C S S R 0 8’ 0 9 14 - 15 March 2009

C O N F E R E N C E ON S C I E N T I F I C & S O C I A L R E S E A R C H

EXPLORI G THE POTE TIAL OF JU GLE RAILWAY FOR TOURISM

OF THE HI TERLA D PE I SULAR MALAYSIA
ik Ismail Azlan

Faculty of Architecture Planning and Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, MALAYSIA

nik_phd@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT

The jungle railway of the east coast line of Peninsular Malaysia offers tourist an experience he will rarely forgets.
The Jungle Railway offers the excitement of old-style train travel. The entire line is a single line, hence the numerous
delays when the mail train is moved to a loop to allow express trains to pass. Key tokens are still used and are passed
to drivers by station masters without the train stopping by using pouches. Stations are also not interlocked. While the
trains are diesel and coaches modern (although a bit short on maintenance), journeys on these trains are still full of
atmosphere. The train route travel through amazing jungle scenery from Gemas to Tumpat. The train has been
nicknamed the jungle railway as it runs through the jungle and the national park. The journey itself is beautiful and
provides a rare tourism experience. This paper will discuss the specialty of this trip and the views and opinions of the
passengers. Several recommendations to make this mode of experience an interesting feature of the railway tourism
will be suggested.

Keywords: Jungle Railway, excitement, jungle scenery, tourism experience

1. I TRODUCTIO

The Jungle Railways is the railway line serving the East Coast states of Kelantan and other related places.
It also called forested heart (hence the nick name Jungle Railways) of Peninsular Malaysia from Gemas to
Tumpat , a small town on the East Coast near Kota Bharu (Figure1). For many years, people in little
hamlets along railways relied on the train to get the bigger towns like Pasir Mas or Gua Musang in
Kelantan as no roads were able to reach such remote areas. While the name evokes a journey through
thick forest, the reality is that the railway track goes over several impressive rivers, and many oil palm
and rubber plantations along the way of jungle journey. For the example, Jerantut is the influence of man
on what was once rainforest obvious. Most stations are in remote jungle surrounded by many villages and
many stops are nothing more than a platform in the middle of the jungle. The real attraction along the line
is of course the Jungle Train. There are in fact three trains and they will give you a true taste of rural
Malaysia train travel. All of them only have Third Class coaches and besides passengers. They stop at
almost every station along the way. To get on the train can be accessed at various points. As the line is
also served by express trains, you can board the jungle train at the many stations along the way. For train
buffs, the Jungle Railway offers the excitement of old-style train travel. Key tokens are still used and are
passed to drivers by station masters without the train stopping by using pouches. Stations are also not
interlocked. While the trains are diesel and coaches modern (although a bit short on maintenance), journey
on these trains are still full of atmosphere. The Jungle Railways may go through thick rainforest but you
will be hardly far way from civilization, with station and settlement coming up regularly (Figure 2). Also,
be prepared to share your coach with huge amounts of merchandise and agriculture products (like the
smelly durians and the occasional livestock) and carrying babies. The trains are however rarely full. If you
can handle local food, then sustenance will not be a problem as people will sell food onboard or from
platforms when the train stops at stations. Even the third-class trains have a restaurant car, selling chips,
soft drinks and bottled water along local delicacies.

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Figure 1. The Jungle Railway Line

A beautiful scenery which used to be the favourite of olden day Kelantan painters was of the Jungle
Railway steaming and smoking as it emerges through a tunnel alongside the swift Sungai Galas during the
monsoons. Folks in Kelantan say kohor-kohor, meaning slowly. It is a word that perfectly encapsulates
the leisurely lifestyle in the east coast state. In the Kelantan interior, development travels at the pace of the
diesel powered local trains. The local train is slow and spartan, a faithful heritage of its steam predecessor.
The best experience while travelling to the East Coast was the stunning panorama along the track when
morning comes (Figure 3). The train passed through a few bridges, said to be more than 100 years old and
a couple of tunnel alongside the lush green jungle. The morning light sets a mysterious and dim ambience
when it shines through the mist between the hills. From Kuala Lipis, the train moves along the pristine
Sungai Pahang, nestled in the thick rainforest. The great panorama extends to villages, outback towns and
towards approaching Kelantan, wide paddy fields await your eyes.

