Kuching Urban Transportation System

Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS)
Official logo
Overview
Native name	Sistem Pengangkutan Bandaraya Kuching
Owner	Sarawak Metro - Sarawak Economic Development Corporation (SEDC)
Locale	Greater Kuching, Samarahan and Serian
Transit type	Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit - Guided bi-articulated bus
Number of lines	3
Number of stations	35
Website	www.mysarawakmetro.com/kuts
Operation
Operation will start	2026; 2 years' time (2026)[1]
Operator(s)	Sarawak Metro
Number of vehicles	38
Technical
System length	First phase: 69.9 km (43 mi)
Top speed	70 km/h (43 mph)

The Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) is an under-construction Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system network that serves Greater Kuching, Samarahan, and Serian. It is the first ART system network to be built outside of China and also the first metro rail system in the state of Sarawak which was touted as one of the methods to ease traffic congestion in the city of Kuching.^[2] The project is currently constructed by Sarawak Metro using state funds provided by the Development Bank of Sarawak (DBOS).^[2][3][4] The ART lines will connect Kuching to Samarahan and Serian as well as future lines to other parts of Greater Kuching.^[5]

The proposed construction of a RM10.8 billion Kuching light rapid transit (LRT) project was expected to commence by 2019 and was scheduled to be operational by 2024.^[6] It was proposed that the LRT will use hydrogen fuel cell rolling-stock with a travel speed of 70–140km/h.^[7]

The hydrogen fuel cell trains were in line with the state government’s vision to develop a hydrogen economy, as part of its green initiative. Aside from hydrogen-powered trains, Kuching will also be the first city in the country to have hydrogen-powered buses.^[8]

On 29 March 2018, the Chief Minister of Sarawak released the routes and stations of three of the six lines with 155.2 kilometers of track^[9] to be completed in 2024, while the remaining three lines to be implemented at a later stage.^[6] A government-linked company (GLC) called Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd^[10] had been registered to manage the LRT system.^[9]

Proposed route for the Kuching Urban Transportation System in 2018.^[11]
Blue: Samarahan Line
Red: Serian Line

Station Code	Working Name	Position	Local government	Interchange / Notes
SR1	Batu 12/JPJ	Elevated	MPPadawan	Batu 12 Depot
SR2	Kota Padawan			Near to 10th Mile Bazaar
SR3	Penrissen		MPKS	Near to SMK Wira Penrissen
SR4	Kota Sentosa		MPPadawan	Near to Sentosa Parade
SR5	Kuching Sentral		MBKS	Connected with bus terminal
SR6	Kuching International Airport			Connected to airport terminal
SR7	Pelita Height			Near to RH Plaza
SR8	Tun Jugah			Near to Emporium
SR9				Near to Swinburne University
IS1	Simpang Tiga			Near to Wisma Persekutuan Public Carpark, Interchange station with  1  Samarahan Line
SR10	Jalan Tun Razak			Near to Chung Hua Middle School No.3
SR11	Pending			Near to Puspakom
SR12	Bintawa			Near to Bintawa Industrial Estate
SR13	Isthmus	At-grade	DBKU	Near to Borneo Convention Centre Kuching

However, on 1 September 2018, the Chief Minister of Sarawak announced that the project has been placed on hold, citing that the funds allocated to the project will instead be used to build basic amenities for Sarawak's rural areas.^[12] Eventually, in July 2019, the Chief Minister of Sarawak said that the new LRT project will be built using artificial intelligence (AI) technology which will remove the need for conventional rails and bringing down the cost of the project,^[13] which culminated into adopting the Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit system from China.

In September 2019, the government of Sarawak ultimately decided to go with China's Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART) system than LRT due to its more affordable cost where the state transport minister said it will be ready by 2022.^[14][15] The Premier of Sarawak, Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg had initially promised to build the first Kuching ART soon to avoid rising costs,^[16] with Chinese companies offering their expertise to collaborate in the construction.^[17] In April 2022, Premier Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg disclosed to the Singaporean English daily newspaper, The Straits Times that the ART system will likely consist of 52.6 km of route and is expected to begin construction in the third quarter of the same year, with a projected operational date of 2025.^[18]

