Finally, the most awaited train review is now here! Good to see that a European train travel blogger managed to extensively review the only sleeper train in Malaysia - the Rakyat Timuran Express aka the Jungle Train from JB to Tumpat, Kelantan. This must’ve been one of the cheapest sleeper trains in the world. Just hoping for Simply Railway to review this piece of gem and I can sleep in peace finally. Peace and love from Malaysia!
Thought an overnight train along Malaysia's western coast would've been useful too as it serves bigger cities in northern Malaysia e.g. Ipoh, Penang, with a sizable number of people who hail from there living & working in Singapore, & many overnight coaches operating (though there've been some road accidents previously)
@@lzh4950 There were overnight trains to the North prior to the termination of Intercity trains on the West Coast sector (Gemas-Pdg Besar) on 19/05/2016; the Senandung Sutera Express 24/25 serving JB - Ipoh - JB, and Peninsular Express 20/21 serving JB - Hat Yai - JB.
the cost had been kept down because the government is subsidizing its operation, its has been operating at a loss, but as its services its vital to those villages and rural people that depends on rails to go about it had no choice but to keep its prices low.
The Taman Negera area is my favourite part of Malaysia...and the scenery by rail from Gua Musang to Dabong is just so unique. First travelled in the year 2000 as a school kid. Almost nothing has changed in these 20+ years. You captured it so well. Glad you took the old diesel and not the newer locomotives. The engine note just adds something special to the whole journey.
As a Malaysian, i personally think we are taking our natural flora and fauna for granted. This railway is one of the only ways to appreciate the beautiful landscapes of natural Malaysia, the highway has alot of palm trees which are used to make palm oil. I wish for the government to preserve our natural beauty and to lessen destruction in more isolated places in my country.
This is the train and route my mum took me on when she rescued me from abusive foster parent from singapore ...when i was 10 years old. I still remember it was one of the happiest days of my life and it was a dream come true for me. During the whole night, my mum and i shared a lower bunk bed together. I hugged her the whole night ... i think thats why up untill now....i really love night sleeper trains with bunks. ❤ its so sad that they stopped this night sleeper train?
Times change. I travelled from Singapore to Bangkok in 1995. Sleeper arrangement was similar but convertible with the lower bunk becoming a pair of facing seats for the two passengers in the daytime. I was very impressed and think sleeping lengthwise superior to across the width.It was very cosy, once the curtain was drawn. Remembered fondly 28 years later.
Wow I did not realize this was KTM's last sleeper train. I took a KTM sleeper train from Singapore-KL many years ago when there were still trains running directly from Tanjong Pagar Station in Singapore. The nostalgia of it all.
@@NonstopEurotrip This is not KTM’s last sleeper train. There’s the seasonal MySawasdee Holiday Express sleeper train from KL Sentral to Hat Yai and back which runs on festive and school holidays. There’s also the Express Lambaian to Tumpat, Kelantan from KL Sentral and back which operates during the Muslim festive seasons of Eid Mubarak and Eid Adha. But if you meant that the ERT is the last daily sleeper train operated by KTM, then yes - you are right!
I feel this also shows a contradiction in Malaysia's rail network, where the rural village of _Gua Musang_ has a train station while bigger cities e.g. _Kuantan_ , downtown _Melaka/Malacca_ don't
Ecrl project currently built to connect west coast klang/kl to kuantan to tumpat. This project was started in 2017 under Dato Sri Najib goverment initiative to improved east coast infrastructure that had been denied by Mahathir goverment.
I agree. I think I would have taken a seat for the journey. The sleeping compartment looked very claustrophobic. I wouldn't be able to sleep with all the noise, smells, snoring and expulsion of gaseous entities from the nether region.
@@Eurobazz theres first class seating with better recline but of course it is not like other types of first class with better service but just a better seat
What a great trip, surprisingly for 16 hours trip, on dormitory sleeper type like this is absolutely cheap. When I converted the Ringgit to my currency, yeah it's still cheap. Even though the rolling stock and the interior feels outdated, but yeah the scenery is breathtaking. Can't wait for another breathtaking trip in Southeast Asia.
The reason the rolling stock is outdated is because eventually the whole system will be electrified, and it doesn't make economic sense to purchase new ones at the moment
@@JaswantSingh-ym9zo The East Coast Mainline (ECML) would not be electrified and double tracked by KTMB due to geographical constraints on the Kuala Lipis to Kuala Krai section (a lot of mountains, limestones and valleys). Also, the East Coast Mainline passes through the Dabong Stong Geopark in Dabong, Kelantan so any attempts to double track and electrify the ECML will cause significant harm to the ecosystem of the Geopark
Thanks for the memories! I rode the West Coast line (now replaced by ETS) in the late 2000s, from KL to Alor Star. Sleeper coach, same layout. Those coaches has been around forever! By sunrise the train would have entered Kedah, just in time for the mesmerizing view of those vast Kedah rice fields. Sadly with everything upgraded to daytime express we can no longer experience this. The service quality is now much, much better with ETS though. It's a tradeoff. A little heads up. ETS trains are capped at 130km/h service speed, so don't keep your hopes up.
Very nice video, thank you!! I took some years ago the train from KL to Penang Sentral, which actually means Butterworth (a day trip) and l loved it! The only one (típical malaysian) inconvenience was the temperature in the train: it was frozen! And at every stop I jumped to the door to take a breathe of the warm tropical air. Price around 30 MR. By the way: at the moment I am in George Town / Penang again and go on traveling in SEA until end of March.
