Commuters and festive travellers can expect additional rail capacity and free public transport options in the coming weeks, following new announcements by the Ministry of Transport aimed at easing congestion and improving access during major festive periods.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the measures are intended to meet rising travel demand while helping Malaysians manage transport costs during peak travel seasons.

Additional ETS Tickets For Chinese New Year Travel

To cope with strong demand ahead of Chinese New Year, an additional 26,460 Electric Train Service tickets will be released for travel between Feb 13 and Feb 22.

Loke said existing tickets for the festive period were running low. With the additional allocation, ETS operations during Chinese New Year will reach a maximum of 52 trips per day.

Ticket sales for the added services will open on Jan 29, 2026. The announcement was made at a press conference held at KL Sentral.

Hari Raya ETS Planning Already Underway

Planning for Hari Raya Aidilfitri travel is also progressing, with demand showing early signs of strong uptake.

Loke said 44 per cent of ETS tickets for the Hari Raya period have already been sold, with full sales expected by February.

To support festive travel, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad will operate eight additional ETS services from March 13 to March 29, 2026, on selected routes. These services will provide 36,540 tickets and bring total ETS operations during Hari Raya Aidilfitri to a maximum of 52 trips per day.

Ticket sales for the Hari Raya ETS services will open on March 1, 2026.

Two Days Of Free Public Transport For Thaipusam

Klang Valley commuters will also benefit from two days of free public transport in conjunction with the Thaipusam celebration on Jan 31 and Feb 1.

The free-fare period will run from 12am to 11.59pm on both days. Passengers will still be required to tap in and out at automatic fare gates, with all transactions remaining cashless.

Loke said the initiative, which costs nearly RM1 million, is expected to benefit around 450,000 users travelling to and from Batu Caves.

Extended KTM Komuter Services And 24-Hour Stations

To support the expected surge in visitors, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad will operate additional KTM Komuter services round the clock for four days and three nights, from Jan 30 to Feb 2, 2026.

These services are expected to cater to up to 2.5 million visitors during the Thaipusam celebration. A total of 28 KTMB stations will operate 24 hours a day to facilitate passenger flow.

The additional services will involve 609 trips across key routes, including Batu Caves–Pulau Sebang–Batu Caves, Batu Caves–Port Klang–Batu Caves, and Tanjong Malim–KL Sentral–Tanjong Malim, with train transits at KL Sentral.

Extra services will begin after the final scheduled train each day, with some routes starting as early as 9.15pm. From KL Sentral, additional trains to Batu Caves will be interspersed with existing services from as early as 7.32am, improving frequency to every 30 minutes.

Free Shuttle Buses And Ferry Services Nationwide

Additional support will also be provided through free shuttle bus and ferry services.

In Kuala Lumpur, 30 shuttle buses will operate every 10 minutes on three main routes from Pasar Seni City Hub, LRT Gombak, and MRT Kampung Batu to Batu Caves. These services will run from 6am to midnight on Jan 31, 2026, and continue for 24 hours on Feb 1.

In Penang, Rapid Penang will operate free shuttle buses between the ferry terminal and Adventist, while the Penang Port Commission and Penang Port Sdn Bhd will offer free ferry services from Jan 31 until 3am on Feb 2, 2026.

On Feb 1, 2026, BAS.MY operators will also provide additional free services in Johor Bahru, Seremban, Ipoh, Kota Setar, and Sungai Petani to help Hindu devotees travel to nearby temples.

Additional ETS Services During Thaipusam Period

In addition to Komuter services, eight extra ETS services will operate during the Thaipusam period on selected routes, including JB Sentral–Butterworth, JB Sentral–KL Sentral, KL Sentral–Ipoh, and KL Sentral–Butterworth.

These services will run from Jan 29 to Feb 3, offering a total of 10,080 tickets. Ticket sales will open on Jan 26.

More Travel Options And Lower Transport Costs During Peak Periods

The combined measures provide travellers with more flexibility during busy festive periods, whether for intercity journeys or daily commutes.

Additional ETS services increase seat availability on popular routes, while free public transport and shuttle services help reduce travel costs for those attending large celebrations such as Thaipusam. For commuters, extended operating hours and higher service frequency may also help ease congestion and shorten waiting times.

Together, these initiatives are expected to make festive travel more manageable and affordable for millions of passengers nationwide.

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