Wanting to live your White Lotus fantasy? Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok – the capital cities of Malaysia and Thailand – will soon be connected by train.
The service will be introduced by the end of 2025, building on the existing railway infrastructure that once operated between the two cities and destinations including Padang Besar and Butterworth.
Malaysia’s transport minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook confirmed that the Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTM) and the State Railway of Thailand (SRT) would be looking at plans over the next few months.
‘This doesn’t require a new track but does call for coordination, joint marketing, and cooperative ticketing between the two countries,’ he told Malaysian publication Bernama.
He added that they’d also looked at extending the line between Sungai Golok, Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas, noting that the move would hopefully have the potential to boost the economy, particularly in the border regions between Thailand and Malaysia.
At the moment, the longest railway journey in Thailand is the Southern Line. Crossing a whopping 710 miles, it runs all the way from Bangkok to Su-ngai Kolok, and dates back to the 1800s.
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But that pales in comparison to the forthcoming Bangkok-Kuala Lumpur line, considering that the distance between the two is 1,472 kilometres (914 miles).
For perspective: that’s longer than the entirety of the UK, which measures 837 miles from John O’Groats at the very top of Scotland to Land’s End in Cornwall. Consider us impressed.
This is certainly a landmark moment for transport in Southeast Asia, as the Eastern and Oriental Express, which connected Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, was suspended back in 2020.
For the last five years, passengers wanting to travel between the two exclusively by train have had to change connections umpteen times – a journey which takes more than 24 hours.
Things to do in Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur
Wanting inspiration for things to do once the new line opens? Known for its vibrant, never-sleeping streets, Bangkok – described as ‘vibrant’ by one particularly enthusiastic Redditor – is inundated with foodie options.
Chinatown is considered the birthplace of street food in the Thai capital, and to this day, it remains the beating heart of the scene, with food tours available through Chef’s Tour.
Afterwards, drift along the city’s old khlongs (canals) and gaze at floating markets, temples and shrines.
You’ve also got the option of refreshing with a chilled beer or even a coconut, sold by local businesses in canoes that purposefully paddle out to you.
Thinking ahead to Kuala Lumpur, a trip to the Petronas Twin Towers is an essential for any visit.
The world’s tallest twin skyscrapers tower over the city at an impressive 451.9 metres, and between 1996 and 2004, they were actually the world’s highest buildings.
Right next door, the KLCC Park has plenty of green space, as well as interactive water features and even a lake.
Once known as the Red Light District, Jalan Alor now houses some of Kuala Lumpur’s top eats, serving street food classics including satay, wings, noodles, and the favourite local beverage, sugarcane juice.
New £1,000,000,000 ‘Welsh Tube’ to span 105 miles — with trains every 5 minutes
Wales’ answer to London’s Tube has been in the works since 2013 – and more than 10 years on, 2026 looks set to be the year it all comes together.
Costing a whopping £1,000,000,000, the project is set to span 170 kilometres (105.6 miles) worth of track, introducing 36 tram-style trains across Cardiff and the wider South Wales area.
There’ll be six core lines connecting the Welsh capital to the likes of Aberdare, Coryton, Merthyr, Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert – with all the stops along the way identified by a colour-coded map.
The connections are set to be introduced in stages, but the project has already introduced brand-new trains across sections of the South Wales network, improved accessibility by installing extra lifts and access-for-all bridges, installed bike hoops, and added extra passenger information screens to make it easier for commuters to find their train.
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