Travelers between Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur, and the neighboring city-state of Singapore will soon be able to make the journey in about 90 minutes.
Plans are advancing for a high-speed rail connection between these two major Southeast Asian hubs, with construction slated to begin by 2018. Designed to operate at speeds up to 186 mph (300 km/h), the project’s route will run largely on Malaysian territory, so Malaysia is expected to fund a larger share of the estimated $12 billion cost.
With construction targeted for completion in 2025, the service is expected to begin carrying passengers by 2026. Although a direct flight between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore takes about an hour, air travel typically requires extra time for check-in, security screening, and baggage handling. In contrast, the current conventional train journey takes around 11 hours, while driving between the two cities usually takes about five hours.