KL Sentral to Surat Thani: KTMB’s Special Train Service Expands!
Exciting News: Direct Train Routes from Butterworth to Bangkok & KL Sentral to Surat Thani Coming Soon!
Get ready for some thrilling travel news! KTMB and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) have announced exciting new collaborations that will make it easier to travel between Malaysia and Thailand by train. One of the most anticipated updates is the revival of the direct train service from Bangkok to Butterworth station in Penang!
According to a statement from SRT on their official Facebook page, both national train operators have agreed in principle to conduct a test run of this service between Bangkok and Butterworth.
Direct Train Service from Bangkok to Butterworth is Coming Soon!
A joint study will be conducted to explore the proposal further, with plans to operate the Bangkok-Butterworth direct train service for an initial 6-month period.
This announcement follows the 42nd KTMB-SRT Joint Conference held in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, where the Deputy Governor of SRT, Awirut Thongnet, led a delegation. The meeting focused on enhancing rail service cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand, aiming to promote seamless travel and cargo transportation between the two nations.
For some background, SRT had previously canceled its daily express train service between Bangkok and Butterworth in 2016, with the route now ending at Padang Besar station at the Malaysia-Thailand border. Passengers wanting to travel to Butterworth have had to switch to a KTMB train at Padang Besar.
Now, with the upcoming direct train service, you’ll be able to travel directly from the Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Terminal in Bangkok to Butterworth station in Penang, and vice versa, without the need for a transfer!
KL Sentral to Surat Thani: KTMB’s Special Train Service Expands!
In more good news, SRT has also approved an expansion of KTMB’s MySawasdee tourist train service. The train, which used to run between KL Sentral and Hat Yai, will now extend its route all the way to Surat Thani province.
If you’re not familiar with it, the MySawasdee special train is KTMB’s express service that provides direct travel between KL Sentral and Hat Yai. It’s been a big hit, consistently operating at full capacity, supporting tourism, and boosting revenue for Thailand.
Isn’t this collaboration between Malaysia and Thailand’s train operators fantastic? We’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to share them with us in the comments!