I did Bangkok to Butterworth about 20 years ago. I had a blast! I loved it! I got fed by a car full of Indian ladies and adopted by a Japanese woman who made sure I got my visa renewal back into Thailand and had her friends look after me in Penang x
Thanks for sharing, that’s a nice journey, back to basics, no frills and just enough. I’m from Malaysia but am yet to take this particular journey. After watching your video, perhaps I will soon. Cheers
Ah, the Toshiba-built Class 24 locomotive. That's a relic of the late-1980s to early 1990s. The fact that they still managed to maintain this aging locomotive in relatively good condition is astonishing, It made me feeling nostalgic of the 1990s era of Malaysia lol That locomotive is the the 12th series of 26 units of Class 24 locomotive that KTM purchased from Japan circa-1987, and you can know which unit of this series based from the last 2 digit of its serial number plate.
Фантастика! 735 км. за 11,50$!🙂Поезд конечно же "ушатанный старичок" с минимальными удобствами, но картинка за окном все неудобства поездки компенсирует.👍Спасибо за видео!
When I was younger , in the late 60's , my family and I used to take the sleeper trains from Tumpat in Kelantan to Gemas where the train changes tracks to head to kuala Lumpur central station . Was an overnight train as well . and the scenery was much more beautiful .
@@NonstopEurotrip Some alight at Tumpat because their hometown are located there. Meanwhile us railway fans alight there because we wanted to explore the entire East Coast Line
It took the British 25 years to build that line ! I really enjoyed that video. It's Dangerous to cross the 3km Into Thailand from Tumpat , you must check the security situation. I'd love to see you do some videos in Burma (Myanmar), it's the most authentic South East Asian country and has great railways , the enormous trestle bridge at Goteik is amazing.
crossed here the biggest danger is stubbing your toe walking from Thai border building to Malay one or causing a medical mishap as the customs official reacts to seeing a rare foreignor!!!! note train to BKK from Sungai Goloj run only 2 or 3 per week and you might have trouble getting berths from the meet point at Hat Yai
Visited and worked in Southern Thailand many times in the past. Thought the problems with bombings had gone away, but maybe not. Always had to be on guard for guns firing and machetes as well as bombs. Muslim part of Thailand, with some wanting an independent state. Hope all that is not back.
In 2014, I took an overnight train from KL to Woodlands in Singapore. Similar to this train. Just remember being woken up by guards around JB, then arriving at Woodlands early to go through immigration. I believe that the trains stop at JB from KL and you have to take local transport to Singapore.
Fascinating video, thanks for sharing. My only train trip in Malaysia was nearly 40 years ago. KL to Butterworth. My abiding memories are the very ornate station at KL, wonderful scenery and the Kopi O. I remember it being between Xmas and New Year.
The old station is semi-retired. No longer used by most trains. There is a newer station built a little bit south of the old one. One of these "sentral" thingies. They all resemble each other.
Hi Matt! I watched this video on repeat, maybe an unhealthy amount. Can't help it, proud being a Malaysian 😊 Great to see you raving this one, from the scenery to ease of booking. Just a throwback to a previous comment (on the 50K subscriber video - Singapore to KL train) who said that there are too many palm oil trees; this is the real thing folks! Things to add: 1) If you came in later to the dining car, there would have been more food choices available, especially the local specialties [nasi lemak, fried tom yam meehoon (rice vermicelli), etc]. Bear the crowd though! 2) Love how the train moved very slowly once departing Gua Musang station, giving more time to enjoy the view of the limestone cave. I know you have loads of places to go to, but do come back to Malaysia if you can! Edit: It's monsoon season in Kelantan now, so it's flooded especially in Tumpat and Kota Bharu. Avoid going during November to February, you might want to alight earlier in the inner stops.
I'm thinking of traveling around Asia next year so this was really useful!! Thanks so much for the amazing videos, they're always so informational and pleasing to watch :) For some wanting to visit Kuala Lumpur on the way, which station would you suggest to hop off at and later retake a train from?
i do hope the sleeper train will remain in service in future. the southern sector of the electrified double track project from JB to segamat will be completed in 2 years. the east coast rail link will also be ready in the next 3 years. they will be using semi high speed trains so journeys will be cut short by at least 2/3 the time now.
Never been on that line, but have used the Johor Bahru - Singapore (Tanjong Pagar) line before the railway land was sold by Malaysia/KTM to Singapore in the form of a Joint Venture 60/40 Malaysia/Singapore government enterprise. The old line has been taken up now and a new green corridor is being established for recreation. The original Singapore station will be turned in a National Monument of some kind I believe, but I do know that the old Tanjong Pagar station platforms and overheads are being refurbished in the old shunting yard down near the old station. Interestingly, the Malaysia immigration and customs used to be based at the now defunct old station at Tanjong Pagar on the south coast of Singapore. Passport checks there meant one entered Malaysia, while in Singapore. Then travel was made on the old line running north to the north coast where Singapore immigration and customs checked one out of Singapore. The train would then run across the causeway connecting Singapore to Malaysia (Johor Bahru). Enjoyed watching the video, thanks for the upload.
@@NonstopEurotrip Direct trains between SG & KL will probably be re-instated when double-tracking & electrification is extended south from _Gemas_ to JB. Then train travel between SG & KL can be sped up from being as slow as coaches now (~5h over just over 300km) to probably ~3h
@@NonstopEurotrip They're building one, at snail's pace. But from JB northwards, From Singapore you will still have to take the shuttle service, if you are lucky enough to get a ticket
The sleeping arrangement reminded me of the film, some like it hot, the dorm style beds, anywhere you can get your head down on the train is good, great post
Back then in the early 2000s, there is sleeper coach available from KL to Butterworth. That was the time where I would always listen to “Joe Hisaishi - The Sixth Station” and enjoy the train ride!
Nice video, has been waited for this content for so long with English sub (sorry I just started to learn BM) - any interesting places along this route that we can visit?