1.1 Issues and Problems

There are several of issues and problems existing in these jungle railways. The conditions of the coaches
leave much to be desired, the trains are running late and do not follow the time schedule. There are all
having Third Class coaches and besides passengers, you will possibly be sharing with livestock and of
merchandises. Vendors bring their goods by main and set up as soon as they get off the trains and
sometimes even inside the train. The entrance line is a single line hence the numerous delays when the
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mail train is moved to a loop to allow express trains to pass. Train journeys in Malaysia are very safe.
Nevertheless, as there may be some pushing when boarding trains, do keep an eye on your wallets or bags.
There are pickpockets even in these parts, especially in the bigger stations. Pack some food if you have a
sensitive stomach and cannot handle the local stuff sold on trains and at stations. You do not really want to
use the toilet on the trains, although your diarrhea may vanish immediately once you try using them.

Figure 2. The Jungle Railway stopping at Gua Musang Station

1.2 The Study Site

The Jungle Railway is 526 km long from Gemas to Wakaf Bharu that will take about 10-12 hours to
complete. Gemas, the southern end of the Jungle Railway, is on the Butterworth-Kuala Lumpur-Singapore
railway line and can also be easily accessed by road. Although the journey going up north is interesting, it
is a long way before you get to the interesting parts in Pahang and Kelantan. The East Coast line runs
between Gemas in Negeri Sembilan and Tumpat in Kelantan. Gemas is the rail junction between the West
Coast and East Coast lines. Like the West Coast line, it is called the East Coast line because it serves two
of Peninsular Malaysia’s East Coast states, namely Pahang and Kelantan. In fact, it does not run along the
coast at all and only meets the South China Sea when it terminates in Tumpat. It runs through the interior,
often through deep jungle, thus earning the nickname “Jungle Railway”. Foreign backpackers had dubbed
the rail track from Gemas to Tumpat, the Jungle Railway, especially the stretch from Jerantut to Dabong.
Preferring to travel on the local day train (without air conditioning), they had described the journey as
surreal, as the train traverses mountainous, forest-clad interiors, stopping at every little kampung to pick
up locals armed with all manner of goods. The chatter in a strange dialect, the smells and colours that are
amusing to some can prove irritating to others. Some travellers would stop at Jerantut, Kuala Lipis or
Merapoh for the onward journey to Taman Negara, at Gua Musang to go to Kuala Koh National Park or
Dabong to climb Gunung Stong and view South East Asia’s highest waterfalls with seven tiers.

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Figure 3. The Jungle Railway passes through a jungle

The rail ride between Gua Musang and Tumpat is a record of sorts somewhat. This section passes through
many bridges and tunnels built between 1921 and 1931 to link the many remote villages scattered
throughout the hilly region. 7 highland tunnels including the longest in the country, and over 13 iron
bridges span wide rivers on which you can see rumah rakits and old mak ciks bathing half clad with
timbas on them. The longest iron railway bridge in the country, the Sungai Kusial Bridge, is on this route
too. Some stations have undergone renovation but there are still quite a number which has never seen a
coat of repaint since the glorious swinging early fifties. At some areas, a weather worn wooden hut
shelters those waiting for the train. At others, like at Ulu Temiang, only a signboard suffice to mark the
spot of the station. Strong wooden beams and boards still standing to make up the cafeteria lend an old
world charm to the Kuala Krai, Gua Musang, Pasir Mas, and Tanah Merah stations that is all but lost on
the west coast. Where there are no stations or platforms, the locals have mastered the art of hauling heavy
loads up the high carriage steps and into the train.

For the Kelantan locals whose lifeline depends on these trains, "early" takes on a deeper meaning. These
are people who still take the train to school on the east coast line. Students who live in villages near
railway tracks rise before the sun is up to go to school in a neighbouring town. The number has lessened
since 2002 when hostels were built to cater to the student commuters. The solution for teachers is not so
simple. Mustapha Mahmood, 46, from Pasir Puteh, rises at 2.30 am to catch the 4.54 am train at Kuala
Krai to go to work. While his wife teaches in town, Mustapha teaches Bahasa Malaysia in Kemubu, 175
km away. Many school children live in little villages and take the predawn train to school. Pupils are first
seen boarding trains in the mornings at Hulu Temiang to school at Dabong and Kampung Jerek Bharu,
where the locals are expecting a Smart School soon. Stations catering to these pupils include Kampung
Bukit Abu Bharu, Bukit Abu, Kuala Gris, Seri Jaya, Seri Mahligai, Seri Bintang and Sungai Tasin. When
an express mail train going north comes in, the south bound train will have to wait on the sidelines
(loopline) till the main line train passes on. A delay caused by one train affects the schedule of all other
trains due to the single track system. The locals have learnt to take it all in their stride and chat with each
other to while away the time. The locals are friendly, and don't complain much when the trains are
delayed, unlike in the west coast.

