ETS Platinum Business Class - Premium, First-class train experience

The ETS Business Class is a new premium, first-class travel experience by KTM, Malaysia's national railway operator. Launched in 11 October 2019 as part of the new ETS2 train service, the ETS Business Class marked the beginning of premium travel on ETS as well as the return of premium travel classes to KTM's West Coast Line since the discontinuation of Ekspres Rakyat a few years ago. 

Although tickets for the first few days of service were fully sold by the time I made up my mind to try out this service, I managed to book a ticket for its seventh day of service on 17 October 2019 via KTM MobTicket App. 

Introduction: ETS2 (KTM Class 93/2)

ETS2 is the common name given to the second batch of KTM Class 93 electric multiple units (also called Class 93/2). A total of nine 6-car train sets were ordered from CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive, with all sets being manufactured locally at Batu Gajah, Perak, Malaysia.  

Despite its ETS2 brand name, Class 93/2 can actually be considered as the third generation of ETS trains in KTM's fleet as its interior designs, layouts, etc. are considerably different from the other two types of ETS trains currently in operation, namely Class 91 and 93/1. 

ETS2 will eventually be extended to Johor Bahru after the completion of the Gemas - Johor Bahru double tracking and electrification project. 

Travel Experience: ETS Platinum 9274up (Kuala Lumpur - Sungai Petani)

ETS departs from Gate B at Level 2, KL Sentral. 

Passengers travelling on Business Class may wait for their train at the First Class Lounge located at Level 3. 

Inside the air-conditioned KTM First Class Lounge. Business Class passengers get priority boarding at KL Sentral with a direct lift access to the platforms. 

After checking in at KL Sentral, I made my way to Kuala Lumpur old railway station to get a better photo angle and lighting for the train. (My ticket was from KL Sentral, so I thought that it would be more appropriate to check-in at KL Sentral and let the staff know that I will be boarding from Kuala Lumpur). 

ETS trains depart from Platform 1 at Kuala Lumpur old railway station. This platform is also used by northbound Komuter trains during the current phase of the KVDT railway upgrading works. After the completion of current phase's upgrading works, Komuter trains would resume using Platforms 2 and 3. 

ETS 9427up from KL Sentral to Padang Besar arrived on time at 8.34am. 

The external destination display is of a new layout with information on train number, coach number, origin and destination stations. Destination displays of Class 91 and 93/1 trains feature train number and destination only.  

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Business Class cabin is located at coach A towards the southbound end of the train. There are 36 Business Class seats on board each train. 

Fun fact: By convention, coach A is located at the southbound end while coach F is located at the northbound end. However, this convention may occasionally be broken if trains switch between lines via the bypasses at either Batu and Bukit Mertajam junctions. 

View of my seat, 1A, located at the very end of the cabin. 

View of the seat with the tray table and the on-board entertainment system deployed. The headrest can be adjusted for your comfort. 

View of a double seat at full recline. 

Each seat comes with a 3-pin power socket with two USB ports. 

A LED reading light is also available above each seat. 

A coat hook is also provided, although with Malaysia's hot and humid weather, these were used to hang plastic bags instead of coats or winter jackets. 

An adjustable fool-rest is also provided. 

A safety card can be found in the seat-back pocket (Business Class only). This provides information on the safety equipment on board the train as well as emergency evacuation procedures. 

Each Business Class seat comes with an on board entertainment system screen. 

The entertainment system features a selection of movies (mostly English) and music (most Malay). Earphones are available upon request. 

PDF copies of ETS and Intercity timetables can also be found on the entertainment system. 

The entertainment system also allows you to order food from the comfort of your seat. The food will be delivered to your seat after it has been prepared. Payment is via cash on delivery only. 

Business Class Experience

Each Business Class cabin has two Elite service staff. These service staff are the highest ranked members of ETS' service staff and are specially trained to provide a premium service to the Business Class passengers. 

A welcome snack is served approximately 45 minutes after departure. The welcome snack consists of a velvet kek lapis, a cheese tart, a cream bun, and a packet of orange juice. 

ETS 9427's first stop is Kampar, more than two hours after departing Kuala Lumpur. 

At Batu Gajah, empty food carts were swapped for fresh ones. 

Making a 2-minute stop at Ipoh where most of the Standard Class passengers disembarked. 

Shortly after departing from Kuala Kangsar, lunch is served. The lunch set consists of a generous serving of basmati rice with chicken cubes in soy sauce, a serving of vegetables, and tofu in sweet sauce. 

The lunch service coincided with the train crossing the scenic Bukit Merah Lake. 

After departing Parit Buntar, desserts (salted peanuts + tea or coffee) were served. 

ETS2 Standard Class

Standard Class can be found in coaches B, C, D, E, and F. 

Standard Class seats are arranged in 2-2 layout and can be reclined for added comfort. The armrests on Standard Class seats can be stowed. 

Seats at rows 7 and 8 are facing seats with a fixed table. For those who would like to work on their laptops, you are strongly encouraged to get a row 7 or 8 seat as these tables provide more working space as compared to seat-back tray tables. 