Nice scenery and looks like worth the ride even with very BASIC accommodations. 😕. Max … Wishing you and your family Happy Holiday, Good Health and Safe Travels in 2023. 😊
i still remember taking the sleeper train to singapore.. and that was more than 10 years ago which just is crazy how time flies so fast.... i know my expectations kinda high but just sad overall that they did not had any plans to improve the whole system after all these years which is a waste...
they just changed the curtains for the bunks and the one on top has such big gaps between the curtain and the rail. i wasn't able to sleep because it wasn't blocking the lights in the carriage. it was also super, duper cold the night I was travelling from Gemas to KB because it had rained. even the regular passengers said it was extra cold.
Sadly in the next few years, these trains will be replaced by high speed electric trains, riding on standard gauge tracks and no longer meter gauges for this route. So, it was good that you experienced the last of the diesel trains in Malaysia.
I was in Singapore for a very long time & I wish I knew that there was such a train in Malaysia. Now I am in Tamilnadu, India. You should come here to see Tamilnadu state beauty :)
Actually the management want to replace em with latest & faster trains. But many customers still demand this train due to nostalgic memories & experience that only available for this route.
Malaysian trains are all a good standard now but I miss the old trains of the 1970's and 80's which had a lot more romance of travel about them today its all speed and smooth instead of shake rattle and roll always thought it was a real shame KL station was moved and the old one run down and abandoned
which station? The Kuala Lumpur station is still in use and well kept, less busy than KL Sentral tho. some of the older stations in other states however are abandoned. like Batu Gajah station. so sad.
Thank you very much for a fantastic video it has been a long time since I was in Malaysia and miss this very much. In my time over there I travelled from KL (old station )to Butterworth (old station) and enjoyed the ferry across to Penang and remember the area of Bukit Merah where the single track line went between the two likes .I bet during the rainy season the would flood over the track. Have you done this journey I take now that the tracks are more modern and rolling stock to. Again thank you and look forward to your next travel Happy Christmas & Great New Year
Thank you Stewart! I have done the trip but not in rainy season. There will be a video coming up soon on KL to Butterworth on ETS Platinum business class 🙂
Way before the Butterworth station was built, the train terminated at Prai, and if you wanted to go to Butterworth, you had to take a sampan. Prai is where the train depot used to be then, and that was also where the International Express to Bangkok began. From what I understand, the whole area is now abandoned and neglected. Not sure if that has been changed
You are right about the rail getting flooded in rainy season.. it's incredible when passing thru the area when that happens, it's like the train is "sailing" on water. Spectacular sight.
Excellent photography! Regarding your request to comment on train travels in that part of the world, A few years ago, I traveled on a very modern and comfortable speed train from KL to the Thai border on the West Coast - Padang Besar! An awesome experience covering 500km in 3.5 hours. (A word of caution, the Thai trains are bad compared to the Malaysian trains! Definitely needs an enormous amount of maintenance and "buffing up" - tattered seats or no seats, windows that don't work, terribly dirty toilets.) Also, the service on the Thai trains and stations is just terrible!)
Nah, the coaches definitely were not like these 40 years ago. I remember sleeping on the floor. Because seats weren't numbered then, and on peak periods, lots of people didn't have seats. If you can grab facing seats, there was this little table that folds up from the wall. I'll rest my elbows on them and my chin on my palms and just stare out the open window with the wind blowing in my face. 😊 PS: yes, only kids lie down on the floor. Adults like my mum only sat on the floor. The trip from KL to Butterworth took about this many hours. You wouldn't want to stand. Except for the portions where you had to. Because there wasn't even enough space to sit on the floor. Like an LRT at rush hour today. 😊
@@danielch6662 Well, I've had my fair share of riding daytime third class KTM trains decades ago and what you described was exactly right. The unnumbered seats, the standing room only crowds, the steamy heat, the hole in the floor toilet ... you'd be a shell of yourself when you reached your destination! However, I was referring to the sleeper train which had numbered beds. The coach layout and the diesel locomotive look exactly as I remembered 40 years ago. Reminds me of all the night journeys which I recall fondly. 🙂
This type of train, starting 2024, will be no longer service in Malaysia, since now being upgraded to ETS ( Electric Train Services). From Johor to Padang Besar( boarder of Thailand), ETS already took place....the 700km journey will take about 6 hours
@@matdanih Nope, wrong. The Rakyat Timuran Express (ERT) sleeper train will stay despite ETS being extended to Johor Bahru next year after the completion of the Gemas-JB Electrified Double Track Project (EDTP) since the EDTP section is only 10% of ERT’s route. The remaining 90% are unelectrified single tracks from Gemas to Tumpat. And that ERT will not interfere with the future ETS operations as the ERT. runs during nighttime - hence why it is called a overnight train. Also the DMUs aren’t designed for long distance travel since the seats don’t really recline and that half of the seats in the DMU are longitudinal seats as in metros like the LRT and MRT. Our DMUs are only 4 cars long (yes it’s a 4-car set) compared to the ERT which can go up to 16 cars at one time. So in conclusion, the ERT will stay on for years to come.
@@HBC101TVStudios It costs more to operate, fuel and maintenance wise. I believe they will eventually upgrade. Also I believe these carriages are purchased from India, and even India is slowly phasing them out and modernising all their trains. So unless Malaysia wants to buy scrapped coaches from India, these trains will have to go
I caught a sleeper train from JB to KL a few years ago. Same dorm style carriage as shown in this video. My experience was dreadful. People staying awake all night playing music, talking, & babies constantly crying. There was not much sleep taking place. The bottom berth is definitely the better choice of the two.
