Dummy trying out KTM's Ipoh-KL-Ipoh service

It takes an uncomplicated mind, like mine, to find out if any service is user-friendly.

Since the introduction of this special service to enable Perakians to visit KL, more and more people are taking advantage of the convenient and cheap way to travel to KL, even if it was for just the experience.

Last Friday morning, my wife sent me to the Batu Gajah station to go on the 9.15am train. Tickets for the economy fare at Rm10 were sold out (it seems one has to book a few days in advance to get it) and only the Superior Class tickets were available at Rm17.
I enquired about taxi service for arrivals in BG and the KTM man said it costs Rm8 for a trip from the station to the main Jalan Tuallang! Later I had a discussion with a small group of fellow travellers and a Sikh gentleman confirmed that the fare from the station to Changkat (where the government buildings are) costs Rm15!

Just to put it in perspective, the old station in Jalan Pusing was within walking distance for many people, including myself. Now even for anyone living along the main Jalan Tuallang, it means a 2 km taxi ride for Rm8 (compare Rm10 Economy train fare from BG to KL!) or a walk through the kampung, a no-no, especially in the dark. In fact, tonight, the lack of street lighting and sign-posting, caused us to lose our way by car! Before the completion of the flyover to the station, I have lost my way going to the railway station through the kampung a few times, even in broad daylight!

The decision on the location for the new train station was a political one, and never went through the process of seeking the opinions of the local people. In other words, whether it was convenient to the people must have been last on their list of priorities. It might look good to have the station near the railway workshop (a move from Sentul, KL) and other related railway institutions like college, for instance, I still think residents’ convenience should have been paramount. Even Sentul workshop was a few kilometres from the old KL railway station, so the proximity argument seems lame. The sikh gentleman disagreed with my suggestion that the present new station structure could have been built at the old station location. He said the Rukun Tetangga building and Shell station would have to go and so on, but all these arguments seem moot now anyway. But it was a sad indication of politicians not listening when it mattered.

There were only a handful of people in my coach, which included 2 waiters! A wide screen LCD television provided some Tourism Ministry and other advertisements, as well as a feature film for the trip.

Upon arrival at KL Sentral, it was confusing to any first time visitor, or at least it was to me. My brother advised me to take a bus from Brickfields to Taman OUG, off Jalan Kelang Lama. It was confusing and by following a sign to Jalan Tun Sambanthan, I ended up walking past coaches meant for KLIA and Genting and seem to be the only one taking that route!

Looking out for Rapid bus U73, I got on one within a few minutes. Having paid Rm2, I got a ticket given by the driver from a few tickets, which he was holding. Having settled down to a seat, I looked at the details and sure enough, what Moaz Yusuf Ahmad said was true – the ticket was issued at 11.19am and the correct time was almost one hour later at 12.14pm! How RapidKL bus drivers pilfer

Earlier Saturday late afternoon, I was at KL Sentral to buy a ticket for home. It was past 4pm and I saw a KTM information office closed for break from 4.00 to 5.00pm. I wandered around for a while and asked at the information desk. It was after I asked again about tickets for Ipoh that I was told the ticket counter is at the next level up on the right. There should have been a sign at the KTM info office informing about the ticket counters upstairs.

Having bought the ticket, I tried looking at the ticket for platform number and there was none. One has to go from one place to another before one could get the idea that one side is for arrivals and the other for departures. Again, there should have been signs, ‘KTM Intercity Arrivals’ and ‘KTM Intercity Departures’, which could be seen from the escalator.

There is only one clock outside a book and stationery shop, next to Dunkin’ Donuts. For such a modern railway complex, there should have at least one in a more central position than that!

It was during my walkabout (because of being too early) that I discover the hawker centre. Again, there was no sign indicating this, for the benefit of those coming up on the escalator.