A power socket with two USB ports can be found between every seat pair. Thanks to the extra USB ports, you no longer had to fight with your neighbour over who gets to use the power socket. 

Each seat comes with a seat-back tray table. Safety information is pasted at the back of the tray table. A small hook is provided for you to hang up to 3kg of plastic bags, small items, etc. 

Cafe

The train's café is located at Coach C. 

Unlike other ETS trains, the café menu is now neaetly presented on panels near the ceiling. 

A small dining area is located opposite the café bar. 

An intercom system can be found in the café. 

Information Displays

Wall-mounted LCD screens at both ends of each carriage provides route information, reminder messages, and current time and speed. 

Ceiling-mounted displays screen movies (for Standard Class passengers). This is in contrast to Class 91 and 93/1 trains where route information is display on ceiling-mounted screens while movies are screened from wall-mounted displays. 

A large LED display above each vestibule door provides information on time, cabin temperature, speed, destination, next station, coach number, and toilet availability. 

Other Facilities

Toilets are available at Coaches B, D, and E. 

The toilet at Coach D is an accessible toilet with larger space and facilities for passengers with reduced mobility. 

A Surau is provided at Coach D for the convenience of Muslim passengers. 

Two wheelchair bays are available at Coach D for passengers with reduced mobility. 

Each wheelchair bay has two foldable seats. These seats are not assigned seat numbers and are not usually sold. 

Trash bins and fire-fighting equipment can be found at the vestibule areas between carriage. 

Each carriage has four single-leaf plug-type doors, two at each end of the carriage within the vestibule area. 

In some stations, Train Captains may unlock the doors for manual operation instead of opening and closing all doors. In this case, passengers may exit or enter the train using the door operating buttons beside the doors. 

Instead of a private cabin, crew members are now based in open crew areas located at the ends of Coaches A and F. 

End of journey

I got off the train at Sungai Petani as I was headed for Penang. The ETS2 train does not stop at any stations within Penang state, so passengers bound for Penang may opt to take the ETS2 up to either Parit Buntar or Sungai Petani and change to a Komuter train or RapidPenang bus. 

9427up then continued its way up to Padang Besar, Perlis. 

From Sungai Petani station, I walked to UTC Sungai Petani to take RapidPenang bus EB60 to Penang Sentral, Butterworth. 

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ETS2 Information

Schedule

There are currently two ETS2 trains per day, one in each direction: 

• EP9274 (KL Sentral - Padang Besar)
• 0830: KL Sentral
• 0834: Kuala Lumpur (Old railway station)
• 1048: Kampar
• 1101: Batu Gajah
• 1115: Ipoh
• 1144: Kuala Kangsar
• 1200: Taiping
• 1228: Parit Buntar
• 1305: Sungai Petani
• 1335: Alor Setar
• 1359: Arau
• 1420: Padang Besar
  
• EP9275 (Padang Besar - KL Sentral)
• 1540: Padang Besar
• 1557: Arau
• 1618: Alor Setar
• 1647: Sungai Petani
• 1723: Parit Buntar
• 1752: Taiping
• 1808: Kuala Kangsar
• 1836: Ipoh
• 1850: Batu Gajah
• 1905: Kampar
• 2120: Kuala Lumpur
• 2126: KL Sentral

Where to buy ETS2 ticket 

• KTMB website (user registration required; accepts payment by credit card, debit card, or Malaysian internet banking)
• KTMB MobTicket application (for iOS and Android devices; accepts payment by Malaysian internet banking or Boost e-wallet only). 
• KTMB ticketing counters
• Johor: All stations except Chamek
• Kedah: Alor Setar, Anak Bukit, Gurun, and Sungai Petani only
• Kelantan: All stations except halts
• Melaka: All stations
• Negeri Sembilan: Gemas only
• Pahang: All stations except halts
• Penang: All stations except Simpang Ampat and Bukit Tengah
• Perak: All stations except Kamunting
• Perlis: Arau and Padang Besar only
• Klang Valley
• Batang Kali
• Kajang
• Kepong
• Kepong Sentral
• Klang
• Kuala Kubu Baharu
• Pelabuhan Kelang (Port Klang)
• Rawang
• Serdang
• Shah Alam
• Subang Jaya
• Sungai Buloh
• Tanjung Malim
• KTMB counter at Pengkalan Weld, Penang

Note: While many third party websites and/or applications provide KTMB ticketing service, you are strongly advised against booking your ticket from these third party agents as KTMB do not recognise them as official ticketing agents. 

Train facilities

• Coach A
• 36× Business Class seats
• Crew area
• Luggage rack
• Coach B
• 60× Standard Class seats
• Luggage rack
• Toilet
• Coach C
• 54× Standard Class seats
• Café
• Luggage rack
• Coach D
• 42× Standard Class seats
• 2× Wheelchair bays (with four foldable seats)
• Luggage rack
• Accessible toilet
• Surau
• Coach E
• 60× Standard Class seats
• Luggage rack
• Toilet
• Coach F
• 60× Standard Class seats
• Luggage rack