KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn Train from Butterworth to Ipoh Train Review
The KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension opened on 16 September 2023, extending the old Butterworth-Padang Rengas Line to become the Butterworth-Ipoh Line with 3 new stations, namely, Kuala Kangsar, Sungai Siput, and Ipoh. I had originally wanted to catch the very first train at 5.30am, but alas, the delay of my Super Nice Grassland Zenwan Express bus from Johor Bahru did not get me to Butterworth in time for it. Nevertheless, I still arrived before sunrise, and immediately headed over to Butterworth Railway Station from Penang Sentral to catch the 7am KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train from Butterworth to Ipoh.
Details in this article may be elaborated more than my YouTube vlog, but some parts of the train journey may also be only featured on YouTube, as I only have 2 hands and 1 camera to document this train journey both in pictures and videos. Please also watch my YouTube vlog for the full experience.
Butterworth Railway Station
The concourse of Butterworth Railway Station is directly connected by the refurbished linkbridge from Penang Sentral. Notably, the manned ticket counter was not yet opened before 7am.
KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) tickets, however, can be purchased from the KTMB Integrated Ticketing System (KITS) Ticket Kiosks.
Starting from 15 October 2020, it is now possible to buy KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) train tickets online and at new ticket kiosks at stations, aside from the traditional (and previous only) way to get them on the spot at ticket counters.
The KITS system is in place at all stations, including ticket kiosks for the KTM Komuter Northern Sector, and online on the KITS ticket booking website and KTMB Mobile app.
For a normal KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) train user, the KTMB Mobile app is the most useful for buying tickets online and on the go, without queuing at ticket counters or kiosks.
I booked my KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train ticket online on the KTMB Mobile app. Do note that KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) tickets purchased are for immediate departure and is dated and timed according to the date and time of purchase. Do not pre-purchase your KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) ticket online as it will expire at the end of the day of purchase.
I have about 13 minutes to catch my KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train.
Heading to the Automated Control Gate (ACG) to scan my ticket QR code.
Looks like upgrades have been made to the Automated Control Gate (ACG) at Butterworth Railway Station, similar to the new ACGs installed in the KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector, to cater for Touch ‘n Go and Komuter Link cards in future.
The paid area of Butterworth Railway Station after the gate line.
Heading down the staircase to the KTM Komuter Northern Sector island platform.
⬅️ Platform 4 on the left is for KTM Komuter Northern Sector train services to Padang Besar.
➡️ Platform 3 on the right is for KTM Komuter Northern Sector train services to Ipoh.
On this first day of operations, the sign pointing to Platform 3 still states the train line as for Padang Rengas.
Both Butterworth-Padang Besar Line and Butterworth-Ipoh Line. were standing by at the island platform, departing within 5 minutes from each other on schedule.
83 Class EMU25 is operating on the KTM Komuter Northern Sector Butterworth-Padang Besar Line 2946up to Padang Besar, departing at 6.55am.
83 Class EMU31 is operating on my KTM Komuter Northern Sector Butterworth-Ipoh Line 2905dn to Ipoh, departing at 7.00am.
83 Class EMU31 features full longitudinal seating with orange seat covers. This is not ideal for seated comfort on a long-haul 2-hour journey, but allows for more standing passengers to add to capacity.
The new route map on board the KTM Komuter Northern Sector 83 Class EMUs featuring both the Butterworth-Padang Besar Line and Butterworth-Ipoh Line.
The kink at Bukit Mertajam looks awkward, which caters more for transfers between the Butterworth-Padang Besar Line and Butterworth-Ipoh Line. If reading the map from Butterworth, there looks to be a sharp bend for the Butterworth-Ipoh Line, despite the geographical railway line being very straight. The geographical curve from Bukit Mertajam is actually for the Butterworth-Padang Besar Line when heading towards Tasek Gelugor, of which KTM unilaterally changed the spelling of the station on the new map.
The KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension on the new map, as a single Butterworth-Ipoh Line.
My KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train departed from Butterworth at 7.02am – 2 minutes delayed.
Crossing the Prai Swing Bridge.
Bukit Tengah Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Bukit Tengah Railway Station.
Bukit Mertajam Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Bukit Tengah Railway Station where more passengers boarded.
Simpang Ampat Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Simpang Ampat Railway Station.
Nibong Tebal Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Nibong Tebal Railway Station.
Parit Buntar Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Parit Buntar Railway Station.
Bagan Serai Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Bagan Serai Railway Station.
The morning rural scenery of Perak after Bagan Serai.
Crossing over Bukit Merah Lake on the Bukit Merah Marine Viaduct.
Kamunting Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Kamunting Railway Station. With the previous extension to Padang Rengas for the KTM Komuter Northern Sector to serve Taiping directly, passenger demand at Kamunting Railway Station has significantly dropped.
The rising sun while passing through Taiping town.
Taiping Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Taiping Railway Station. There were around equal number of passengers alighting and boarding here, being around the middle point of the new Butterworth-Ipoh Line. The new Butterworth-Ipoh Line also generates new public transport travel routes by train now that passengers in Taiping can travel to Ipoh without pre-booking.
Approaching the Bukit Berapit Rail Tunnel.
