Slow train to Kelantan: the passengers embracing Malaysia’s history of rail travel

In a world of hustle, train aficionado Amirul Ruslan revels in life in the slow lane, particularly the “Jungle Train”, the country’s last sleeper which rumbles 526km northwards overnight through the spine of the peninsula to the Thai border.

There’s a special romance and connection that emerges across slow train journeys, he explains, especially in the age of high-speed promises to shuttle people and cargo from A to B in record times.

“There are many people to talk to … attendants, people working the dining car or other passengers,” Amirul told This Week in Asia. “Everyone was just fascinated by little cultural exchanges they picked up over the 11-hour journey.”

Long journeys were common for Malaysian rail travellers until 2010, after which the service became less a viable mode of transport for people in a rush, pushing those who could afford it to buy cars, especially after the government launched Proton in the late 1980s, Malaysia’s national car.

Since then the railway has seen a resurgence with the government investing in projects to electrify the rail network – parts of which date back to 1885 – leading to the introduction of newer, faster services.

As Malaysia improves its ageing rail infrastructure with electrification and double-tracking projects across the country, nostalgia for the past and the uniqueness of its route continues to draw people, locals and visitors, to the charm of its slower, older rail services.

Australian couple Jay and Jon, who run the Bucket List Travellers YouTube channel, raked up more than 500,000 views for a May 2023 video of their Jungle Train journey.

“Time and time again, Malaysian people have surprised us and humbled us,” said Jon, who was brought to tears as he recounted touching examples