We’re now in mid-July, which suggests that you’ve half a month extra to check out the brand new LRT3 Shah Alam Line without spending a dime should you haven’t already went on a jalan-jalan cari makan journey. Launched on June 28 by prime minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, Klang Valley’s third LRT line opened to the general public on June 29. Rides are free until July 31.
You’ve learn our launch report, now be a part of us for a full end-to-end tour of the LRT3 Shah Alam Line, which has an east-west orientation connecting Klang, Shah Alam, Subang and Petaling Jaya. This alone makes it distinctive, as the standard prepare line is from the outskirts into Kuala Lumpur metropolis centre.
The RM16.63 billion line is 37.8-km lengthy, working from Johan Setia in Klang to Bandar Utama in PJ. There are 20 stations in complete serving giant inhabitants centres in Selangor – Prasarana says that two million folks dwell alongside the route, and it’s taking a look at ridership of 67,000 a day for the primary 12 months of operations, rising to 117,708 a day inside 5 years.
How does LRT3 match into the Fast Rail community?
The LRT3 stations are Johan Setia, Bandar Bukit Tinggi, Klang Jaya, Seri Andalas, Taman Selatan, Jambatan Kota, Jalan Meru, Pasar Klang, Bandar Baru Klang, Seksyen 7 Shah Alam, UITM Shah Alam, Dato Menteri, Stadium Shah Alam, Kerjaya, Glenmarie 2, Subang, Damansara Idaman, BU 11, Kayu Ara and Bandar Utama.
There are two connecting stations on this line – Glenmarie 2 is linked to the LRT Kelana Jaya Line’s Glenmarie station (lined elevated walkway), whereas Bandar Utama is a MRT Kajang Line cease. After all, that is linked to 1 Utama. Each traces head to KL, and the LRT Kelana Jaya Line has many stops in PJ and Subang too.
En path to KL, the MRT Kajang Line serves Pusat Bandar Damansara and Semantan, whereas the LRT KJ Line passes Midvalley (Abdullah Hukum station), Bangsar South (Kerinchi) and Bangsar. Each have stops have KL Sentral. These are all main enterprise districts with a excessive focus of workplaces, so those that commute from Klang and Shah Alam now have a rail choice other than the KTM Komuter. LRT3 may even drastically profit the scholars of UiTM Shah Alam.
The shops and workplaces of PJ
We began our tour on the Bandar Utama station, which is housed within the 1 Powerhouse constructing that’s built-in with the M World Resort (beforehand known as Avante Resort, to not be confused with One World Resort).
This terminus has a Park n Experience facility in 1 Powerhouse, which has allotted 500 parking bays for commuters. As all the time with Park n Experience, ensure you use the identical Contact n Go card for each automobile park and prepare trip to benefit from the particular fee, which is RM4.50 for the MRT and RM4.30 for the LRT3. Parking with out using will incur most charges.
Apart from the enormous mall that’s 1 Utama, the Plaza IBM, KPMG Tower and 1 First Avenue workplace towers are all inside sheltered strolling distance. Certainly, early BU owners by no means anticipated their taman to be a transport hub!
The subsequent station is Kayu Ara, which whereas situated within the kampung, is definitely of strolling distance to each the Damansara Uptown/Starling Mall and Damansara Jaya/Atria business areas. The Park n Experience right here has 350 bays, however in contrast to in BU, it’s an open carpark. As a pupil, I used to dwell in SS21 simply subsequent to the place the Kayu Ara station now could be – the prepare is over 20 years late!
Transferring on, the BU11 (Bandar Utama 11) station is simply subsequent to the NKVE Damansara toll plaza, and there’s an workplace tower at present below building there. Some would possibly confuse this space for ‘Kayu Ara’ however that’s the kampung on the opposite aspect of the Dash Freeway.
Of extra curiosity is Damansara Idaman – named after the luxurious landed properties skirting the NKVE, it serves the adjoining Ara Damansara township, which is now circled by prepare stations (Ara Damansara and Lembah Subang on the LRT KJL). There’s a jejantas throughout the freeway to the Aman Suria space, so this station covers good floor. There’s even a Park n Experience right here with 150 bays.
Not fairly Subang, however very helpful
The subsequent station known as Subang, which is fairly deceptive IMO. It’s truly situated reverse the Persada PLUS constructing on the NKVE Subang toll, the place all of the Kelana Jaya condos are situated. That space is SS7, which was the unique title of the station. It won’t be very Subang aside from the truth that it sits subsequent to the toll exit, however there’s no doubting its usefulness – that is excessive density space with many condominium blocks behind Paradigm Mall.
