 million passengers. From Nov 2004, the two lines are operated by RAPID KL.

LRT 2 - KELANA JAYA LINE (Line E)

For one year this 29 km line was actually the world's longest fully automated line until Lille's Line 2 was extended to 32 km in Oct. 2000. It is mainly elevated with a 4.4 km underground section between Dang Wangi and Ampang Park. All stations are wheelchair accessible, have toilets, and platform screen doors in underground stations, info is also provided in English. The former PUTRA (Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik) line is operated by 35 two-car air-conditioned trains which carry some 35 million passengers per year. On 1 Sept 1998 it started operating between Subang Depot and Pasar Seni (14.1 km), and from 26 June 1999 it continues north to Terminal Putra (14.9 km). KL Sentral station (central railway station) finally opened on 1 April 2001. From Nov 2004, the line is operated by RAPID KL.

LRT 3 - PRT Monorail Line (Line F)

Elevated monorail line (16 km), construction began in 1997. The initial section of the PRT (Peoplemover Rapid Transit) line (northern part) is 8.6km long and includes 11 stations, Titiwangsa - KL Sentral (where a new stop will only open in 2006/07). Permanently coupled 2-car trains are driver-operated and run every 2-5 minutes during peak hours. The 20m long and 3m wide trains are based on the Seattle Monorail. Stations are built 10m above the road with 63m side platforms, distance between stations is 600-1000m. It links to both existing LRT lines twice.

Letters A and B were assigned to commuter lines, Line A linking Sentul to Port Klang, and Line B from Rawang to Seremban.

In April 2002, a new 57 km express rail line started operating from KL Sentral to KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport). The line is also used for a commuter service with three intermediate stations.

LRT 1 - AMPANG LINE & SRI PETALING LINE (STAR)

16 Dec 1996 Sentul Timur - Ampang (12 km)
12 July 1998 Chan Sow Lin - Sri Petaling (southern section)
Dec 1998 - northern section

LRT 2 - KELANA JAYA LINE (PUTRA)

1 Sept 1998 - Subang Depot - Pasar Seni (14.1 km)
26 June 1999 - Pasar Seni - Terminal Putra (14.9 km)
1 April 2001 - KL Sentral station opened

LRT 3 (KL Monorail)

31 Aug 2003 - Titiwangsa - Tun Sambanthan (8km)

14 April 2002 - KLIA Ekspres (Airport Express Line with commuter service)

 Projects

In neighbouring Putrajaya, Malaysia's future capital city, an 18km, 23-station monorail network began construction, but works were suspended due to a general delay in the new city development. The network consists of two lines, one will be 12km with 17 stations and the other 6km with 6 stations. It will be partly underground.

- OPERATION

Line C&D: 06:00 - 23:50 h, every 3 minutes during peak hours, 7-8 minutes during the rest of the day

Line E: 06:00 - 23:40 h, every 3 minutes during peak hours, every 5-10 minutes during the rest of the day

MONORAIL: 06:00 - 24:00

- FARES

Line E: Single fare RM 0.70 - 2.50 depending on distance
Line C&D: Single fare RM 0.70 - 2.80 depending on distance

Monthly pass RM 125.00 (Lines C, D, E and buses), RM 90.00 for Lines C, D, E only.

KL Monorail: 1.20 - 2.50 depending on distance

RAPID KL Official Page (PUTRA)

Monorail Malaysia

Monorail Society's KL Monorail Special (incl. many photos) & Putrajaya Monorail

Stesen Sentral - KL Integrated Rail Services

Mc Leong's KL Site includes LRT info

KLIA Ekspres - Airport Express Line

KTMB - Malaysian National Railways

Railway Technology - PUTRA Project Kuala Lumpur Metro operated by Projek Usahasama Transit Ringan Automatik (PUTRA) - Malaysia

UrbanRail.Net > Kuala Lumpur Gallery