ECRL Track Completed

East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) track from Kota Bharu, Kelantan, to Gombak, Selangor has now been completely laid. The entire 519‑kilometre stretch has been successfully installed. China Communications Construction (ECRL) Sdn Bhd (CCCECRL) announced that the track‑laying phase is finished, along with all system installations, and the line has officially entered the testing and commissioning stage.

“Malaysia’s first CCPG‑500A mechanised track‑laying machine was deployed to complete the whole ECRL alignment,” the company said. “Phase 4, covering 126 km from Maran to Gombak, began in April 2025 and was wrapped up on 5 February 2026—half a month ahead of schedule,” it added. CCCECRL, the EPCC of the ECRL, is the lead contractor for engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning.

Managing Director Deng Bo noted that with the track now fully set and electrification progressing along the Kota Bharu‑Gombak line, the arrival of the electric multiple unit (EMU) signals the start of 8,000 km of fault‑free run testing and commissioning. “This milestone brings us one step closer to full operations in January 2027, underscoring our commitment to precision, safety, and a state‑of‑the‑art ECRL project,” he said.

Track laying officially kicked off in December 2023, marked by a royal blessing from then Yang di‑Pertuan Agong, Al‑Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al‑Mustafa Billah Shah, at Kuantan Port City (KPC). The line then progressed northwards from KPC to Maran, onward to Dungun, and finally to Kota Bharu. These sections measured 92 km, 95 km, and 206 km respectively, demonstrating steady progress that paved the way for Phase 4 and the successful completion of the full Kota Bharu‑to‑Gombak alignment.

As of February 2026, the ECRL project has achieved approximately 92.62 % overall progress, reflecting continuous advancement across all phases and readiness for the next stage of testing and commissioning.

Johor Baru - Singapore RTS Link Map (Source:MRT Corp)