In August 2023, the state received its first hydrogen-powered ART vehicle prototype and went through an engineering run for two months until September, where it then went through a proof-of-concept testing in November.^[19] Besides ART vehicles, Sarawak Metro will procure an additional 55 hydrogen buses which will serve as part of the first and last mile connectivity for the system which are still currently in trial operation since January 2020.^[20] As of November 2024, the overall progress of Phase 1 of the Kuching Urban Transportation System is now at 25.8% which includes consultation works, studies and physical works.^[21]

On 16 December 2022, the Premier of Sarawak released the Phase 1 integrated transit map of the KUTS project with a 69.9-kilometer route consisting of 3 initial rail lines and a total of 31 stations (with 5 provisional stations) to be completed in stages, with Phase 1 of the Blue Line scheduled to be completed in 2025 while the remaining lines are to be constructed at a later date.^[22] Currently, the Green Line has since increased the number of stations from 10 to 14 stations bringing the total number of stations across the Kuching Urban Transportation System to 35 stations.^[23] However, only 9 stations are confirmed to be built while the other 5 are under provisional status.

1. Bold text denotes that the particular landmark is near the area proposed to be a train depot station.

The Blue Line is expected to begin revenue service for Phase 1 on 31st December 2025 starting from the Rembus station until the Riveria station. This initial phase will allow Samarahan residents as well as students from UNIMAS and UiTM to travel seamlessly from their respective places to around the Samarahan area without needing to drive. Phase 1A of the Blue Line, which will be open for revenue service on 30th June 2026, will solely introduce the opening of the new Sungai Kuap bridge as well as the Stutong station, finally connecting the Blue Line to the other side of the river. Finally, Phase 2 of the Blue Line, which will begin revenue service on 31st December 2026, will continue along Wan Alwi and various popular and congested routes in Kuching before finally terminating at Hikmah Exchange station in downtown Kuching.

The Red Line is expected to begin revenue service on 31st December 2026, around the same time as Phase 2 of the Blue Line. This line will only have 8 stations at first but is expected to expand in the near future, with potential expansions to Serian and the Kuching Deep Sea Port. It is also expected to be connected with the bus terminal as well as the Kuching International Airport, which will play an important role in providing easy transportation for those leaving or coming from either one of these terminals.

Station Code	Working Name	Station Layout	Local government	Notes / Interchange
SR05	Kuching Sentral	Elevated	MBKS	Connected with bus terminal, walking distance to Farley Shopping Mall, future Interchange station with a future line
SR06	Kuching International Airport			Connected with airport terminal
SR07	Pelita Height			Connected with RH Plaza
SR08	Tun Jugah			Connected with Emporium, Premier 101 Plaza
SR09	Swinburne			Connected with Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, walking distance to KWSP Kuching
SR10  SM10	Simpang Tiga			Walking distance to Wisma Persekutuan, Kenyalang Park Post Office, Interchange station with the  SM10  Blue Line
SR11	Jalan Tun Razak			Near to Chung Hua Middle School No.3
SR12  DM01	Pending	At-grade		Near to Pending Industrial Estate, Interchange station with the  DM01  Green Line

The Green Line is expected to begin revenue service on 30th June 2027, with 9 confirmed stations and 5 provisional stations being built at a later date in order to compliment future developments which brings a total number of 14 stations. All stations on this route are expected to be at-grade, however, there is a small section from Santubong station and the Damai Golf Course station which will be elevated due to the inconsistent terrain of the area.

• Project Proponent: Sarawak Metro Sdn Bhd
• Line Length (km): Line 1 : 28.1 km (67% Elevated), Line 2 : 24.5 km (96% Elevated)
• Stations: Line 1 : 13 + 1 (provisional), Line 2 : 12
• Interchange : 1
• Depot: Line 1 : Rembus Line 2 : Batu 12
• Operating Speed: Average 35 km/h, Maximum 70 km/h
• Operating Hours: 6.00 am – 12.00 am
• Journey Time: Line 1: 38 minutes, Line 2: 40 minutes
• System: Hydrogen Powered Automated Rapid Transit (ART)
• Features: Trackless, Runs on rubber tyres. Dedicated lane

• BRT Kuching
• Klang Valley Integrated Transit System
• Bi-articulated bus
• Iskandar Malaysia Bus Rapid Transit
• Sarawak Railway Line
• Kota Kinabalu Line