On the Shanghai Hangzhou high-speed railway with a speed of over 300 kilometers per hour, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar looked out the window and exclaimed that China's high-speed railway is fast and stable. From September 22 to 24, 2026, he visited China at the invitation of the Chinese government and headed straight from Shanghai Hongqiao to Hangzhou East Station. But after returning to his home country, his top priority remained the East Coast Railway.

High speed rail stunning, first look at the East Coast

This is Anwar's first high-speed train ride in China, having previously experienced Japan's Shinkansen and also taken the Eurostar. He said that China's high-speed rail has performed well in terms of service, speed, and convenience, but at this stage, the government will still prioritize the promotion of the East Coast Railway project. Transportation development needs to balance costs and whether it can be implemented on schedule, and there is no rush to put larger scale plans such as high-speed rail on the agenda. Keywords: Malaysia East Coast Railway Extension, China Thailand Railway Direct Connection

Abandoned old lines revived today

China and Malaysia have agreed to extend the Malaysia East Coast Railway from Kota Bharu to Randoubanjang, with a total length of about 32 kilometers, passing through Malaysia. The investment amount announced in November 2024 exceeds 2 billion ringgit, approximately 470 million US dollars. Brazil used to have an old line leading to the border and connecting to Thailand's Sungai Gol, which was separated by a river. After the floods in 2006, it was interrupted and abandoned for nearly 20 years. The new line will replace the abandoned old line and pave the way for integration with the Thai railway network. Anwar said that this line not only drives the long lagging inland economy of Kelantan, but also gives Malaysia its first direct railway connection with Thailand.Editor/Min Jing