Im curious, do you work remotely or just you becoming travel journalist on your own? I saw your videos doing train trip review around the world, wish i have that opportunity
You should try nasi lauk & nasi sumatra when you are in Tumpat( my hometown). The best nasi lauk is near Tumpat police station business hour 9am-11am & Nasi Sumatra( Padang) is near Photo shop local call it "Kedai Muji".😋
0:39 It's raining like most of yesterday in many parts of Spain. There's a big depression called "Ephrain" carrying rain from the Caribbean all the way to Western Europe and today it'll be a rainy and windy day in many parts of Spain
Nice views! I'm tempted to go on this, but the thought of spending over 13 hours in a confined space is a bit overwhelming. Strangely enough my parents brought me along in a bus from Johor Bahru to Kota Bahru when I was a child and that wasn't very comfortable either! Wish we took this instead then, though the sleepers don't look very easy to manage a family together though I would imagine families might just go for the sitting cabins even if it's less comfortable. I know they are introducing the Class 61 DMUs on this route, but strangely enough they aren't equipped with sleepers for now. Perhaps it'll go a bit faster, however, not sure that it'll be fast enough to avoid having proper sleepers still.
Great video and what a bargain! I’ve never tried it, but often wondered whether I’d sleep better laterally on a train or not. Did look at trying the roomettes out on Amtrak but have you seen the prices!!
Really? I never knew that! During the British time, before Singapore gained independence, one didn't need a passport to travel by train to Malaysia. As a kid, and as a teenager, I travelled by train numerous times during the school vacations
@@JaswantSingh-ym9zo yes I also remember the good old days. Regarding The Sakai Express I got The info from a book written by Noel Barber entitle The War of The Running Dogs. Its about the war between the Brittish and Malayan communist terrorist prior to Malaya's independance. 😀✋️
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Great news how many days from JB to upper Malaysia at Thai boder
Finally, the most awaited train review is now here! Good to see that a European train travel blogger managed to extensively review the only sleeper train in Malaysia - the Rakyat Timuran Express aka the Jungle Train from JB to Tumpat, Kelantan. This must’ve been one of the cheapest sleeper trains in the world. Just hoping for Simply Railway to review this piece of gem and I can sleep in peace finally. Peace and love from Malaysia!
Thanks so much and I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊
Thought an overnight train along Malaysia's western coast would've been useful too as it serves bigger cities in northern Malaysia e.g. Ipoh, Penang, with a sizable number of people who hail from there living & working in Singapore, & many overnight coaches operating (though there've been some road accidents previously)
@@lzh4950 There were overnight trains to the North prior to the termination of Intercity trains on the West Coast sector (Gemas-Pdg Besar) on 19/05/2016; the Senandung Sutera Express 24/25 serving JB - Ipoh - JB, and Peninsular Express 20/21 serving JB - Hat Yai - JB.
the cost had been kept down because the government is subsidizing its operation, its has been operating at a loss, but as its services its vital to those villages and rural people that depends on rails to go about it had no choice but to keep its prices low.
Thank you for the informative journey. I as a Malaysian hasn’t been on this route.
The Taman Negera area is my favourite part of Malaysia...and the scenery by rail from Gua Musang to Dabong is just so unique. First travelled in the year 2000 as a school kid. Almost nothing has changed in these 20+ years. You captured it so well. Glad you took the old diesel and not the newer locomotives. The engine note just adds something special to the whole journey.
Totally agree!
As a Malaysian, i personally think we are taking our natural flora and fauna for granted. This railway is one of the only ways to appreciate the beautiful landscapes of natural Malaysia, the highway has alot of palm trees which are used to make palm oil. I wish for the government to preserve our natural beauty and to lessen destruction in more isolated places in my country.
I absolutely love Malaysia, but yes I do agree with you 🙏🏻
most of philippine's natural rain forests have been destroyed..i am glad malaysia preserved this wonderful nature for all the world to see
Thank you for keeping the sub titles long enough on the screen to read comfortably, without having to pause the flow of the video.
You're welcome 😀
This is the train and route my mum took me on when she rescued me from abusive foster parent from singapore ...when i was 10 years old. I still remember it was one of the happiest days of my life and it was a dream come true for me. During the whole night, my mum and i shared a lower bunk bed together. I hugged her the whole night ... i think thats why up untill now....i really love night sleeper trains with bunks. ❤ its so sad that they stopped this night sleeper train?
Ah very interesting, thanks for sharing 😊 The train still runs currently!
Times change.
I travelled from Singapore to Bangkok in 1995.
Sleeper arrangement was similar but convertible with the lower bunk becoming a pair of facing seats for the two passengers in the daytime.
I was very impressed and think sleeping lengthwise superior to across the width.It was very cosy, once the curtain was drawn. Remembered fondly 28 years later.
Thanks for sharing 😊
Those were fab!
Great journey, I remember going on an excercise in the Malaysian jungle in 1973 when I was 18, I will have to try the train.
It's a great experience!!
army exercise?
Wow I did not realize this was KTM's last sleeper train. I took a KTM sleeper train from Singapore-KL many years ago when there were still trains running directly from Tanjong Pagar Station in Singapore. The nostalgia of it all.
Thanks for sharing 😊
@@NonstopEurotrip This is not KTM’s last sleeper train. There’s the seasonal MySawasdee Holiday Express sleeper train from KL Sentral to Hat Yai and back which runs on festive and school holidays. There’s also the Express Lambaian to Tumpat, Kelantan from KL Sentral and back which operates during the Muslim festive seasons of Eid Mubarak and Eid Adha. But if you meant that the ERT is the last daily sleeper train operated by KTM, then yes - you are right!
What a stunning journey! Never heard about it, but it's so on my bucket list!
Glad you enjoyed it Félix 😍
A railway line going through the jungle is just spectacular and jaw-dropping 😮
Definitely Andrew ☺️🌴
I feel this also shows a contradiction in Malaysia's rail network, where the rural village of _Gua Musang_ has a train station while bigger cities e.g. _Kuantan_ , downtown _Melaka/Malacca_ don't
Ecrl project currently built to connect west coast klang/kl to kuantan to tumpat. This project was started in 2017 under Dato Sri Najib goverment initiative to improved east coast infrastructure that had been denied by Mahathir goverment.
