Singapore, Malaysia considering two ways of service on cross-border high-speed rail

Singapore and Malaysia are considering providing two ways of service on the cross-border high-speed rail (HSR) network between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, local media reported Monday.

The HSR, which connects Singapore and Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur, have been postponed due to insufficient preparation and further consensus on details of its procurement and operation.

In response to media queries, Singapore's Ministry of Transport (MOT) said that both sides are still in discussion on the HSR project's commercial and operating models, which possibly could include an express non-stop service between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore and a transit service which calls at several stations in between.

"Singapore has proposed that the transit service, which will stop at several stations in Malaysia and hence primarily serve commuters travelling within Malaysia, be operated separately from the express non-stop HSR service...This will give Malaysia autonomy over the transit service to serve Malaysia's domestic needs, while both countries work together on the cross-border HSR services," according to Channel NewsAsia, which cited an MOT spokesperson.

MOT also said that the route of the railway is still under discussion as it would be finalized only after detailed engineering studies are completed.

Earlier in October, Malaysia's Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD) and Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA) have jointly launched a joint request for information exercise on KL-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project. A total of 98 submissions were received in one month and both sides are studying feedback to improve its commercial and operating models and procurement approach, said MOT.