Malaysia’s East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) project has reached a major engineering milestone with the breakthrough of the 16.39km Genting Tunnel, marking the completion of the final tunnel excavation along the 665km alignment.
The Genting Tunnel is not only the longest on the new rail link between Kota Bharu, Kelantan and Port Klang, Selangor, it is also the longest railway tunnel in Malaysia.
The Genting Tunnel was also the most technically challenging of the 41 tunnels constructed along the ECRL alignment. Located within the Titiwangsa mountain range and with an overburden of 750m, the tunnel passes through several fault lines and chlorite rock pockets.
The final breakthrough occurred approximately 10.8km from the entrance portal after excavation by TBM and drill and blast.
The 8.98m-diameter TBM1 was launched in 2022 – the first TBM to be deployed on the project. Designed for the mountain region’s hard rock geology, TBM1 is 266m long and weighs 1,600 tonnes. It is equipped with four torque cylinders and has an average excavation capacity of 400-600m per month.
Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) CEO Dato’ Sri Darwis Abdul Razak said construction of the Genting Tunnel was a key component of the ECRL project as it would complete the ECRL “landbridge”to connect Kuantan Port on the east coast to Port Klang on the west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
“We are optimistic the ECRL landbridgewill complement international trade and spur export-oriented industries as it will facilitate seamless freight transportation with last-mile connectivity between Kuantan Port and Port Klang. The ECRL will also cut travel time as it will directly link commuters from the East Coast states to the Gombak Integrated Terminal which is a gateway to the federal capital,” he said.
With the completion of tunnelling works, the ECRL project now moves into its next phase, which includes track installation, electrification, signalling and communication systems, as well as station interior fit-outs. MRL says all works remain on schedule.
The ECRL is due to be completed by the end of 2026. Passenger services are expected to commence in phases from January 2027, with the initial segment connecting Kota Bharu in Kelantan to Gombak in Selangor. Once operational, the rail link will reduce travel time between Kota Bharu and Kuala Lumpur to approximately four hours.