@@zuyrie lanjiao, no politic pls
The coach looks more comfortable than the crowded sleeper which doesn't look configured for daytime sightseeing.
True that!
I agree. I think I would have taken a seat for the journey. The sleeping compartment looked very claustrophobic. I wouldn't be able to sleep with all the noise, smells, snoring and expulsion of gaseous entities from the nether region.
@@Eurobazz theres first class seating with better recline but of course it is not like other types of first class with better service but just a better seat
@@Eurobazz ✌️🤣👊🏾🎅🏾
@@izee8530 the AFC seats at T1?
What a great trip, surprisingly for 16 hours trip, on dormitory sleeper type like this is absolutely cheap. When I converted the Ringgit to my currency, yeah it's still cheap. Even though the rolling stock and the interior feels outdated, but yeah the scenery is breathtaking. Can't wait for another breathtaking trip in Southeast Asia.
Completely agree Reza! 😊
KTM is heavily subsidized by the government. They never make money.
The reason the rolling stock is outdated is because eventually the whole system will be electrified, and it doesn't make economic sense to purchase new ones at the moment
@@JaswantSingh-ym9zo The East Coast Mainline (ECML) would not be electrified and double tracked by KTMB due to geographical constraints on the Kuala Lipis to Kuala Krai section (a lot of mountains, limestones and valleys). Also, the East Coast Mainline passes through the Dabong Stong Geopark in Dabong, Kelantan so any attempts to double track and electrify the ECML will cause significant harm to the ecosystem of the Geopark
@@HBC101TVStudios Doesn't matter. On the bright side Malaysia will still have a vintage train in operation.
Thanks for the memories! I rode the West Coast line (now replaced by ETS) in the late 2000s, from KL to Alor Star. Sleeper coach, same layout. Those coaches has been around forever!
By sunrise the train would have entered Kedah, just in time for the mesmerizing view of those vast Kedah rice fields. Sadly with everything upgraded to daytime express we can no longer experience this. The service quality is now much, much better with ETS though. It's a tradeoff.
A little heads up. ETS trains are capped at 130km/h service speed, so don't keep your hopes up.
140kmh actually. It's not all about speed 😂
Very nice video, thank you!! I took some years ago the train from KL to Penang Sentral, which actually means Butterworth (a day trip) and l loved it! The only one (típical malaysian) inconvenience was the temperature in the train: it was frozen! And at every stop I jumped to the door to take a breathe of the warm tropical air. Price around 30 MR. By the way: at the moment I am in George Town / Penang again and go on traveling in SEA until end of March.
Excellent! Have you tried the KTS Platinum business class?
Thank you for another great video.....Nothing else to say ,it is just excellent as always....
Ah thank you Patrick 😊
I did Bangkok to Butterworth about 20 years ago. I had a blast! I loved it! I got fed by a car full of Indian ladies and adopted by a Japanese woman who made sure I got my visa renewal back into Thailand and had her friends look after me in Penang x
Thanks for sharing!! 😄
The scenery makes the trip a must-do.
Oh yes 😍
Thank you for showing the seated area for those of us who didn't book a sleeper in time! Helps decide....
Glad it was helpful!
Malaysia is very nice. The train station is like an airport. What a beautiful scenery. It reminds me of my Kerala in India.
I hope to see Kerala soon 😃
lol kerala station?
@@whybotherha1021 I think he meant the scenery.. but Malaysia has a lot of limestone hills and mountains..
Thanks for sharing, that’s a nice journey, back to basics, no frills and just enough. I’m from Malaysia but am yet to take this particular journey. After watching your video, perhaps I will soon. Cheers
You definitely should 😉
Ah, the Toshiba-built Class 24 locomotive. That's a relic of the late-1980s to early 1990s. The fact that they still managed to maintain this aging locomotive in relatively good condition is astonishing, It made me feeling nostalgic of the 1990s era of Malaysia lol
That locomotive is the the 12th series of 26 units of Class 24 locomotive that KTM purchased from Japan circa-1987, and you can know which unit of this series based from the last 2 digit of its serial number plate.
Absolutely 😁
Фантастика! 735 км. за 11,50$!🙂Поезд конечно же "ушатанный старичок" с минимальными удобствами, но картинка за окном все неудобства поездки компенсирует.👍Спасибо за видео!
A photo of the ticket is in the video 😂
The dining car these days is really disappointing. You can only get vending machine stuff. KTM used to have actual meals there.
When I was younger , in the late 60's , my family and I used to take the sleeper trains from Tumpat in Kelantan to Gemas where the train changes tracks to head to kuala Lumpur central station . Was an overnight train as well . and the scenery was much more beautiful .
I enjoyed this video very much. The jungle train route was quite amazing! Will take this train route someday🙂thank you for sharing! Happy travel.
My pleasure 😊
Excellent video. The pictures were stunning and it felt as though I was riding the train with you.
Glad you enjoyed it Sandra! 😊
yes.. i can feel the wind blowing my face
Enjoyed it, would be interesting to see more of the country side through your lenses...
It looks like a great ride from busy JB to what appears to be a very remote final destination 👍
Yeah most people travel to KB. The train only continues to the depot.
@@NonstopEurotrip Some alight at Tumpat because their hometown are located there. Meanwhile us railway fans alight there because we wanted to explore the entire East Coast Line
@@HBC101TVStudios exactly 🤣
wow... i m a train lover, every bit of the train is muzic to my ears, the view is amazing, tks for sharing 😘
Glad you enjoyed it ☺️
Loving your videos! Especially as I plan my own Asian adventure and I love a train ride 😊
Great to hear!
Ternyata malaysia sudah cukup maju negara nya. The best
However Indonesian trains are the best beside Amtrak. They should try it at least once in a lifetime.