Old timers recall a bygone era, when, upon seated in the buffet car, steaming hot coffee, warm buttered
toast and a half boiled egg would be promptly served. The Hainanese cooks ruled the kitchen then,
whipping up colonial favourites such as chicken and lamb chops. Morning market is active at Wakaf
Bharu, Bunut Susu, Kampung Machang, Pasir Mas and Tanah Merah. Market produce frequently
originate cheaply from the northern border towns of Tumpat, Pasir Mas and Rantau Panjang. Tok Peraih
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leaves home strapped only with cash in their money belts. They fill up at stations along the way (Figure
4). Empty spaces between and on seats and in between coaches rapidly get occupied with durian, langsat,
duku, jambu, rambutan, etok, beras, buah asam jawa, mangga jeruk, cermai jeruk, kelubi jeruk, keropok
goreng, budu, kacang rebus, bawang, lada hidup, pucuk paku, daun kentut, petai, jering, ayam, telur, dapur
gas, toto, kangkung, kacang panjang, timun, terung, tembikai, krepet rokok, ikan kering, minuman kotok,
laksa, nasi kapit, ketupat, tapai, kerabu, sare, etc. etc. Sales are made on the move, not infrequently by
barter trading, and in transit at stations or in bulk volumes at the big stations of Tanah Merah, Kuala Krai,
Gua Musang, Kuala Lipis and Jerantut. Each Tok Peraih, leaving the children at home early one

Figure 4. Traders and buyers doing brisk business at the station

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

Several articles on scenic and awesome railway journey were written in journals and research publication.
Railways created the world we know. Before railways, there were no seaside resorts, no suburbs, no
standard time (Lichfield, 2007). Now Europe's railways are trying to change the way we travel in a world
that has been reshaped – and threatens to be asphyxiated – by car and air travel. In that time, you cross 291
bridges and pass through 91 tunnels and over several mountain passes. There are stunning views of the
Matterhorn in the last stretch. You have a glittering white landscape in winter; carpets of flowers in spring
and early summer. A trip on the California Zephyr, across much of the North American continent, is
considered one of the great train journeys of the world (Ritchie, 2007). Launched in 1949 and re-launched
in 1983, the Zephyr became an American icon as one of the country’s earliest transcontinental lines. The
train runs from Union Station in Chicago, to Emeryville, near San Francisco in California. This
spectacular 3-day journey starts on the plains of Illinois, continues on across the regal Rockies and High
Sierras via Denver, and on through the arid Nevada flatlands, ending in California. The famous railway
from the former capital of the Incas to Machu Picchu has overshadowed the southerly route from Cuzco to
the world’s highest navigable lake (Lambert 2004). Yet the scenery along the Huatanay River is every bit
as spectacular, and easily viewed from the train’s new observation, bar and dining cars. Valleys, hills and
colonial churches give way to the burnt expanses of the Altiplano before snow-topped peaks announce the
train’s highest reaches – a head-thumping 4,321m. The track then descends past tiny villages and waving
grasses before hitting Titicaca shores – a boat trip to the lake’s islands is not to be missed.

3. METHODOLOGY

A survey and observation method was conducted on 26th January 2009 on the jungle railway from Gemas
to Wakaf Bharu and on the 30th January from Wakaf Bharu to Gemas. The journey from Gemas to Wakaf
Bharu begins at 4 am and reached Wakaf Bharu at 4:30 pm. The return trip from Wakaf Bharu begins at 4
am and reached Gemas at 3:50 pm. Forty questionnaires on each journey were given out to passengers
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based on a simple random sampling asking for their views, experience and suggestions on the potential of
the jungle train as potential tourist activity.

