Urban Rail in Southeast Asia Is Booming |
Pacific Money | Economy | Southeast Asia
Urban Rail in Southeast Asia Is Booming
Due to rapid economic growth and Chinese knowhow, public transit in the region’s cities is entering something of a golden age.
Line 2A of Hanoi’s metro system, close to Van Quan station.
The last few years have seen a rapid expansion of urban rail systems throughout Southeast Asia, with major new lines going into operation in Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and more on the way. From 2015 to 2026, well over 400 kilometers of new track and extensions were completed across Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Manila, Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City. Between now and 2032, at least 200 kilometers are in an advanced stage of planning or already well into construction.
In addition to that, Chinese-backed high-speed rail lines are already operating in Indonesia and Laos, with construction on additional lines in Thailand and Malaysia well underway. For rail enthusiasts and fans of public transit generally, the region is going through something of a golden era. And that’s not even counting Singapore, which has an extremely comprehensive transit system spanning the entire island.
In 2015, Bangkok was operating its famous Skytrain, a single subway line and a rail link. The Philippines had an MRT that was over a decade old and two light rail lines, one of which was built in the 1980s. Kuala Lumpur had an airport link and commuter system, along with three rapid rail lines. In the decade since, tens of billions of dollars have poured into new and expanded lines all across the region, boosting capacity by hundreds of millions of passengers.
Between 2016 and 2023, Bangkok opened the Purple, Yellow, and Pink lines at a combined cost of around $5 billion. The Orange line, with a price tag in excess of $4 billion, is expected to become operational in phases between 2028 and 2030. The Skytrain was extended, a commuter line was added, and extensions to the Purple line are underway. Ridership across the system increased from 359 million in 2017 to 520 million last year.
Malaysia inaugurated its Shah Alam Line earlier this year, a project that cost approximately $5 billion, including five new stations still under construction. The Putrajaya line, which fully opened in 2023, cost around $7 billion and added over 50 kilometers of track. Kuala Lumpur and the surrounding area now have six rapid rail lines, not including commuter rail or bus, with total ridership of 330 million in 2025. Malaysia is also one of the few countries in the region that is starting to build urban rail in cities outside of the capital.
Manila has been operating at least one light rail service since 1984. The MRT was fully opened in 2000 and a second LRT in 2003. Then very little progress was made, despite the fact that the system........