Skip to main content

Fast train to Ipoh

The ETS intercity makes life easy for those who have to travel to Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and Seremban regularly.


The ETS (which stands for Electric Train Services) intercity is another indication that Malaysians love travelling by train. 

Since its launch on August 12, this year more and more people are catching the train to Ipoh-Kuala Lumpur-Seremban. 

That is the observation of an Ipoh-based  KTM employee who declined to be named. 

The Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh service is popular with professionals especially lawyers, he says. 

They get on the early morning train from Kuala Lumpur and arrive in Ipoh in time for their court cases, he adds. 

Some Ipoh residents who work in Kuala Lumpur are contemplating commuting between their hometown and Malaysia's capital city.

The seats are comfortable and there is legroom in the front of the seat.
I took the ETS from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh recently and understood instantly why my relatives and friends are passionate about it.

"Speed, comfort and convenience" are among the reasons enthusiasts offer. And I agree with them.

I boarded the train at 8.30am, fell asleep almost immediately and woke up at Tapah Road, the fourth stop before my final destination -- Ipoh.

Ipoh Railway Station.



From Tapah Road the train snaked its way through the track to Ipoh Railway Station and the time on my watch was 10.45am.

What can I say?

I gave an ecstatic sigh of happiness. 

The journey time was two hours and 15 minutes on the transit train. The express service would be shorter by some 20 minutes. 

I said  goodbye to bus trips -- which are longer and do not have door-to-door convenience -- to Ipoh, my hometown.

I got off the train and in less than 30 minutes by taxi I was at my sister's home.

Passengers get off the train at Ipoh Railway Station.



If train journey is under-appreciated in Malaysia it is because people are fed up with old, slow trains which show no signs of retiring.

Those in a hurry, however, find the ETS intercity enticing.

The introductory rail fare of RM 30 (Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh) may put some people off but that is nothing if you hanker for "speed, comfort and convenience".

And yet a train ride can even be a vacation in itself particularly over longer distances.

That was how I felt when I got the train to Ipoh.

Okay, so I slept right through (almost) the journey but that did not lessen the excitement.

Train stewardess Rosziyana Ruslan.
There are plans to extend the service to Malacca, Johor Bahru and Singapore for the future.

I hope that would be sooner rather than later.

Train travel is attractive in an old-fashioned way.

Writers have written about it and Paul Theroux's Riding the Iron Rooster: By Train Through China comes to my mind.

Your experience on the ETS intercity may not be as dramatic as Theroux's adventures in China but you can still read, play cards, enjoy the greenery passing by or simply doze off.

High-tech trippers will have their iPods and laptops.

There are compelling reasons -- eco-friendliness, comfort and convenience, to name but a few -- to hop on the next train to Ipoh, Kuala lumpur or Seremban.
  
Student Izzati Johari says the ETS intercity is the most suitable mode of transport for her.







                                               
Labels:
Location: Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular Posts

Happy Father's Day

June is a significant month for fathers and those who have acted as father figures: stepfathers, uncles, grandfathers, big brothers, teachers and mentors. It is the month when some countries including Malaysia celebrate Father's Day. As American poet Anne Sexton put it: "It doesn't matter who my father was; it matters who I remember he was." My own father, who was a major influence in my life when I was growing up in Ipoh, Perak, Malaysia, passed away a long time ago. Since then there has been one major father figure in my life: my mentor, who is also my uncle, and he has helped me through difficult times. Fathers teach by example. You learn important values from them and you acquire some of their tastes for things. It could be anything: a love for English literature, words and books, among others. Sometimes you did not agree with their viewpoints but realised later that they were right about many things. As a child, growing up in a hometown known for its laid-back wa
3 comments
Read more

Rediscovering the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen

I love this artwork (acrylic on canvas) by Jayashree Ramasamy @Jay, who has captured the mood of the traditional Malaysian Indian kitchen. Jay recalls her grandmother preparing meals for the family in a room which was equipped with ancestral cooking utensils and that was the inspiration for this painting. For more of Jay's creations head for the National Art Gallery where 'The Story Telling' exhibition is now being held (April 14 to May 15, 2011).  'The Story Telling' is a group exhibition showcasing the creations of four emerging artists including Jay from the Symbols Art Club . The other three artists are Kathiravan Subramaniam, Rohini Indran and Mohana Kumara Velu @ Mona Kv. Each work of art is a story that the artist tells about his or her personal experiences and observations of daily life. The launch this afternoon was in conjunction with the Tamil New Year today. 'Food is Served' by Kathiravan Subramaniam. The rationale: 'We may have diff
2 comments
Read more

Dealing with death of a loved one

Today marks the end of Rabiaa's mourning period. She had completed four months and 10 days or 130 days of grieving, the stipulated period for expressing sorrow for Muslim widows.  The death of her husband on Dec 30, 2020 was expected  but it still came as a huge shock to her. It was too sudden, she felt. Yet  observers would not agree. Her husband became bedridden in mid-November after a collision between his big bike and a car which had come from the opposite direction after taking an illegal turn.  In addition to being bedridden, Anwar, lost his voice which was the direct result of the  brain injury he had suffered after the accident. He was diagnosed with traumatic brain injury. How does Rabiaa feel now? The pain is bearable but the memories remain as vivid as ever. She is still unwilling to clear up all of her husband's things and some items remain in their original positions as before he became bound to the bed. His belongings connect Rabiaa to Anwar and she basks in the w
1 comment
Read more