KUALA LUMPUR —Rapid KL has activated alternative train routing schedules and a widespread network of emergency shuttle buses following the derailment of an Ampang/Sri Petaling Line train near the Chan Sow Lin LRT Station today, Thursday, 28 May 2026.
The infrastructure incident took place during the morning peak commuting window when an active train slipped from the tracks while passing over a railway switch. Rapid KL confirmed that 25 passengers were on board the coach at the time of the incident. Technical emergency crews managed to safely evacuate all commuters from the vehicle, and no injuries have been reported.
The rail operator has also confirmed the authenticity of various images and video clips uploaded to social media platforms showing passengers being guided down the elevated guide-ways during the evacuation process.
Service Loops and Fluctuating Waiting Times
To keep commuter traffic moving through secondary channels, engineering teams have carved the transit line into distinct operational loops. Due to the fluid nature of the recovery efforts on site, train frequencies are currently fluctuating. The adjusted operational grid is running under the following parameters,
- The Sentul Timur to Pudu Loop, Transit trains from Sentul Timur are turning back early at the Pudu station, running at intervals of between four and six minutes.
- The Putra Heights to Bandar Tasik Selatan Loop, Vehicles coming from Putra Heights terminate early at Bandar Tasik Selatan, similarly operating at a four to six minute frequency.
- The Ampang to Pandan Jaya Shuttle, Short-loop trains are running via Platform 1 at five-minute intervals.
- The Cheras to Bandar Tasik Selatan Shuttle, Separate rail shuttles are moving via Platform 1 at eight-minute intervals.
Extended Emergency Bus Support and Systemic Concerns
To bridge the physical gaps created by the track closure, a fleet of free bridge shuttle buses has been deployed across the network. These complimentary buses are actively picking up stranded passengers at the Hang Tuah, Chan Sow Lin, Maluri, Cheras, and Pandan Jaya stations.
Rapid KL has stated that bus arrivals are targeted for every 15 to 20 minutes, though actual travel times remain heavily dependent on local road congestion. Technical teams are on site focusing on both repairing the damaged track switch and conducting an official investigation into the root cause of the incident.
This tracking failure represents the latest in a worrying series of infrastructure challenges to impact the capital city rail network this month. On May 18, the Kelana Jaya LRT Line experienced widespread commuter gridlock due to an immobile train unit that halted operations. This rapid succession of technical faults is placing heightened scrutiny on local public transport maintenance protocols and system safety.