It took the British 25 years to build that line ! I really enjoyed that video.
It's Dangerous to cross the 3km Into Thailand from Tumpat , you must check the security situation.
I'd love to see you do some videos in Burma (Myanmar), it's the most authentic South East Asian country and has great railways , the enormous trestle bridge at Goteik is amazing.
Even more dangerous on the Padang Besar line at the moment!!!! Also Myanmar 😂
@@NonstopEurotrip wow I just read about the HatYai to Padang Besar line after your post , yes. Scary.
crossed here the biggest danger is stubbing your toe walking from Thai border building to Malay one or causing a medical mishap as the customs official reacts to seeing a rare foreignor!!!! note train to BKK from Sungai Goloj run only 2 or 3 per week and you might have trouble getting berths from the meet point at Hat Yai
Visited and worked in Southern Thailand many times in the past. Thought the problems with bombings had gone away, but maybe not. Always had to be on guard for guns firing and machetes as well as bombs. Muslim part of Thailand, with some wanting an independent state. Hope all that is not back.
@@nikkster01 the bomb planted on the HatYai railway line 2 weeks ago , caused a crater 6 feet deep
In 2014, I took an overnight train from KL to Woodlands in Singapore. Similar to this train. Just remember being woken up by guards around JB, then arriving at Woodlands early to go through immigration. I believe that the trains stop at JB from KL and you have to take local transport to Singapore.
Currently you have to change at Gemas until the full electrification is complete
This journey is on my bucket list.
Nice journey, and I am enjoying your report.
Glad to hear it! 🙏🏻
Wonderful Videos, every time. Very nice video, thank you!! What a great trip ! I like all your videos ! 🏝🏪💒
Glad you like them 😁
Fascinating video, thanks for sharing. My only train trip in Malaysia was nearly 40 years ago. KL to Butterworth. My abiding memories are the very ornate station at KL, wonderful scenery and the Kopi O. I remember it being between Xmas and New Year.
Thanks for sharing! It's a bit different now ☺️
The old station is semi-retired. No longer used by most trains. There is a newer station built a little bit south of the old one. One of these "sentral" thingies. They all resemble each other.
Hi Matt! I watched this video on repeat, maybe an unhealthy amount. Can't help it, proud being a Malaysian 😊
Great to see you raving this one, from the scenery to ease of booking. Just a throwback to a previous comment (on the 50K subscriber video - Singapore to KL train) who said that there are too many palm oil trees; this is the real thing folks!
Things to add:
1) If you came in later to the dining car, there would have been more food choices available, especially the local specialties [nasi lemak, fried tom yam meehoon (rice vermicelli), etc]. Bear the crowd though!
2) Love how the train moved very slowly once departing Gua Musang station, giving more time to enjoy the view of the limestone cave.
I know you have loads of places to go to, but do come back to Malaysia if you can!
Edit: It's monsoon season in Kelantan now, so it's flooded especially in Tumpat and Kota Bharu. Avoid going during November to February, you might want to alight earlier in the inner stops.
Thanks for the suggestions Sherene! I believe the north of the line is closed at the moment anyway. Stay safe ☺️🙏🏻
I'm thinking of traveling around Asia next year so this was really useful!! Thanks so much for the amazing videos, they're always so informational and pleasing to watch :) For some wanting to visit Kuala Lumpur on the way, which station would you suggest to hop off at and later retake a train from?
Thank you! So if you get off a Gemas you can get a fast train to KL from there 👍🏻🙂
Thanks for sharing another great video. I enjoyed watching it and also loved it very much too. 👍👍👍🥰🥰🥰
Thank you very much Sharon! 🙌
Lovely trip in a beautiful part of the world. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it Joe! 😊
Enjoyed. Thank you for sharing!👍🙏
Thank ☺️
Wow. Nice experience. I cant wait for my chance to do it.
i do hope the sleeper train will remain in service in future. the southern sector of the electrified double track project from JB to segamat will be completed in 2 years. the east coast rail link will also be ready in the next 3 years. they will be using semi high speed trains so journeys will be cut short by at least 2/3 the time now.
Can't wait for that. But the sleeper is handy and great value 🙂
Been riding this service since it went all the way to Singapore! Its always a joy every time riding!
Great video too! ❤
I wish it would do again 😃
Never been on that line, but have used the Johor Bahru - Singapore (Tanjong Pagar) line before the railway land was sold by Malaysia/KTM to Singapore in the form of a Joint Venture 60/40 Malaysia/Singapore government enterprise. The old line has been taken up now and a new green corridor is being established for recreation. The original Singapore station will be turned in a National Monument of some kind I believe, but I do know that the old Tanjong Pagar station platforms and overheads are being refurbished in the old shunting yard down near the old station. Interestingly, the Malaysia immigration and customs used to be based at the now defunct old station at Tanjong Pagar on the south coast of Singapore. Passport checks there meant one entered Malaysia, while in Singapore. Then travel was made on the old line running north to the north coast where Singapore immigration and customs checked one out of Singapore. The train would then run across the causeway connecting Singapore to Malaysia (Johor Bahru).
Enjoyed watching the video, thanks for the upload.
Thank you! It's crazy you can't get a direct train from SG to KL anymore!!
@@NonstopEurotrip Direct trains between SG & KL will probably be re-instated when double-tracking & electrification is extended south from _Gemas_ to JB. Then train travel between SG & KL can be sped up from being as slow as coaches now (~5h over just over 300km) to probably ~3h
@@NonstopEurotrip They're building one, at snail's pace. But from JB northwards, From Singapore you will still have to take the shuttle service, if you are lucky enough to get a ticket
Epic video mate :)
Thanks dude x
Nice video ! Welcome to my hometown !
Thanks! 😃
in 1998, Bangkok to Georgetown, on to KL and finally a through sleeper all the way to Singapore
Magic!