A brief distance away is Glenmarie 2, one in all two interchange stations on the LRT3 Shah Alam Line. As talked about, this one is a brief stroll away from the LRT Kelana Jaya Line’s Glenmarie station, and everybody is aware of in regards to the fashionable automobile park right here. Right here, you may evaluate the LRT3’s sharp tanjak-inspired station design in opposition to the outdated rounded look. By the best way, altering trains right here requires a faucet out-tap in as they’re technically two completely different stations.
From right here, the prepare tracks Glenmarie’s important highway, which is Persiaran Kerjaya. You’ll cross all of the automobile showrooms within the Temasya space in your left earlier than the subsequent station, Kerjaya, which is 50m away from our Pushed Studios. This gentle industrial space is thought for a few issues – workshops should you’re a automobile man, or meals spots should you’re a foodie. The Hicom Glenmarie Industrial Park, Utropolis and College of Wollongong (UOW) Malaysia are within the neighborhood.
Fashionable trains for Shah Alam
The primary station in correct Shah Alam is Stadium Shah Alam. In the event you don’t already know, the landmark stadium that was house to Selangor FC has been demolished, and it’s now a giant brown patch that can turn out to be a brand new stadium inside a sports activities complicated. Administration & Science College (MSU) college students are well-served by this station, which can be close to Aeon Mall and Large.
A lot of the LRT3 observe is elevated, and the only underground portion is a 2.5-km stretch from Stadium Shah Alam to Persiaran Dato Menteri. Technically, there are two separate tunnels right here – one for every path. Initially, there have been plans for an underground station at Persiaran Hishamuddin in Shah Alam, nevertheless it was cancelled in 2018 and wasn’t reinstated in July 2024 together with 5 overground stations. Extra on this later.
We emerge from the tunnel and arrive on the Dato Menteri station, which serves the Pusat Bandaraya of Shah Alam – SACC, PKNS and UTC are all inside strolling distance. From the prepare, there’s a pleasant view of the enduring Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah Mosque within the midst of workplace blocks if you wish to try a shot.
After Dato Menteri, the road will align itself with the Federal Freeway. As talked about, UiTM Shah Alam will get its personal station and college students right here can now lepak at so many locations with out having to personal a car. Aeon Mall is 2 stations away, and there are many eateries within the bustling sq. of Seksyen 7, which is the subsequent station. There’s a giant Jakel right here and the congestion on this space near Hari Raya is epic to say the least.
Klang, the largest beneficiary
Goodbye Shah Alam, hi there Klang. At Bandar Baru Klang, we’re noticed by a furry fellow perched on the metal body of the station. Prasarana workers inform us that this beruk is an aggressive one who has tried assaults on people earlier than, and requested us to maintain our distance. It yawns and swings away, however shall be again. BBK station is close to KPJ Klang hospital whereas subsequent station Pasar Klang is the place the large moist market is. There are 100 Park n Experience bays right here.
The road then tracks the foremost thoroughfare of Jalan Meru (there’s a Jalan Meru station too) earlier than we attain Jambatan Kota. When we visited the LRT3 venture in July 2024, Prasarana hosted transport minister Anthony Loke and the media at this station, however again then it was known as Pasar Jawa after a well-known bazaar subsequent to the station. However the brand new title is apt because the station is true beside Klang city’s well-known bridge, and there’s one other ‘Pasar’ station close by, which could confuse some.
For vacationers (LRT3 has generated loads of buzz amongst senior residents, and our prepare had many aunty-uncle teams), Jambatan Kota is the place you alight for Klang city. Take a look at Pasar Jawa and the Masjid Bandar Diraja Klang Utara earlier than crossing the bridge for the well-known Chong Kok Kopitiam. For the non-halal crowd, the OG ‘by the bridge’ BKT is in the identical sq. – each eateries are close to the KTM Komuter station. Barely additional afield, you’ll discover Little India.
Exiting city, the prepare serves main neighbourhoods in Klang similar to Taman Selatan (Southern Park), Seri Andalas, Klang Jaya and Bandar Bukit Tinggi. The Taman Selatan station was initially known as Hospital Tengku Ampuan Rahimah, and Klang’s GH is situated between this and the Seri Andalas station, which has an enormous 550-bay Park n Experience facility.
Transferring on, Klang Jaya station is subsequent to Lotus’s Bandar Bukit Tinggi whereas the Bandar Bukit Tinggi station is the place Aeon Bukit Tinggi is, so don’t get confused. The Bandar Botanik township and GM Klang is simply throughout the highway from right here, so whereas ready for the reinstated station to be constructed, everybody right here can use BBT, which has 600 Park n Experience bays, by the best way.
Or they’ll head to the close by Johan Setia terminus, which has one other 550 parking tons. From a non-resident’s viewpoint, it does look like Klang has no scarcity of LRT3 stations, and all main neighbourhoods are catered for with out the route having to detour an excessive amount of (sorry, Setia Alam). By the best way, the federal government is planning transit-oriented growth (TOD) tasks on these huge Park n Experience services, to raised utilise the land. Will probably be inexpensive housing plus business parts – full story right here.
