Aidilfitri: Less than 50 pct bus tickets sold, KTM intercity one pct

KUALA LUMPUR: The express bus service at Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) will continue during the Aidilfitri celebration although less than 50 per cent of tickets were sold following the implementation of the Movement Control Order and interstate travel restriction.

TBS senior manager (operations) Faizal Redza Redzuan said between May 7 and 17, about 23,000 bus tickets to 131 destinations in peninsular Malaysia were provided for those allowed to travel interstate for work and emergency purposes.

"On average, TBS receives around 2,000 passengers per day during this period compared to 20,000 people involving 1,000 trips per day during the Aidilfitri celebration in 2019, which is before COVID-19 hit the country.

"This year, ticket sales have increased slightly compared to 2020, which also saw the implementation of interstate travel restriction, where we received around 300 passengers per day to 60 destinations involving 85 trips," he told Bernama.

He added that only 38 out of 123 bus operators were still operating and some adjustments had to be made including reducing the frequency of trips and terminating some routes to rural destinations due to low demand such as to Gerik, Perak.

Faizal Redza said passengers were required to present the police permission letter to cross the state when purchasing tickets at the counter while those who bought tickets online still need to show their tickets at the counter to obtain a barcode to enter the platform.

Any confusion and matters pertaining to the permission letter would be referred to the TBS police station, he added.

Meanwhile, Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB), in a statement to Bernama, said only 6,834 tickets or 20 per cent out of 34,944 Electronic Train Service (ETS) tickets were sold from May 7 to 20 for eight routes.

For KTM Intercity, only 384 tickets from 51,600 seats (around one per cent) were sold for 16 routes during the same period.

Meanwhile, a check by Bernama found that the atmosphere at the TBS and KL Sentral was quiet with no crowd and long queues, unlike the usual view during any festive season.

Several visitors, when met by Bernama, said that they were travelling to meet their husband or wife or for medical purpose with police permission to cross the state.

-- BERNAMA