KUALA LUMPUR: Rail commuters in the Klang Valley area will see a general increase in fares on selected Komuter, LRT, and monorail services come December 2015.
KTM Bhd (KTMB) and Prasarana Malaysia Bhd have both reviewed their fare structures for the first time in more than 12 years, citing economic reasons and efforts to provide a more consistent fare structure.
Komuter lines from Tanjung Malim to Sungai Gadut and Batu Caves to Port Klang will see an increase of a minimum RM0.04 per kilometer and maximum RM7.10 per trip.
"The new fare structure is effective Dec 2 and is necessary considering the increasing operating and maintenance costs annually."
"The purchase of spare parts has become increasingly expensive with the drop of the ringgit, not to mention KTMB had also been subject to commercial rates of the electricity tariff over the years," said KTMB president Lt Col (Rtd) Sarbini Tijan at KL Sentral here today.
Sarbini added that along with the new fare structure, there will also be the introduction of a 50 percent discount for students.
Meanwhile, LRT and monorail services which would be subject to a new fare structure include the LRT Ampang line, the LRT Kelana Jaya line and the Kuala Lumpur monorail line.
"The fare structure has not been adjusted upwards since 2002 in spite of continual increase of goods and services," said Prasarana president and group CEO Datuk Azmi Abdul Aziz today.
He said the new fare structure would be based on distance travelled for all three lines as opposed to the current different structures between stations in all three lines.
The current structure is based on different rates between stations in the central business districts and non-central business districts for the Kelana Jaya line.
For the Ampang line, fares are based on the number of stations travelled while the KL monorail line is based on distance travelled.
"For a more equitable and consistent fare structure, the current structure would be realigned to the distance-based fare structure, similar with the practice of other rail operators globally," he said adding that the new fares will be effective Dec 3.
Prasarana will continue to give a 50 percent discount for students, senior citizens and people with disabilities.