| Kuching Urban Transportation System (KUTS) | |
| Native Name: | Malay: 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 |
| Lines: | 3 |
| Stations: | 35 |
| Operation Will Start: | [1] |
| Operator: | Sarawak Metro |
| Vehicles: | 38 |
| System Length: | First phase: 69.9km (43.4miles) |
| 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.
| Line | Origin – Destination | Landmark nearby proposed stations | Distance & Stations | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samarahan Line | Kota Samarahan to Damai via Sungai Batu, | Rembus, Kota Samarahan, Summer Mall, Aiman Mall, INTAN/SALCRA/UiTM, UNIMAS, Sarawak Heart Centre, La Promenade, Riveria, eMart, PPKS, Wisma Wan, Vivacity, Simpang Tiga, Swinburne, Jalan Tabuan, Jalan Central Timur, Police HQ, Hikmah Exchange, Jalan Hashim Jaafar, Medan Raya, Sarawak Stadium, Hospital Sarawak, Bandar Baru Samariang, Mara, Rampangi, Salak, Sg. Batu, Buntal, Santubong, Damai Central | 62.4 km, 25 stations. | |
| Serian Line | Serian to Senari via Siburan, | South Depot, Serian, Pasar Baki, Tapah, Beratok, Duranta, Siburan, Seratau, Beverly Park, JPJ, Kota Padawan, Everwin, Penrissen, Kuching Sentral, Kuching International Airport, BDC, Gala City, City One, Simpang Tiga, JPN, The Spring Shopping Mall, Chung Hua Middle School No. 3, Jalan Tun Razak, SMK Pending, Bintawa, Isthmus, Borneo Convention Centre Kuching, Demak Laut, Demak Laut Convention Centre, Senari Port, Bako, Muara Tebas, Deep Sea Port | 82 km, 25 stations. | |
| City Dispersal Line | Kuching City | Waterfront, UTC, Jalan Abell, Padungan, Padungan Central, Three Hills Park, Tanah Putih, Pending, Jalan Tun Salahudin, Darul Hana, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Medan Raya, Jalan Hashim Jaafar, Hikmah Exchange | 10.8 km, 13 stations. |
| Station Code | Working Name | Position | Local government | Interchange / Notes |
| Rembus (Provisional) | At-grade | MPKS | Rembus Depot, near to Kampung Rembus | |
| Universiti | Near to UNIMAS Pintu Timur, walking distance to The Summer Shopping Mall | |||
| Melaban | Connected with Aiman Mall | |||
| Sigitin | Near to Wisma SALCRA, Walking distance to UiTM Samarahan | |||
| UNIMAS | Elevated | |||
| Heart Centre | Walking distance to Sarawak Heart Centre | |||
| Riveria | Walking distance to La Promenade Mall | |||
| Stutong | MBKS | Near to The NorthBank by IBRACO | ||
| Wan Alwi | Near to Tabuan Jaya Police Complex | |||
| Viva | Connected with Vivacity Megamall | |||
| Simpang Tiga | Near to Wisma Persekutuan Public Carpark, Interchange station with Serian Line | |||
| Jalan Tabuan | Connected with The Spring Shopping Mall | |||
| Jalan Central Timur | DBKU | Near to Kuching Public Works Department | ||
| Jalan Badruddin | Connected with Sarawak General Hospital | |||
| Hikmah Exchange | Near to Padang Pasir, Hikmah Exchange |
| Station Code | Working Name | Position | Local government | Interchange / Notes | |
| Batu 12/JPJ | Elevated | MPPadawan | Batu 12 Depot | ||
| Kota Padawan | Near to 10th Mile Bazaar | ||||
| Penrissen | MPKS | Near to SMK Wira Penrissen | |||
| Kota Sentosa | MPPadawan | Near to Sentosa Parade | |||
| Kuching Sentral | MBKS | Connected with bus terminal | |||
| Connected to airport terminal | |||||
| Pelita Height | Near to RH Plaza | ||||
| Tun Jugah | Near to Emporium | ||||
| Near to Swinburne University | |||||
| Simpang Tiga | Near to Wisma Persekutuan Public Carpark, Interchange station with Samarahan Line | ||||
| Jalan Tun Razak | Near to Chung Hua Middle School No.3 | ||||
| Pending | Near to Puspakom | ||||
| Bintawa | Near to Bintawa Industrial Estate | ||||
| 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.[11] 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,[12] 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.[13] [14] The Premier of Sarawak, Abang Abdul Rahman Johari Abang Openg had initially promised to build the first Kuching ART soon to avoid rising costs,[15] with Chinese companies offering their expertise to collaborate in the construction.[16] 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.[17] 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.[18] 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.[19] As of April 2024, the overall progress of Phase 1 of the Kuching Urban Transportation System is now at 20.65% which includes consultation works, studies and physical works.[20]
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.[21] 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.[22] However, they are under halt station status and it is currently unknown whether these will be built alongside the opening of the Green Line in 2027.
