Travellers snap up train tickets to Johor on CNY eve next year within a day
Malaysians in Singapore hoping to take the train home to celebrate Chinese New Year next year may soon have to find an alternative mode of travel.
According to Shin Min Daily News on Wednesday (Sept 6), tickets from Singapore to Johor Bahru for Chinese New Year Eve (Feb 9, 2024) were sold out within a day, after opening for sale on Aug 30.
Malaysian rail corporation Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) had announced in July that it would allow commuters to book train tickets six months in advance.
A check on the website by Shin Min found that all tickets for both Chinese New Year Eve and the day before have been sold out. For Feb 7, only tickets for the morning trips were left – and in limited quantity.
Tickets returning to Singapore on Feb 12 and 13 have also been selling fast. Only tickets on the early morning trains before 8am were available.
One Malaysian, surnamed Yan, who managed to get train tickets to Johor on Feb 9, said she wasn’t sure how and when she would return to her hometown of Melaka, but didn't want to waste the opportunity of avoiding the Causeway jam.
“The train takes only five minutes to reach JB, and I can save on the time that's usually spent stuck in the Causeway jam,” she said, adding that she is also considering heading back to Malaysia a day earlier by car.
“I thought I'd buy a ticket on Chinese New Year Eve as a safety measure, if I don't need it later on, I'll get a refund.”
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