LRT3 Shah Alam Line Expected To Open In June

After years of delays and uncertainty, the long-awaited LRT3 Shah Alam Line is finally nearing the finish line, with operations expected to begin by June at the latest and possibly as early as April.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the June timeline set by asset owner Prasarana Malaysia Bhd is a conservative one, expressing confidence that the new rail line could be ready sooner if all final tests go smoothly. 

He shared the update during a radio interview on Feb 5, offering reassurance to commuters who have been waiting for the project since construction began almost a decade ago.

The LRT3 line was originally slated to start running in October last year, but Loke said the delay was unavoidable as safety checks and technical testing had to be prioritised. 

According to him, the most crucial phase in the entire process is the Fault-Free Run (FFR), a stringent test that requires each train to operate for at least 4,000km without encountering a single technical fault.

“Unfortunately, during testing in November and December, we ran into software and signalling issues

"What makes the process especially challenging is that any fault, no matter how minor, forces the test to restart from zero, even if the train had already clocked thousands of kilometres," Loke said.

The good news, however, is that progress has picked up. Loke said the first batch of more than 20 trains designated for the LRT3 line has already successfully passed the Fault-Free Run. 

The remaining trains are currently undergoing the same testing process, and once all trial runs are completed, the ministry will give the green light for operations to begin.

Stretching 37.8km, the LRT3 Shah Alam Line connects Bandar Utama in Petaling Jaya to Johan Setia in Klang, running through key areas in the western corridor of the Klang Valley. 

Once operational, it is expected to benefit around two million residents, providing a long-needed public transport alternative in areas that have traditionally relied heavily on private vehicles.

The LRT3 project has had a long and bumpy journey. Construction began in 2016, but progress was slowed by major restructuring of work packages, followed by disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Photo: BH.

Over the years, multiple launch deadlines were missed, with the opening pushed back from 2020 to March 2025, and later to October 2025, before being delayed again due to technical challenges.

Once in service, the line is expected to ease traffic congestion, improve connectivity between Petaling Jaya, Shah Alam and Klang, and encourage more people to switch to public transport.