Penang LRT project to commence in 2025
Penang has everything one would need for a fun, short vacation – top-notch hawker food, charming cafes, and gorgeous heritage buildings. The one thing that crops up as a slight drawback when exploring the island is the need for more public transportation.
This seems less of a concern in the coming years, as it was just announced that the construction for the Light-Rail Transit (LRT) line in Penang is set to begin in the months of July or August 2025, and is estimated to be completed in 2030.
An expected 21 stations are to connect George Town and Bayan Lepas
Image credit: The Star
The Penang Light Rail Transit (LRT) project faced several delays ever since it was proposed, but recent updates are sparking a glimmer of hope to see the project finally pull through.
Conceived by the Penang state government in 2015, the originally proposed Bayan Lepas LRT line was envisioned to enhance connectivity between the city centre of George Town and the industrial area of Bayan Lepas. The project has undergone several revisions since its initial proposal, of which the main LRT line was to be located near Komtar in George Town, and linked to the Penang International Airport.
Image credit: Hotels.com
The modified and finalised alignment of the LRT line will commence from Penang Sentral in Butterworth before traversing to Lebuh Macallum, which is reportedly where the construction of the first station will begin. The 29.5km rail system, also known as the Mutiara Line, will be equipped with a total of 21 stations along it, including two ETS interchange stations located at Komtar in George Town and Penang Sentral on the mainland.
From there, the route passes through key areas in Penang, including Komtar, Sungai Pinang, East Jelutong, Gelugor, Sungai Dua, Sungai Nibong, Bukit Jambul, and the Free Industrial Zone. These areas will be linked to Penang International Airport in Bayan Lepas on the southern part of the island.
The journey culminates at Silicon Island, which will serve as a depot.
When will the Penang LRT be completed?
Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
The mammoth project has its contract divided into three components, with two of them being civil construction works for Segments 1 and 2, encompassing Silicon Island to Komtar and Komtar to Penang Sentral, respectively. The third part is a turnkey contract for system and carriage works.
Image credit: Penang Transport Master Plan
Last year, Transport Minister Anthony Loke confirmed that the Federal Government has taken over the implementation of the project, with Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) as the appointed developer and asset owner of the new train line. Loke also addressed the estimated timeline of the project that is expected to begin this December and with an estimated completion in 2030.
As of June 2025, Loke confirmed that preliminary work to prepare for on-site activities has already been assigned to subcontractors involved and that physical works are likely to commence within the next one or two months.
LRT project in Penang set for completion in 2030
In a city that’s notorious for its ferocious drivers, this piece of news on Penang’s LRT project comes as a delight for both locals and tourists alike.
As a pivotal endeavour poised to shape the transportation landscape of Penang, such urban development is a beacon of innovation that’ll help propel Penang further as a notable tourist destination and make it even more convenient for everyone to travel around the state.
Some places in Penang that you can check out in the meantime:
Cover image adapted from: Hotels.com
This article was first published on 24th August 2023, and updated on 20th June 2025.