4. RESULTS A D DISCUSSIO S

From the survey and observation the following insight and information were obtained. The majority of the
people along the interiors of Pahang and Kelantan depended on the Jungle Railway as their main form of
transportation to work, school and business entrepreneurship. Their communications with the outside
world were based on conversation during the train ride finding about the current state of affairs of their
friends, family and outside world. They come in contact with other citizens of the world through the
jungle railway with a few foreigners especially backpackers on their way to Kota Bharu or Taman Negara,
Pahang. However, their interaction is nothing more than a quick glance or just small conversation
whenever these foreigners wanted to buy food from the vendors. For the locals (90%) the view from the
train is routine and normal as they have been passing through the same scenery over and over again. It is
the foreigners (10%) that are exciting about the view from the window and the view in the coaches.
Curiosity and amazement engulfed their minds whenever the train stops at the station and different groups
of people alighted or stepped on the train with their belongings. Children in school uniform form part of
the scenery as the train is being used as the only means of transport to school. What was interesting
however, were the findings from the foreign tourists. To them the journey was an experience of a different
nature. The view was very interesting as the train passes through the thick tropical jungle interspersed with
hillocks, streams, tunnels, oil palm estates and small villages. The scenery according to them was
breathtaking especially when the train passed some narrow bridges on the fast flowing rivers, winding
along some scenic limestone hills and snaking along narrow jungle corridors. Their opinions on the
interior of the train leave much to be desired especially about the cleanliness of the coaches and the
conditions of the toilet. The trains were always raining late and never reached the destinations on time. It
seems the train driver and the local passengers are taking their own sweet time by lingering and
unnecessarily taking a long time to continue the journey.

5. CO CLUSIO S

The jungle railway is an amazing piece of engineering as it winds through interior of one of the
oldest rainforests in the world and magnificent caves and limestone outcroppings. Occasionally
there was smell of the outdoors and the refreshing rain and wind through the open door. The train
journey was beautiful and fantastic but the time schedule was not followed and this was one of
the points of contention by the passengers and tourists alike. Accordingly the train should be on
time even thought the distance travel is long. People would be very happy as this is one of the
factors that will promote the jungle railway as an efficient means of tourist transportation to the
hinterland of Peninsular Malaysia. The complaints were that the railway is notoriously slow,
stopping at countless stations and taking a long time before moving out of the stations as it makes
the journey from Gemas to Tumpat. The coaches were in bad condition with holes in the walls
and sometimes roaches crawling around. Better coaches and clean looking interiors should be the
recommendation for the jungle railway to impress the tourists and local passengers alike.

Several suggestions were made by the tourists traveling on this route. A book or pamphlet in the form of
information about the various interesting features along the journey should be published to generate
knowledge and interest for the tourists. The scenery has a lot to offer and this coupled with the interesting
information provided will further boost tourism attractions. The train running schedule should be retimed
so that the journey would cover all the interesting parts of the hinterland within one whole day during
daylight hours. More marketing efforts should be made in promoting the unique experience of traveling in
the jungle railway to see the interior of Peninsular Malaysia. Despite all this, many say the experience is
extremely enjoyable and more than makes up for all the shortcomings. The faces of the people getting on
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and off the train changed with the landscape as the train moved down the entire length of the country of
Malaysia from the east coast states, through the jungle interior, to the more cosmopolitan towns. This is
one of the rare tourism experiences to see the sights and get a taste of rural life in Malaysia.

Given the potential to strengthen regional tourism through the jungle railway and the potential for having
easy and accessible tourist attractions it is recommended that a detailed study of the potential for heritage
rail tourism in the form of upgrading the jungle railway operation should be given serious consideration. A
Rail Heritage Tourism Strategy should be recommended in promoting the popularity of traveling using the
Jungle Railway for tourists visiting the interior places and heritage area.

6. ACK OWLEDGEME T

The author acknowledge the assistance of four UiTM students Ayub, Ramly, Nor Azwani and Ummi
Aqilah for assisting in the survey for this paper.You may insert an acknowledgement note at the end of
your paper.

REFERE CES

Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad 2009

Lichfield 2007. A Journey by Rail (unpublished article)

Lambert 2004 A railway on top of the world. Rail Travel.

Ritchie 2007. California Zephyr: Great Train Ride. Rail Travel

www. Travel journal. Net 2009

www. Jungle Railway 2009