| Line | Origin – Destination | Landmarks of nearby proposed stations | Distance & Stations | To be completed | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Line | Kota Samarahan to Hikmah Exchange | Rembus, Summer Mall, Aiman Mall, UiTM, SALCRA, Unimas, Sarawak Heart Centre, Riveria, La Promenade Shopping Mall, Stutong, Emart Matang, Wisma Wan, Vivacity Megamall, JPN Kuching, The Spring, Simpang Tiga, Swinburne Sarawak University, Batu Lintang, Kuching Paragon, Sarawak General Hospital, Kuching City Mosque, Hikmah Exchange | 27.6 km, 14 stations. | Phase 1: Q4 2025 Phase 2: Q4 2026 | |
| Red Line | Kuching Sentral to Pending | Kuching Sentral, Kuching International Airport, Pelita Height, RH Plaza, GalaCity, CityOne Simpang Tiga, JPN Kuching, Jalan Tun Razak, Pending | 12.3 km, 8 stations. | Q4 2026 | |
| Green Line | Pending to Damai Sentral | Pending, Bintawa, Darul Hana, Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Menara Pelita, Stadium Sarawak, Yayasan Sarawak, Bandar Baru Samariang, Sungai Batu, Santubong, Damai Sentral | 30 km, 14 stations. | Q4 2027 |
| Station Code | Working Name | Local government | Notes / Interchange |
| Blue Line Phase 1 (Q4 2025) | |||
| Rembus | MPKS | Provisional station. Rembus Depot, near to Kampung Rembus, SK (A) Ibnu Khaldun | |
| Universiti | Near to Taman Desa Ilmu, walking distance to Pintu Timur UNIMAS, The Summer Shopping Mall | ||
| Melaban | Connected with Aiman Mall | ||
| Sigitin | Connected with Wisma SALCRA, walking distance to INTAN | ||
| UNIMAS | Connected with UNIMAS Main Gate, walking distance to Everwin Centre | ||
| Sarawak Heart Centre | Walking distance to Sarawak Heart Centre, Eden-on-the-Park, Samarahan Country Club, future Interchange station with a future line | ||
| Riveria | Connected with La Promenade Mall | ||
| Blue Line Phase 2 (Q4 2026) | |||
| Stutong | MBKS | Connected with The Northbank, walking distance to Avona Residence, Tunku Putra - HELP International School | |
| Wan Alwi | Walking distance to Lodge International School, connected to Tabuan Jaya Police Housing Complex | ||
| Vivacity Mall | Connected with Vivacity Megamall, walking distance to Milan Square | ||
| Simpang Tiga | Walking distance to Wisma Persekutuan, Kenyalang Park Post Office, Interchange station with the Red Line | ||
| The Spring | Connected with The Spring Shopping Mall, ST3 Shopping Mall, Citadines Uplands Hotel, walking distance to Masjid Darul Ittihaad Kenyalang Park | ||
| Batu Lintang | DBKU | Walking distance to Kuching Public Works Department, Batu Lintang Food Court, Wisma Saberkas | |
| Sarawak General Hospital | Connected with Sarawak General Hospital, walking distance to SMK Green Road, future Interchange station with a future line | ||
| Hikmah Exchange | Connected with Hikmah Exchange, walking distance to Padang Pasir, Kuching City Mosque, Wisma Hopoh, future Interchange station with a future line | ||
| Station Code | Working Name | Local government | Notes / Interchange |
| MBKS | Connected with bus terminal, walking distance to Farley Shopping Mall, future Interchange station with a future line | ||
| Connected with airport terminal | |||
| Pelita Height | Connected with RH Plaza | ||
| Tun Jugah | Connected with Emporium, Premier 101 Plaza | ||
| Swinburne | Connected with Swinburne University of Technology Sarawak, walking distance to KWSP Kuching | ||
| Simpang Tiga | Walking distance to Wisma Persekutuan, Kenyalang Park Post Office, Interchange station with the Blue Line | ||
| Jalan Tun Razak | Near to Chung Hua Middle School No.3 | ||
| Pending | Near to Pending Industrial Estate, Interchange station with the Green Line |
| Station Code | Working Name | Local government | Notes / Interchange |
| Pending | MBKS | Near to Pending Industrial Estate, Interchange station with the Red Line | |
| Darul Hana | DBKU | Provisional station. Near to Masjid Darul Hana, Darul Hana Housing Complex | |
| Wisma Bapa Malaysia | Walking distance to Wisma Bapa Malaysia, Old Sarawak State Legislative Assembly | ||
| Menara Pelita | Walking distance to Pelita Tower, new Sarawak Premier Residence & Administrative Offices | ||
| Stadium | Connected with the Sarawak Sports Complex | ||
| Waterfront | Provisional station. | ||
| Yayasan Sarawak | Provisional station. Near to Yayasan Sarawak, MARDI, future Interchange station with a future line | ||
| Bandar Baru Samariang | Connected with Bandar Baru Samariang Commercial Centre | ||
| Pasir Panjang | Provisional station. Near to Department of Agriculture Research Station Rampangi, Mutiara Damai Housing Complex | ||
| Sungai Batu | Halt station. Sungai Batu Depot. Near to Sungai Bedaun Housing Complex | ||
| Cove 55 | Provisional station. Connected with Cove 55 Hotel | ||
| Santubong | Halt station. Near to Kampung Santubong | ||
| Damai Golf Course | Halt station. Near to Damai Golf & Country Club, Santubong National Park | ||
| Damai Sentral | Connected with Sarawak Cultural Village, walking distance to Damai Beach, Damai Lagoon Resort |