The KTM Komuter Northern Sector () is one of the five KTM Komuter services run by Malaysian rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM). The service was introduced on 11 September 2015 following the completion of the Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrification and Double-Tracking Project in December 2014, which also saw the extension of ETS services to Padang Besar from Ipoh.

Currently, the KTM Komuter Northern Sector consists of two routes, namely the – route and the – route. The lines share tracks with KTM ETS services, though the Komuter services call at stations also not served by ETS.

Lines, stations and rolling stock The KTM Komuter Northern Section consists of two routes: – Line – Line

Since November 2021, the - route replaced the – route. The , and stations are common stations between the two lines.KTM Timetable On 16 September 2023, the – route was extended southwards to .

⇄ = cross-platform interchange

Station Name Platform type Interchange station/Notes 2 island ● Northern terminus. Connects to Thailand's SRT Southern Line.⇄ ● ● ⇄ Access to Universiti Teknologi MARA's (UiTM) Arau Campus, Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), and the Perlis Matriculation College 2 side ●Access to Kedah Matriculation College ● ⇄ Access to Sultan Abdul Halim Airport within 5 to 8 minutes by taxi. ● ⇄ ● 2 island ● ⇄ 2 side ●⇄ Access to Universiti Teknologi MARA's (UiTM) Merbok Campus 1 island 1 side ●⇄ Access to Penang Matriculation College 2 island ● ●Interchange station⇄ ● ● Interchange station ● ●Central terminus. Connecting station to LRT Mutiara Line (future).Access to George Town by Penang Ferry Service.⇄ Bukit Tengah ● ● Interchange station Bukit Mertajam ● ● Interchange station⇄ 2 side ● ● ⇄ Access to Universiti Sains Malaysia Engineering Campus ●⇄ ● 2 island ● 2 side ● ⇄ 2 island ● 2 side ● ⇄ 2 island ● 2 side ● Southern terminus.⇄

The train sets that are currently used for the Northern services are the KTM Class 83 as well as the KTM Class 92, the latter which is also used on the Central sector lines.

The service will receive 12 KTM Class 84 sets from CRRC Zhuzhou with the first set arrived in August 2026 and expected to begin operating in February 2027.

Schedule

KTM Komuter Northern Sector has 2 routes/lines, in which they have their own schedule.

History The KTM Komuter Northern Service was introduced on 11 September 2015. The initial service ran between Gurun in Kedah, Butterworth in Penang and Kamunting in Perak. On 1 January 2016, a service between and in Perlis was introduced. With the introduction of KTM Komuter services on this section, two KTM ETS services that ran between these stations have ceased, reducing the number of ETS services between the stations to make way for the new KTM Komuter service.

On 17 January 2016, the original Gurun-Butterworth-Kamunting route was replaced with two separate routes: Butterworth-Gurun and Butterworth-Kamunting. These two lines together with the Butterworth-Padang Besar line operated until 1 July 2016, when the Butterworth-Gurun route was scrapped.

A further revamp of routes on 1 September 2016 saw the Butterworth-Kamunting line being modified, with the northern terminus moving from Butterworth to , and the southern terminus being extended by two additional stations from to include and ending at .

From November 4, 2021, trains from and now terminate at , making Butterworth and Bukit Mertajam the shared interchange stations between both lines.

An extension of the Padang Rengas line to Kuala Kangsar, Sungai Siput and Ipoh began running on 16 September 2023. Ridership KTM Komuter Northern Sector Ridership Year Quarter Ridership Annual Ridership Note2026Q43,739,483Q3566,584As of July 2026Q21,603,659Q11,569,2402025Q41,692,4256,417,047Q31,646,746Q21,636,408 Q11,441,4682024Q41,522,9675,725,901Q31,408,840Q21,449,414Q11,344,6802023Q41,321,6734,358,963Q31,071,994Q21,007,257Q1958,0392022Q41,004,9273,057,483Q3854,871Q2705,063Q1 492,6222021Q4460,8361,046,594Q3130,874Q2199,706Q1255,178

See also Keretapi Tanah Melayu KTM Intercity & KTM ETS KTM West Coast Line KTM East Coast Line KTM Komuter

KTM Komuter Southern Sector Rail transport in Malaysia

References

External links Keretapi Tanah Melayu official website Keretapi.com – Railway Fan website Keretapi Tanah Melayu Railway Fan Club website KTMB Media Release – KTM Komuter Shuttle Northern Sector