The design of the train and coach that will be used in the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) Project was shown this afternoon and it offers several features that we find interesting. First of all, the exterior design of the train has local elements with a moon kite motif that is quite synonymous with the East Coast states.
The blue and white colors are used on the CR200J train built by CRRC. The business and second class cabin seats can rotate 180 degrees on their own. This simplifies the process when the train needs to travel in the opposite direction because the coach does not need to be turned first. The business class cabin configuration is a 2-2 arrangement while the second class uses a 3-2 arrangement.
The most interesting from our observation is that there is a prayer room built into the coach. The video above shows the ablution place hidden in the drawer under the sink. Water comes out of the upper space and will be collected in the basin without wetting the floor of the coach.
Each of the 11 trains that will be used by the ECRL will consist of 6 coaches that can carry 440 passengers at speeds of up to 160 km/h. There will also be coaches that only carry cargo which can shorten the time for cargo delivery between Kota Bharu to Port Klang by 30 hours even though the speed is limited to 80 km/h. A total of 20 stations will be built along the route with the service scheduled to start in January 2027.