| Style: | Rapid KL |
| Style2: | MRT1 |
| Merdeka | |
| Other Name: | Chinese: 默迪卡 Tamil: மெர்டேக்கா |
| Type: | MRT station |
| Address: | Jalan Hang Jebat, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. |
| Owned: | MRT Corp |
| Operator: | Rapid Rail |
| Line: | via via |
| Platform: | 1 island platform |
| Tracks: | 2 |
| Other: | Integrated station to via a 180 metres paid-to-paid pedestrian walkway. |
| Structure: | Underground |
| Parking: | Not available |
| Bicycle: | not available |
| Opened: | 17 July 2017 |
The Merdeka MRT station is a mass rapid transit (MRT) underground station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is one of the stations of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) MRT Kajang Line, formerly known as Sungai Buloh–Kajang Line and serves as an interchange station with Plaza Rakyat LRT station for LRT Ampang and Sri Petaling lines. The station was opened on 17 July 2017 under Phase Two operations of the MRT line.[1]
The station's name translates to "independence" in English and is taken from its location near the historic Stadium Merdeka (English: Independence Stadium), where the independence of the Federation of Malaya was declared on 31 August 1957, and the covered Stadium Negara (English: National Stadium). The station is located beneath Jalan Hang Jebat (formerly Jalan Davidson), adjacent to historical landmarks such as Stadium Negara, Stadium Merdeka, Merdeka 118 and the future 118 Mall.
The station is connected and integrated with the Plaza Rakyat LRT station via a 180-metre pedestrian linkway. The linkway connects the paid areas of both stations, thus allowing commuters to transfer between the MRT Kajang Line and the LRT Ampang & Sri Petaling Line.
The station is located about 600 metres and is within walking distance of the Hang Tuah LRT station and Hang Tuah monorail station.
As the underground station is near the historic Stadium Merdeka where Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declared the independence of the Federation of Malaya from the British Empire on 31 August 1957, the theme "independence" was chosen for the interior design for this station.
The theme is manifested through several features such as a wall at the Upper Concourse Level bearing a relief of the Rukun Negara, the Malaysian national pledge. The ceiling above the escalator leading down from the Upper Concourse Level to the Lower Concourse Level bears a motif of the arms of the 14-pointed star on the flag of Malaysia.[2] [3]
At the Lower Concourse Level, each pillar bears the flag and emblem of each states of Malaysia.
| G | Street Level | Entrance A and Entrance B along Jalan Hang Jebat, Taxi and E-hailing Layby, Kiss and ride lay-by, escalators, lifts and staircases to Upper and Lower Concourse levels |
| B1 | MRT Upper Concourse | The Merdeka and Rukun Negara feature wallsFuture connection to the 118 Mall |
| B2 | MRT Lower Concourse | MRT Station Control, MRT Customer Service Office, Ticketing Machines and Fare gates. Entrance C, paid-to-paid walkway to the concourse level of Plaza Rakyat LRT station |
| B4 | MRT Platform Level | Platform 1: towards Kajang (→) |
| Island platform, doors will open on the right | ||
| Platform 2: towards (←) |
The station can be accessed via two main entrances (Entrance A and Entrance B) located along Jalan Hang Jebat, as well as the paid-to-paid walkway from the Plaza Rakyat LRT station via Entrance C. Entrance A is located on the north side of Jalan Hang Jebat near the YWCA and Olympic Hotel while Entrance B is located on the south side near Stadium Negara and Merdeka 118. The station is located about 600 meters and is also within walking distance of the Hang Tuah LRT and monorail station connected with the Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) development.
| station | ||||
| Entrance | Location | Destination | Picture | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | North side of Jalan Hang Jebat | Shoplots, Grand Olympic Hotel, YWCA KL (Young Women's Christian Association of Kuala Lumpur), Wisma OCM and SJK (C) Jalan Davidson | ||
| B | South side of Jalan Hang Jebat | Stadium Negara, Merdeka 118 Tower, Victoria Institution | ||
| CLRT-MRT Linkway | Underground at Lower Concourse level with escalator and travelator to elevated linkway | LRT MRT | ||
| D | Upper Concourse Level | Direct access to 118 Mall (future connection) | ||
The station is located near the Stadium Merdeka, currently being refurbished as part of the KL118 Tower project. Directly next to Entrance B of the station is Stadium Negara indoor stadium.
The 118-storey Merdeka 118 tower will be the tallest building in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia region once completed. It is currently under construction and will be integrated with the station in the future.[4]
Bukit Bintang City Centre is also located nearby the station and is within walking distance through a linkage walkway.
Being in the city centre, MRT feeder buses do not operate from this station. However, it is adjacent to Pudu Sentral, a city bus station in Kuala Lumpur.