The 5 reinstated stations
In 2028, the Tropicana (beforehand known as Lien Hoe after an workplace block), Temasya, Persiaran Hishamuddin, Raja Muda (beforehand known as Sirim), Bukit Raja and Bandar Botanik stations had been cancelled to slash prices. In July 2024, the cupboard agreed to reinstate the 5 overground stations (minus the underground Persiaran Hishamuddin), and work is slated to begin on the finish of this 12 months.
Apparently, they are going to be developing the 5 reinstated stations whereas the road is working, which provides to the complexity. Anyway, the finances for that is RM4.7 billion, which incorporates the acquisition of seven additional prepare units, further assist techniques and the growth of the Johan Setia depot. One other RM600 million has been allotted for the acquisition of 150 electrical buses and two bus depots.
Are the entire returning stations actually needed? Bandar Botanik is a stone’s throw away from Bandar Bukit Tinggi and Johan Setia is close by too – each have big Park n Experience services. Equally, the prosperous Tropicana has Damansara Idaman simply outdoors its border, and the MRT Kajang Line’s Surian station is only a brief drive away. There are some workplace blocks surrounding the proposed location, although.
It appears like Shah Alam’s most populous areas are well-served by the road, so maybe chalking off the only underground station – which is way costlier to construct than an overground one – is the precise transfer.
Good new trains
The LRT3 Shah Alam Line at present has 22 three-car prepare units made by CRRC Zhuzhou in China. The utmost working velocity is 80 km/h and most capability is 624 passengers. An end-to-end trip will take round 70 minutes (greater than half a day for us with all of the filming) and the frequency is eight minutes for peak hours and 10-Quarter-hour non-peak.
In comparison with its predecessors, LRT3 trains provide a smoother and extra comfy trip, as you’d count on from a more moderen mannequin. Personally, I like to look out of home windows to see the place the prepare is passing, and people on the LRT3 trains are sizeable sufficient (MRT Kajang Line remains to be the most effective with its lengthy door home windows), whereas the general really feel is vibrant and ethereal. Our return journey to BU was in a comparatively empty prepare and it was freezing, so pack a jacket, night time riders.
There are some inexperienced options (not actually, the trains have a purple cabin theme) for the LRT3 trains, together with inverter aircon techniques and a wise management system for the AC that adjusts in response to temperature and cargo. The prepare additionally makes use of LED lighting and its design (large home windows) maximises pure lighting – all these work collectively to for improved vitality effectivity.
Apparently, there’s additionally a regenerative braking system that recuperates vitality that can in any other case be wasted, identical to in vehicles. The DC energy is transformed to AC earlier than being fed again into the 33kV community to energy the observe and station. Talking of stations, they’re outfitted with auto-start escalators (doesn’t transfer when not wanted) and rainwater harvesting for bathroom use.
A lot of the stations are breezy and well-ventilated, partly due to a military of household-style wall followers on the platforms. In comparison with industrial-style followers, they could look a bit easy and even odd, however they actually do the job at a low price. My house station is on the MRT Kajang Line, born earlier than the period of austerity, so the traces that got here after it (MRT Putrajaya Line is the largest distinction) seem much less fancy in design and fittings. They’re useful although, and that’s all that issues.
Substantial financial savings for day by day commuting
In the event you don’t need to drive to the station and take up one of many 2,300 accessible Park n Experience bays, the same old feeder bus and Fast On-Demand vans can be found for first- and final mile connection from all stations. As with every part else, you may’t probably please everybody with stops at each avenue, however the Fast On-Demand vans have massively elevated attain prior to now couple of years. In comparison with e-hailing, it’s inexpensive too at RM2 per trip.
Observe that Fast On-Demand vans usually are not lined by the My50 month-to-month journey cross, which supplies you limitless rides on all Fast trains and feeder buses for simply RM50 a month. Even should you consider an additional RM4 a day for the ROD rides or Park n Experience (RM20 per week, RM80 a month), it comes as much as RM130 a month, which might be the value of season parking in KL’s business areas.
We’re taking a look at substantial financial savings for Klang and Shah Alam of us right here, and that’s earlier than considering the prices of the Federal Freeway gridlock (masa itu emas, they are saying) or the NKVE’s jam + toll (is Kesas higher?). So, have you ever tried the LRT3 Shah Alam Line to your day by day commute? Does the route ‘fall properly’ for you? Watch our video beneath and should you’re already a daily, share your expertise.
GALLERY: LRT3 Shah Alam Line
GALLERY: LRT3 Shah Alam Line, Johan Setia station
GALLERY: LRT3 Shah Alam Line, Jambatan Kota station and prepare
GALLERY: LRT3 Shah Alam Line official pictures
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