Kelana Jaya LRT Track Replacement Starts 13 September: Gombak & Taman Melati Open at 9:30am

Kuala Lumpur’s busiest rail commuters have a new Sunday-morning timetable to remember. Rapid KL is beginning a seven-phase programme to replace track on the Kelana Jaya LRT Line, starting at the eastern end of the route this weekend and continuing in selected Sunday windows through September 2027.

The first change is immediate. On 13 September 2026, Gombak and Taman Melati stations will not begin train service at the normal 6:00am opening time. They are scheduled to start at 9:30am instead. The same arrangement returns on the following two Sundays, 20 and 27 September.

01 · What changes tomorrow

Rapid KL says the first phase covers Gombak and Taman Melati. On 13, 20 and 27 September, trains at those affected stations start at 9:30am rather than 6:00am because track-replacement work extends into the morning.

Stations outside the affected work section are expected to operate according to their normal daily schedule. That means this is not a whole-line shutdown, but passengers whose journey relies on the two eastern stations still need an alternative for the early-morning window.

02 · Free shuttle buses run from 6:00am to 9:30am

Rapid KL’s current public notice says free shuttle buses will connect the affected stations from 6:00am until rail service starts at 9:30am. Staff, auxiliary police and Prasarana Troopers are also being deployed to guide passengers at relevant locations.

The operator has not published a fixed shuttle frequency in the reports checked for this guide, so I would not plan a tight connection around a normal train headway. Give the bus leg extra time, especially if you have an airport, coach, event or work shift deadline.

03 · Ticket machines are unavailable until 9:30am

Ticket vending machines at the affected stations will be temporarily unavailable until 9:30am. Rapid KL says passengers can still obtain tickets at station counters, while users of Rapid KL products and Touch ’n Go can continue using their usual payment products for the available journey.

If you are an occasional visitor using single-journey tokens, the safest move is to arrive with extra time and follow staff instructions. Regular card users should still check the live service notice before setting out because operational arrangements can be updated close to the work window.

04 · Who needs to plan around this

The most obvious group is anyone living around Gombak or Taman Melati who uses the LRT before 9:30am on Sundays. But the effect also reaches travellers staying elsewhere who are heading to or from the eastern end of the line, including people using the rail network for an early appointment, intercity connection or a trip towards attractions and neighbourhoods beyond central Kuala Lumpur.

If your Sunday journey does not touch an affected station, Rapid KL says the rest of the line continues on its normal schedule. Still, a replacement-bus interface can create extra passenger movement at nearby stations, so a small time buffer is sensible.

05 · The full seven-phase schedule runs to September 2027

Rapid KL has published the entire programme well in advance. Each phase uses selected Sundays, with affected stations opening at 9:30am on those dates:

• 13, 20, 27 Sep 2026: Taman Melati, Gombak
• 15, 22, 29 Nov 2026: Universiti, Kerinchi, Abdullah Hukum
• 10, 17, 24 Jan 2027: Dato’ Keramat, Jelatek, Setiawangsa
• 14, 21, 28 Mar 2027: Universiti, Kerinchi, Abdullah Hukum
• 9, 16, 23 May 2027: Masjid Jamek, Dang Wangi, Kampung Baru, KLCC, Ampang Park
• 11, 18, 25 Jul 2027: Taman Jaya, Universiti, Kerinchi, Abdullah Hukum
• 12, 19, 26 Sep 2027: Taman Melati, Gombak

The long lead time is useful: residents can save only the phases that affect their normal stations, while visitors can check whether their travel Sunday overlaps one of the published windows.

06 · Why Rapid KL is replacing the track

Rapid KL says the works replace existing track with new rail and include related maintenance intended to keep the Kelana Jaya Line safe and reliable. Longer curved sections need more working time, which is why some work continues beyond the overnight engineering window and delays station opening into Sunday morning.

This is scheduled infrastructure renewal rather than an emergency service failure. The trade-off is predictable disruption on selected mornings in exchange for maintenance of a heavily used urban rail corridor.

07 · A practical Sunday-morning plan

• Check MyRapid PULSE or Rapid KL before leaving. Use the newest operational update, not a screenshot saved earlier in the week.
• If using Gombak or Taman Melati before 9:30am, budget for the free shuttle bus.
• Do not build a tight airport or intercity connection around normal train timing. Add contingency time for the bus transfer and passenger queues.
• Token users should expect ticket-machine limits. Follow station staff or use the counter where required.
• Remember the next two Sundays. The same phase-one arrangement returns on 20 and 27 September.

For most Kuala Lumpur residents, this is a calendar problem rather than a crisis: identify whether your station is in the current phase, adjust the first few hours of Sunday travel, then return to the normal timetable once the affected stations reopen.

Sources & verification

This update was checked on 12 September 2026 against Rapid KL’s public statement and service notice as reported by Malay Mail and The Star. Rapid KL’s official social notice also confirms that phase-one shuttle buses run from 6:00am to 9:30am. For the live operating status, use MyRapid or Rapid KL’s official channels.

Verification rule: transport operations can change at short notice. If a newer Rapid KL or station instruction conflicts with this guide, use the newer operational notice.

Cheers, Carpe Diem & Check the Sunday Platform Before the Alarm! 🚇⏳🇲🇾
TATS Man
Your KL Sunday-morning rail mate