KLIA Aerotrain Finally Returns, Earns PM’s Nod Too

“Good… faster than before,” was how Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim described his ride on the newly upgraded KLIA Aerotrain during a visit to Terminal 1 of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA1) earlier today.

Anwar arrived at the terminal at 1PM, accompanied by Transport Minister YB Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd (MAHB) managing director Datuk Mohd Izani Ghani and senior MAHB officials.

He tested the enhanced Aerotrain service first-hand, travelling from the Contact Pier to the Satellite Building before receiving a briefing on the upgrades.

The Aerotrain, a long-standing icon of KLIA since its opening in 1998, recently underwent a RM456 million overhaul as part of MAHB’s RM742 million Airport Regeneration Plan. The project involved replacing and modernising the ageing fleet and related infrastructure.

The upgraded Aerotrain now operates using Alstom Innovia APM 300R three-car driverless trainsets, each capable of carrying up to 270 passengers at speeds of 56 KM/H. The journey between the main terminal and the satellite terminal now takes less than three minutes.

Transport Minister Loke had signed off on the system for operation just yesterday following six months of testing and commissioning carried out by the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD). It included comprehensive safety and technical assessments conducted from Jan to June this year.

According to MAHB, the new trains are equipped with advanced condition monitoring systems designed to reduce service disruptions, improve operational reliability and enhance overall passenger comfort.

KLIA Terminal 1 currently records over 100,000 passenger movements daily. The Aerotrain remains a crucial connection for international transit passengers, particularly as the Satellite Building houses most of the airport’s long-haul carriers.

With operations now fully restored, MAHB says the upgraded Aerotrain will strengthen KLIA’s readiness for growing traffic in the lead-up to Visit Malaysia Year 2026 and help support the airport’s return to pre-pandemic levels.

Source: Bernama