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Kelana Jaya LRT Line Undergoes Major Signalling System Upgrade
The Kelana Jaya LRT Line in Malaysia is undergoing a significant modernization of its signalling system between August and November 2025. This upgrade aims to improve operational efficiency, safety, and reliability by replacing outdated hardware and software components from the 1980s with the latest SelTrac digital railway signalling technology [1][2][4].
Schedule and Phases
The upgrade is divided into three phases. The first phase, which took place from June 14 to July 19, focused on maintenance and upgrades confined to the depot during non-operational hours [1].
In Phase 2, from August 9 to September 14, live system testing will take place at 10 stations from KLCC to Gombak. This will require late weekend openings, with stations opening later at 9 a.m. instead of the usual 6 a.m. on Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays. Approximately 7,000 passengers will be affected by these service adjustments [2][4].
Phase 3, scheduled from October 11 to November 22, will involve live testing at 17 stations from Lembah Subang to Ampang Park, including major hubs such as KL Sentral, Pasar Seni, Masjid Jamek, and KLCC. Stations will also open at 9 a.m. on affected weekends, with about 20,000 passengers expected to be impacted [2][4].
Impact on Stations and Services
Ten stations during Phase 2 and seventeen stations during Phase 3 will open later on weekends, affecting commuters who normally start travel early in the morning [2][4]. Token vending machines at affected stations will only be operational from 8:45 a.m. during these upgrade weekends [2]. There may also be morning delays and service adjustments due to live system testing [2].
Expected Benefits
The upgrade will replace the current Automatic Train Control (ATC) system with the next-generation SelTrac system, upgrading software from version 2 to version 8 [4]. This upgrade will enhance safety and cybersecurity, improve train regulation, and increase reliability, expected to sustain safe operations for the next 20 years [1][4]. Better performance monitoring will also be enabled by advanced data analytics [1][2].
This modernization is crucial as the current system has been in operation for 25 years with obsolete components that are increasingly difficult to source, risking operational reliability [1][2][4].
In summary, the Kelana Jaya LRT line upgrade is a phased project from August to November 2025 involving weekend service delays and later station openings on affected weekends. This critical modernization offers significant long-term operational benefits for safety and reliability.
As of June 30, over 80% of the design and development work for the new system has been completed [3]. The project includes migrating the current platform to the latest version of the SelTrac digital railway signalling technology. Key new features of the upgraded system include enhanced data analytics for better performance monitoring.
- The tech modernization of the Kelana Jaya LRT Line in Malaysia is set to replace the outdated infrastructure with the latest SelTrac digital railway signalling technology, as part of the finance-backed industry project to improve public-transit transportation.
- In the upcoming Phase 2 and Phase 3 upgrades, the operational hours of certain stations on weekends will be adjusted, and passengers may face morning delays and service adjustments due to live system testing related to the tech upgrade.
- The tech upgrade of the signalling system is expected to result in increased safety, cybersecurity, improved train regulation, and higher reliability, maintaining safe operations for the next 20 years.
- This tech-driven infrastructure renewal is imperative, as the current system, which has been in operation for 25 years, uses obsolete components that are becoming increasingly difficult to source, potentially impacting operational reliability.