Heading through the Bukit Berapit Rail Tunnel on the KTM Komuter Northern Sector 83 Class EMU. Bukit Berapit Rail Tunnel is the longest rail tunnel in Malaysia at 3.3 kilometers long.
Padang Rengas Railway Station
The old announcement for Padang Rengas Railway Station was still played before arrival, telling passengers that this is the “final destination”. No manual override with a manual announcement was made, though passengers weren’t surprised at the wrong announcement either and no panic ensued with passengers mistakenly disembarking at Padang Rengas.
Heading on the new KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension towards Kuala Kangsar, Sungai Siput, and Ipoh.
Kuala Kangsar Railway Station
Padang Rengas Railway Station was previously used as the gateway to Kuala Kangsar by KTM Komuter Northern Sector, since it was located just 10.2 kilometers away.
The lack of crossovers at Kuala Kangsar meant that trains could not turn around at Kuala Kangsar, therefore the terminus had to be at Padang Rengas.
With the new KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension, Kuala Kangsar is now served directly by the KTM Komuter Northern Sector.
I foresee the passenger demand for Padang Rengas Railway Station dropping like how Kamunting Railway Station is today.
Kuala Kangsar Railway Station is one of the few new railway stations along the Ipoh-Padang Besar Electrified Double Track Project (EDTP) which bears Islamic-inspired architecture.
Sungai Siput Railway Station
Making a brief stop at Sungai Siput Railway Station. Sungai Siput Railway Station serves the small residential town of Sungai Siput, which previously only infrequent ETS trains were scheduled to stop at.
Approaching Ipoh Railway Station with the slow down for signals and the multiple parallel lines appearing.
Crossing over to Platform 3.
Ipoh Railway Station
KTM staff were on the platform to welcome KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train passengers to Ipoh Railway Station, the new southernmost terminus of the KTM Komuter Northern Sector network.
My KTM Komuter Northern Sector 2905dn train arrived at Ipoh Railway Station at 8.57pm – 1 minute delayed.
83 Class EMU31 goes off service here at Ipoh Railway Station.
Heading up the escalator to the overhead bridge across the tracks. The station exit is on Platform 1 on the other side of the tracks.
Looks like Ipoh Railway Station will be getting busier in future.
Heading to the exit from the platform at Ipoh Railway Station.
Heading to the Automated Control Gate (ACG) to scan my ticket QR code.
The upgrades to the Automated Control Gate (ACG) have also been made at Ipoh Railway Station, similar to the new ACGs installed in the KTM Komuter Klang Valley Sector, to cater for Touch ‘n Go and Komuter Link cards in future.
The exit gate is to the right of the central ticket counter.
For onward travel, there is also a promotion with airasia ride with 2 RM3 daily savings to and from KTM stations by using the promo code KTMRIDE. Bookings for can be made on the airasia Superapp which can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Google Play Store, or Huawei AppGallery.
The concourse of Ipoh Railway Station is just after the gate line.
KTM Komuter Northern Sector fares and timetable information is displayed at Ipoh Railway Station.
KTM Komuter Northern Sector trains depart from Platform 2 at Ipoh Railway Station.
The entrance to the platform is to the left of the ticket counter.
The new route map of the departing KTM Komuter Northern Sector Butterworth-Ipoh Line trains from Platform 2 at Ipoh.
KTM Komuter Northern Sector (Komuter Utara) tickets can be purchased from the KTMB Integrated Ticketing System (KITS) Ticket Kiosks at Ipoh Railway Station.
What I thought was a new useful interface with stations being chosen on the new route map turned out to be a troll as it was only an image, and I needed to touch the “Purchase Ticket” button to continue purchasing the ticket.
Instead, the station selection was a mess with the line colour on a button tab and stations listed in alphabetical order instead of route.
KTMB Open Day 2023
On the occasion of the launch of the KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension and Malaysia Day on 16 September 2023, KTMB Open Day 2023 was also held at Ipoh Railway Station on 16 September 2023 from 11am to 3pm.
Various KTM booths were available to promote train travel in Malaysia including chartering your own train. Souvenirs were also on sale at the Rail Boutique booth.
The Malayan Railway Fan Club also had a booth at KTMB Open Day 2023 to promote railfanning activities.
Pictures of various club outings and activities were displayed at the booth.
Souvenirs were also on sale at the MRFC booth.
The KTM KOMI mascot was also around to take pictures with visitors and passengers.
Keretapi Sarong 2023 (KS 2023) was also held at Ipoh Railway Station during KTMB Open Day 2023 with with a sarong fashion show, a flash mob, and joget lambak.
Conclusion
Ipoh Railway Station is the rail gateway to the capital of Perak, located right in the city centre itself.
With the opening of the KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension, this will bring more convenience to locals and tourists alike especially for accessibility, since competing express bus services stop outside the city centre at Terminal Meru Raya (Terminal Amanjaya) and require an onward bus or private transport ride to the city centre.
The KTM Komuter Utara Ipoh Extension also provides a fast turn-up-and-go service with no pre-booking required nor possible.
Details in this article may be elaborated more than my YouTube vlog, but some parts of the train journey may also be only featured on YouTube, as I only have 2 hands and 1 camera to document this train journey both in pictures and videos. Please also watch my YouTube vlog for the full experience.
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