Rail connectivity to ease airport access-

Over the past decade or so, airport/air transport development in Southeast Asia has witnessed a traffic boom. The region continues to post some of the highest traffic growth rates in the global aviation sector, backed by its strategic geographical location, growing trade, increasing middle class population, major expansion of low-cost carriers and the emerging tourism industry. Going forward, traffic growth in the region is expected to be maintained, and thus, so will the demand for capacity. According to the Boeing Company’s market outlook for 2012-31, Southeast Asian air travel is expected to grow by 8.4 per cent per year over the next 20 years, thus outpacing all other regions in the long-term forecast.

Given air traffic growth projections, connectivity and ease of access to the terminals becomes crucial. Increasing demand for air travel and worsening congestion near airports have made airport rail links (ARLs) more popular across the region.

Currently, the busiest airports in Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand are connected to the city centres by ARLs.

Connecting major airports

The Kuala Lumpur Express Rail Link (KLERL) serves the largest airport in Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA), and the world’s largest low-cost terminal, KLIA 2. KLERL offers both non-stop (KLIA Ekspres) and with-stop (KLIA Transit) services to the airport.

Changi airport is served by the Singapore mass rapid transit (MRT) Green Line, which runs east to west through the city centre, with a branch line from Tanah Merah (interchange station) to the airport. The Changi airport MRT station is located between airport Terminals 2 and 3. Further, an 8 km fully elevated westward line from the Joo Koon station, covering four stations, is being developed. It is expected to be completed by 2018.

The elevated Suvarnabhumi Airport Rail Link (SARL) connects Bangkok airport to the Phaya Thai SkyTrain station in the city centre, covering eight stations. Earlier, the line offered both non-stop and transit services; however, the non-stop service has been suspended since September 2014 due to dearth of rolling stock. Currently, China-based Changchun Railway Vehicles‘ seven four-car electric multiple units (EMUs) are being acquired to increase the line’s capacity.

Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is also served by an ARL; however, it does not provide last-mile connectivity as the terminal is not integrated with the airport. Manila LRT Line 1 is elevated and runs along the Taft Avenue-Rizal Avenue route connecting Baclaran, Pasay City and the Bonifacio Monument in the City of Caloocan. The Baclaran station is located about 2 km from the airport.

City check-in and other facilities

Check-in facilities at city stations are considered to be one of the deciding factors in the success of an ARL. However, the KLERL is the only ARL in Southeast Asia, allowing city check-in facilities from its KL Sentral station for KLIA. It is also the only ARL that allows all 43 airlines serving the airport to use the check-in facilities.

Earlier, Bangkok’s SARL also offered baggage check-in facilities at the Makkasan station located at in the city centre; however, it was only offered to passengers travelling by Thai Airways. This led to only 10 passengers using the service per day, on an average, with only 200 pieces of luggage checked in each month. Due to the high cost and low usage of the service, it was discontinued from September 2014.

The KLERL, however, also undertakes other initiatives apart from offering check-in services, to encourage ridership. It offered free return tickets for travel from KL Sentral to KLIA2 on a first come, first serve basis to the first 1,000 passengers.  Over the years, the KLERL has offered free economy class air tickets to special passengers (20 millionth, 50 millionth, etc.); launched KLIA Ekspres VIP service as a premium door-to-door airport transfer that combines the KLIA Ekspres and executive limousine service; and launched in-town check-in and mobile app services.

Upcoming ARLs

With the ridership steadily increasing on most ARLs, several other projects are coming up in the region. While Singapore is planning a new ARL to Changi airport; Jakarta is developing two new rail links to the SHIA, one of which will also provide a link to the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport.

The existing Jakarta Airport Rail Express track is planned to be extended by 33.68 km, from the Halim Perdanakusuma Airport in East Jakarta to the SHIA in Tangerang. Previously, the line was only planned to link the Manggarai station in South Jakarta to SHIA, but was later extended to Halim airport, according to the new master plan approved in 2013. The line will cover six stations, and the stations at the SHIA will be located at Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. The ARL system will be integrated with the airport’s automated people mover system that operates between the two terminals.

The line will reduce travel time between the two airports from the current two hours to 30 minutes. It will operate for 20 hours daily, in line with the operating hours of the airport. Service frequency will be 20 minutes.

The other project, Jakarta Tangerang-Airport Commuter Line, involves the construction of a 12 km line from the city centre to SHIA at an investment of about IDR 2.5 trillion. The route will diverge from the Jakarta-Tangerang Commuter Line near the Batu Ceper station before turning north towards the airport.

In April 2015, Indonesian national railway operator PT Industri Kereta Api secured syndicated loans worth IDR 2 trillion from major banks for the project. Thereafter, in February 2016, PT Industri Kereta Api signed a $53.3 million loan agreement with T Sarana Multi Infrastruktur and PT Bank ICBC Indonesia to procure 10 train sets for the project. Commercial service is expected to begin by 2017.

In Malaysia, the growing demand for the KLERL service has led to an MYR 8 billion proposal for the extension of the line to Seremban and Malacca to serve passengers outside Kuala Lumpur. Depending on the route of the alignment, the KLIA-Seremban stretch could be about 45 km, and the section from Seremban to Malacca could be another 45 km to 55 km. Two to four stations have been proposed, including a confirmed stop in Seremban.

The extension will help ease congestion on major highways in the Klang Valley. The travel time from Kuala Lumpur to Seremban will be 50 minutes and to Malacca, an additional 30 minutes.

In Manila, since LRT Line 1 terminates at the Baclaran station and does not provide last-mile connectivity, a 6.2 km branch line is planned from the Baclaran station to Terminal 3 of the NAIA.

Singapore’s Land Transport Authority is developing a new 50 km MRT line – Cross Island Line – which will also be connected to Changi airport. The route will start from Changi and span across Singapore before terminating at the Jurong Industrial Estate. The project is currently under planning, and will be operational by 2030.

Conclusion

The ARL market, including airport express rail links, across the world has entered a growth phase, driven by the twin tailwinds of growing air travel and worsening congestion near airports. According to industry reports, there are around 200 rail links connecting nearly 150 airports, and 400 more links are at various stages of planning, development and construction. While ARLs have been popular in Europe and Japan for decades, they have been constructed in North America, Oceania and the rest of Asia only in the last decade.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), however, has a long way to go to catch up with Europe and even the rest of Asia. Europe continues to be at the forefront with close to 45 such rail links. In addition, Europe also takes the lead in delivering customer-focused, high quality services. The airport express projects in ASEAN, including the planned links, offer lucrative opportunities to European and Japanese companies, which have an established track record in this field and are seeking customers in emerging markets.