ECRL Set To Receive First Two EMU Trains, E-Locos By Year-End

The East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project is expected to receive its first two Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains and two electric locomotives (E-Loco) by the end of this year, Bernama has reported.

According to Malaysia Rail Link (MRL) CEO Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak, commissioning tests for both passenger and freight train operations are scheduled to commence in June 2026.


This initial phase will be followed by the phased delivery of 18 locomotives and nine additional EMU sets between April and May of next year.

“In total, there will be 11 EMU trains for passenger services and 20 locomotives for freight operations,” he said, adding that MRL is sending 109 IPT students to China for the ECRL Training Programme where all trainees are guaranteed job placements with the project upon completion.



Speaking of which, the 16.39-kilometer Genting Tunnel, Southeast Asia's longest rail tunnel and the most challenging of the 41 tunnels along the ECRL route, was recently completed on schedule after over two years of excavation.

Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke hailed its completion as a landmark achievement for Malaysian infrastructure.