Express Rail Link, the operator of Kuala Lumpur’s KLIA airport rail link service, has awarded CNR Changchun Railway Vehicles a contract to supply six four-car electric multiple units (EMUs).
The new vehicles will operate services on the 57-kilometre rail line between Kuala Lumpur city centre and the international airport in Sepang. Express Rail Link was awarded a 30-year contract in 1997 to finance, build and operate the rail link, which opened in April 2002.
CNR has said it is the first time it has exported a 160 km/h articulated EMU. Nicknamed the “Equator EMU”, the train will need to be able to operate in extremely hot and humid conditions.
The first complete train is scheduled to be delivered in May 2016.
Express Rail Link currently has a fleet of 12Â Desiro train sets which it operates across its KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit services.