Always an inspiring channel ❤
Thank you ☺️💟
@@NonstopEurotrip ❤
Wonderful coverage and journey 👏 👍 👌
Glad you enjoyed it 😊
13:13
"welcome to Jurassic park"
*Jurassic park music playing in the background
😂😂😂
I am a Taiwanese,this. Is the first time I see ur video very helpful and impressive
🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Very adventurous. I would be sitting at the doors also. Greetings from Canada.
Thanks for watching!
Lovely sound of the old diesel locomotives
The sleeping arrangement reminded me of the film, some like it hot, the dorm style beds, anywhere you can get your head down on the train is good, great post
Exactly my thoughts! 😊
I'll have to watch that 😂
@NonstopEurotrip please do. Its a great film. One you can watch over and over again. You'll enjoy it.
Train coaches in West Malaysia are always like these. There are no private cabins.
Great video !!
The Malaysian jungle looks delicious.
nice video and i like the SEMT Pielstick locomotive sound
Thank you very much!
Back then in the early 2000s, there is sleeper coach available from KL to Butterworth. That was the time where I would always listen to “Joe Hisaishi - The Sixth Station” and enjoy the train ride!
Unfortunately not any more!
What an amazing journey !
It really is!
I have been on this train before... Last year 2021. I went from Gemas to Dabong
hope to try this one out soon. nice review.
Thank you Darren ☺️
Stunning Journey, great video
Many thanks!
Τhis train views are definitely outstanding!!!!!!! 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩😍😍😍😍😍😍😍It makes it more interesting because the endless jungle its just boring
Thank you ☺️
You choose a good time to travel during rainy and yet calm season.
Ikr 😆
Nice video, has been waited for this content for so long with English sub (sorry I just started to learn BM) - any interesting places along this route that we can visit?
Nice scenery and looks like worth the ride even with very BASIC accommodations. 😕. Max … Wishing you and your family Happy Holiday, Good Health and Safe Travels in 2023. 😊
Thank Rob, same to you 😊🎄🎅
i still remember taking the sleeper train to singapore.. and that was more than 10 years ago which just is crazy how time flies so fast....
i know my expectations kinda high but just sad overall that they did not had any plans to improve the whole system after all these years which is a waste...
Yeah, there's definitely work to be done!
they just changed the curtains for the bunks and the one on top has such big gaps between the curtain and the rail. i wasn't able to sleep because it wasn't blocking the lights in the carriage. it was also super, duper cold the night I was travelling from Gemas to KB because it had rained. even the regular passengers said it was extra cold.
Oh, not good!!
Good video. The train looks grim though
For the price, you can't complain 😜
Sadly in the next few years, these trains will be replaced by high speed electric trains, riding on standard gauge tracks and no longer meter gauges for this route. So, it was good that you experienced the last of the diesel trains in Malaysia.
Sad because this is a unique experience in Malaysia!
I was in Singapore for a very long time & I wish I knew that there was such a train in Malaysia. Now I am in Tamilnadu, India. You should come here to see Tamilnadu state beauty :)
I've just finished 6 weeks in India 🙂
Can we expect any videos?
This was really great!
😍😍😍
Very impressive capture
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Excellent scenery at each time, show me the world longest distance kms trains, Raja from chennai, India.
Thanks Raja. I'll be in India next year 👍🏻
Thank you for sharing it ... I am planning to go in July 2023 ! Your video can be my guidance ! Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Actually the management want to replace em with latest & faster trains. But many customers still demand this train due to nostalgic memories & experience that only available for this route.
I hope they keep it 🙂
Malaysian trains are all a good standard now but I miss the old trains of the 1970's and 80's which had a lot more romance of travel about them today its all speed and smooth instead of shake rattle and roll always thought it was a real shame KL station was moved and the old one run down and abandoned
which station? The Kuala Lumpur station is still in use and well kept, less busy than KL Sentral tho. some of the older stations in other states however are abandoned. like Batu Gajah station. so sad.
I've travelled from old KL station and it's beautiful 🥰
You can still experience that "nostalgia" on the train that has been featured here - the Gemas to Tumpat Express
Thank you very much for a fantastic video it has been a long time since I was in Malaysia and miss this very much.
In my time over there I travelled from KL (old station )to Butterworth (old station) and enjoyed the ferry across to Penang and remember the area of Bukit Merah where the single track line went between the two likes .I bet during the rainy season the would flood over the track.
Have you done this journey I take now that the tracks are more modern and rolling stock to.
Again thank you and look forward to your next travel
Happy Christmas & Great New Year
Thank you Stewart! I have done the trip but not in rainy season. There will be a video coming up soon on KL to Butterworth on ETS Platinum business class 🙂
Way before the Butterworth station was built, the train terminated at Prai, and if you wanted to go to Butterworth, you had to take a sampan. Prai is where the train depot used to be then, and that was also where the International Express to Bangkok began. From what I understand, the whole area is now abandoned and neglected. Not sure if that has been changed
You are right about the rail getting flooded in rainy season.. it's incredible when passing thru the area when that happens, it's like the train is "sailing" on water. Spectacular sight.
Excellent photography!
Regarding your request to comment on train travels in that part of the world, A few years ago, I traveled on a very modern and comfortable speed train from KL to the Thai border on the West Coast - Padang Besar!
An awesome experience covering 500km in 3.5 hours.
(A word of caution, the Thai trains are bad compared to the Malaysian trains! Definitely needs an enormous amount of maintenance and "buffing up" - tattered seats or no seats, windows that don't work, terribly dirty toilets.)
Also, the service on the Thai trains and stations is just terrible!)
Thai trains are improving all the time 😃
I don't think the train has changed since 40 years ago! Well except the mattress, curtains and the brand of snacks sold haha ... nostalgic ride
So true!
