University of the West of Scotland
Mass Rapid Transit Corporation Sdn Bhd (MRT Corp) is at the forefront of planning, designing and delivering urban metro systems in Malaysia. It works with a mission: to be the catalyst in urban socio-economic regeneration and sustainable cities by developing inclusive metro rail systems and public transit-orientated communities.
The corporation was established in 2011 by the Malaysian Ministry of Finance to develop and own the Mass Rapid Transit system in Kuala Lumpur. This system forms a core element of the government’s plan to restructure the capital’s transport system by bringing it into line with new technologies and ensuring it withstands future demands.
Kuala Lumpur is one of the fastest-growing cities in Asia and the largest in Malaysia, with a population in the Greater Kuala Lumpur area of more than 8.6 million people as of 2023. MRT Corp designed the Mass Rapid Transit system to meet demand by increasing capacity/built-to-capacity approach, allowing for future flexibility and encouraging the use of public transport.
“MRT Corp is at the forefront of planning, designing and delivering urban metro systems in Malaysia, with a mission to be the catalyst in urban socio-economic regeneration and sustainable cities by developing inclusive metro rail systems and public transit-orientated communities.”
MRT Corp has so far established two lines in Klang Valley – the Kajang Line and the Putrajaya Line, with a Circle Line in planning. The first line implemented under the MRT Project was the 46km MRT Kajang Line in July 2017. It begins in Kwasa Damansara, northwest of Kuala Lumpur, and runs through the city centre before ending in Kajang, a growing town to the southeast. The line runs underground for 9.5km beneath the city centre and the rest is elevated. The line has 29 stations, of which seven are underground, and each electric train has a capacity of 1,200 passengers.
Completed in March 2023, the Putrajaya Line serves a corridor of around two million people from Kwasa Damansara, a new development in northwest Kuala Lumpur, to Putrajaya, Malaysia’s federal administrative centre. The 57.7km line consists of mainly elevated tracks as well as 13.5km of underground tunnels. Seventeen of its stations are equipped with park-and-ride facilities, while ten interchange stations connect to existing lines, making public transit commuting far easier and more attractive.
Through its subsidiary Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd (MRTS), the corporation is also responsible for the construction of the Malaysian section of the RTS Link – a modern light-rail transit system linking Bukit Chagar in Malaysia with Woodlands North in Singapore. This 4km-long rail shuttle service will provide a fast and efficient cross-border transport mode between the two countries.
MRTS is the developer and owner of the Malaysian section of the Rapid Transit System Link between Malaysia and Singapore. The line, with a capacity of transporting 10,000 passengers per hour per direction, is expected to open in December 2026. It will provide a high-volume, fast transportation system between the two countries, increasing connectivity and alleviating congestion. Together, these projects will cement MRT Corp’s vision as the integral provider of urban rail transport solutions.
