ECRL boosts Kuala Lumpur's spot on Frommer's 2027 best places list
Highlighting the upcoming transit link, Cochran pointed out that the railway will transform how visitors navigate peninsular landscapes.
KUALA LUMPUR - Major enhancements to Kuala Lumpur’s transport infrastructure, anchored by the game changing East Coast Rail Link (ECRL), have landed the federal capital a coveted spot on Frommer’s list of the "Best Places to Go in 2027".
According to Frommer’s Editor-in-Chief Jason Cochran, the mega rail project linking the Klang Valley to Peninsular Malaysia's east coast, along with the city’s burgeoning skyline and cultural tapestry, makes the capital a standout destination for global travellers seeking both urban sophistication and nature excursions.
Highlighting the upcoming transit link, Cochran pointed out that the railway will transform how visitors navigate peninsular landscapes.
"The new train line goes from right on the outskirts of KL, which is what people call Kuala Lumpur often, and it goes 400 miles to the eastern coastline of the Malay Peninsula," he said in a video shared on Frommer’s official Instagram page.
He noted that before the line's introduction, exploring the east coast required travellers to take long bus journeys or cobble routes together.
"You can get to the very end of that rail line on the east coast of the Malay Peninsula in about four hours now from the outskirts of KL, which is about, by the way, around the time it takes for you to get a bus, a coach, from KL to Singapore.
"So there's a whole lot more now that you can see in the region that you probably never thought to go see before," he said.
The 665-kilometre ECRL connects the Integrated Transport Terminal (ITT) Gombak on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur to Kota Bharu, Kelantan, drastically cutting travel time to about four hours and opening seamless access to pristine rainforests, coastlines, and cultural landmarks across the eastern states.
Beyond regional connectivity, Cochran praised Kuala Lumpur’s dynamic identity as a premier Southeast Asian metropolis, spotlighting its modern marvels alongside its heritage.
He observed that the city features the world’s second-tallest skyscraper, Merdeka 118, which follows in the footsteps of the iconic Petronas Twin Towers.
"KL by itself is a fascinating, modern Southeast Asian city where you're not going to be uncomfortable because they know how to cater to the appraising tourist," he added.
Frommer's is one of the world’s most iconic and trusted travel guide book series and digital media brands, originally founded by Arthur Frommer in 1957.
The brand revolutionised tourism by shifting travel from a luxury reserved for the wealthy into an accessible reality for budget-conscious everyday people.
Today, it operates as a multi-platform travel media company spanning print guides, digital tools and podcasts. - BERNAMA
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