Trackless tram for KLIA soon?

KUALA LUMPUR – There is a possibility that a trackless automated rapid transit (ART) system may make its debut at Kuala Lumpur International Airport’s (KLIA) Terminal 1 soon.

It is learnt that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is mulling over deploying the trackless tram to transport travellers between the main terminal and satellite building in the wake of the aerotrain shutdown recently.

The train, which halted midway on the evening of March 1, had resulted in 114 passengers disembarking and walking 400m in the middle of the track to the satellite building. 

A second train that was sent to assist the affected passengers also experienced technical difficulties on the way to the location. 

Since the incident last week, a video clip has been circulating on social media showing the ART with the tag “kenderaan ini sedang diuji” (vehicle undergoing testing) on the vehicle’s side running on KLIA’s tarmac.

It is learnt that Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) is mulling over deploying a trackless tram to transport travellers from KLIA. This comes after a video clip surfaced on social media of said tram running on the airport tarmac. pic.twitter.com/0DCBy8zkaF

— TheVibes.com (@thevibesnews) March 12, 2023

In the last 72 hours, transport observers have been speculating that the ART vehicle, which had undergone trial runs at the country’s premier international gateway before the Chinese New Year holiday, may be required to undergo a proof of concept at the airport this year.

The Vibes has sought clarifications from MAHB and the Land Public Transport Agency at press time.  

It is understood that the three-carriage green vehicle could be one of the options to support the existing round-the-clock shuttle bus service, pending fine-tuning and a decision by MAHB management until the aerotrain is fully operational or replaced by 2025.

In September, MAHB had announced that the aerotrain would undergo replacement, with nine new ones worth some RM700 million in two phases to be completed by March 2025.

“Phase 1 is already underway involving design works until the second quarter of 2023, where multiple stakeholder engagements are conducted to ensure that the new aerotrain system meets both local and international transport and safety standards,” MAHB managing director Datuk Iskandar Mizal Mahmood had said.

Asked whether MAHB would retire the existing trains, Iskandar had stated: “We have no plans (on doing so) at the moment, as this must go through the board and other processes with the authorities.”

In a related development, the trackless tram is currently undergoing Stage 1 of proof of concept in Zhuzhou, China until the middle of this month as a precursor to the Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) in Sarawak.

The hydrogen-powered ART, which can reach travelling speeds up to 70 km/h and has the capacity to transport a maximum 241 passengers, has been selected as the backbone for Phase 1 of the KUTS project.

The project entails a 69.9-km route comprising three lines and 31 stations in Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian.

The trackless tram was also considered as the vehicle for the Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit project in Johor and Cyberjaya’s low-carbon city blueprint. – The Vibes, March 13, 2023