Nah, the coaches definitely were not like these 40 years ago. I remember sleeping on the floor. Because seats weren't numbered then, and on peak periods, lots of people didn't have seats.
If you can grab facing seats, there was this little table that folds up from the wall. I'll rest my elbows on them and my chin on my palms and just stare out the open window with the wind blowing in my face. 😊
PS: yes, only kids lie down on the floor. Adults like my mum only sat on the floor. The trip from KL to Butterworth took about this many hours. You wouldn't want to stand. Except for the portions where you had to. Because there wasn't even enough space to sit on the floor. Like an LRT at rush hour today. 😊
@@danielch6662 Well, I've had my fair share of riding daytime third class KTM trains decades ago and what you described was exactly right. The unnumbered seats, the standing room only crowds, the steamy heat, the hole in the floor toilet ... you'd be a shell of yourself when you reached your destination! However, I was referring to the sleeper train which had numbered beds. The coach layout and the diesel locomotive look exactly as I remembered 40 years ago. Reminds me of all the night journeys which I recall fondly. 🙂
Thank for thisnice travel video
nictrip video
Our pleasure!
This type of train, starting 2024, will be no longer service in Malaysia, since now being upgraded to ETS ( Electric Train Services). From Johor to Padang Besar( boarder of Thailand), ETS already took place....the 700km journey will take about 6 hours
Well, the east coast line isn't yet being electrified, so it's likely to be replaced with the DMUs perhaps.
It'll be good when the service can be ETS from JB to KL
@@matdanih Nope, wrong. The Rakyat Timuran Express (ERT) sleeper train will stay despite ETS being extended to Johor Bahru next year after the completion of the Gemas-JB Electrified Double Track Project (EDTP) since the EDTP section is only 10% of ERT’s route. The remaining 90% are unelectrified single tracks from Gemas to Tumpat. And that ERT will not interfere with the future ETS operations as the ERT. runs during nighttime - hence why it is called a overnight train. Also the DMUs aren’t designed for long distance travel since the seats don’t really recline and that half of the seats in the DMU are longitudinal seats as in metros like the LRT and MRT. Our DMUs are only 4 cars long (yes it’s a 4-car set) compared to the ERT which can go up to 16 cars at one time. So in conclusion, the ERT will stay on for years to come.
@@HBC101TVStudios Oh, i see. Thanks for the info
@@HBC101TVStudios It costs more to operate, fuel and maintenance wise. I believe they will eventually upgrade. Also I believe these carriages are purchased from India, and even India is slowly phasing them out and modernising all their trains. So unless Malaysia wants to buy scrapped coaches from India, these trains will have to go
I caught a sleeper train from JB to KL a few years ago. Same dorm style carriage as shown in this video. My experience was dreadful. People staying awake all night playing music, talking, & babies constantly crying. There was not much sleep taking place. The bottom berth is definitely the better choice of the two.
Definitely!
Im curious, do you work remotely or just you becoming travel journalist on your own? I saw your videos doing train trip review around the world, wish i have that opportunity
I do yes ☺️
You earned the like and sub my friend 😍😍👍
Thank you 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Great scenery. Reminds me somewhat of "Mogotes" around Vińales in Cuba.
One day I'd love to go 😊
You should try nasi lauk & nasi sumatra when you are in Tumpat( my hometown).
The best nasi lauk is near Tumpat police station business hour 9am-11am & Nasi Sumatra( Padang) is near Photo shop local call it "Kedai Muji".😋
Thanks for the information 🙂ℹ️
Looks very nice
0:39 It's raining like most of yesterday in many parts of Spain.
There's a big depression called "Ephrain" carrying rain from the Caribbean all the way to Western Europe and today it'll be a rainy and windy day in many parts of Spain
Thanks Pedro! I got your DM I'll reply soon ☺️
Nice views! I'm tempted to go on this, but the thought of spending over 13 hours in a confined space is a bit overwhelming. Strangely enough my parents brought me along in a bus from Johor Bahru to Kota Bahru when I was a child and that wasn't very comfortable either! Wish we took this instead then, though the sleepers don't look very easy to manage a family together though I would imagine families might just go for the sitting cabins even if it's less comfortable.
I know they are introducing the Class 61 DMUs on this route, but strangely enough they aren't equipped with sleepers for now. Perhaps it'll go a bit faster, however, not sure that it'll be fast enough to avoid having proper sleepers still.
You can walk around and go to the dining car and go to the seated coach in the morning 🌄
Thanks so much for sharing! Any idea how to travel from Tumpat to Bangkok?
Taxi
Had a good experience on KTM service too but I never try this route yet.
You definitely should!
KTMB Class 24 Diesel Electric Locomotives....Made in Japan.
The scenery look like the train northern line in Thailand
That sleeper train from jb to tumpat aircondition or fan only or any option for aircon and non aricon? Thanks
All Malaysian trains are AC
Thanks!
Welcome!
Great video and what a bargain! I’ve never tried it, but often wondered whether I’d sleep better laterally on a train or not. Did look at trying the roomettes out on Amtrak but have you seen the prices!!
I find it better laterally tbh. Same as the Japan sleeper 😊👍🏻
During Brittish time. The train is also named as The Sakai (aboriginies) Express.
Interesting thank you 🙂
Really? I never knew that! During the British time, before Singapore gained independence, one didn't need a passport to travel by train to Malaysia. As a kid, and as a teenager, I travelled by train numerous times during the school vacations
@@JaswantSingh-ym9zo yes I also remember the good old days. Regarding The Sakai Express I got The info from a book written by Noel Barber entitle The War of The Running Dogs. Its about the war between the Brittish and Malayan communist terrorist prior to Malaya's independance. 😀✋️
@@matmotor7572 Yes, the days during the Emergency were terrible days. But that is now water under the bridge. Malaysia has come a long way since