Are ART trams a realistic solution to KL’s congestion problem?

The Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit offers a faster, cheaper middle-ground between buses and rail.

From Boo Jia Cher

For decades, Kuala Lumpur has tried to “solve” the congestion problem with bigger roads, more highways, and costly rail megaprojects.

Yet traffic keeps worsening: commuters lose 84 hours a year stuck in gridlock, and KL’s traffic jams cost the economy around RM20 billion annually, a figure likely higher in 2026 amid worsening congestion.

Rail investments like MRT and LRT are essential but slow, expensive, and limited in reach. They cannot cover every corridor fast enough to address today’s crisis. Buses remain vital, yet in mixed traffic, they are low-capacity, unreliable, and slow to board.

What KL lacks is a middle layer: transit with the capacity and reliability of rail but the flexibility and speed of buses. Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART), or “trackless trams”, fits that need perfectly.

A system built for efficiency

ART pairs dedicated lanes with high-capacity vehicles and fast boarding. One unit carries over 300 passengers, and frequent service moves thousands per hour, far outperforming car lanes. China’s ART systems have cut congestion by 20%.

Its real advantage over buses is dwell time: level boarding, multiple wide doors, and off-board fares let passengers board in seconds. In practice, ART functions more like a surface-level LRT than a conventional bus.

Economically realistic

ART isn’t just faster; it’s far cheaper than the congestion it helps to prevent. A 10km ART pilot on a major arterial road would cost roughly RM20 million to RM50 million to build, with annual operating costs of RM10 million to RM20 million.

By contrast, KL loses RM7 billion to RM20 billion yearly from traffic delays, fuel waste, and lost productivity. Even a 20% reduction in congestion would save billions, covering the system’s costs many times over within just a few years.

Put simply, ART is a fraction — roughly about 0.1% to 0.5% — of the congestion bill, making it fiscally realistic compared to rail megaprojects or doing nothing. Its high lane efficiency, rapid deployment, and revenue potential from fares promise a quick return on investment.

More suitable than traditional trams

At first glance, ART and modern trams deliver similar benefits: high-capacity, rail-like service at street level. But KL makes ART far more practical.

Traditional trams need rails, utility relocation, and major road reconstruction — costly and disruptive in already congested, poorly maintained corridors. Frequent roadworks, inconsistent drainage, and monsoon rains make rail even harder to install and maintain.

ART sidesteps these issues. Running on rubber tyres with sensor guidance, it uses existing roads with minimal disruption, and routes can be adjusted as the city evolves. It delivers tram-like capacity, comfort, and clarity without the cost or rigidity of fixed tracks.

Speed matters

The strongest case for ART isn’t just capacity, it’s speed. New rail lines in KL can take nearly a decade from planning to completion, often with years of disruptive construction. ART can be deployed within a few years.

No tracks, no viaducts, minimal utility relocation. It fits existing arterial roads like Jalan Ampang, Jalan Klang Lama, and Jalan Genting Klang — high-density, high-traffic corridors currently underserved by high-capacity transit. Instead of waiting, ART repurposes what’s already there.

Addressing criticisms

Some concerns about ART are valid but solvable:

• Road Wear: Reinforced concrete strips, used in Zhuzhou, China, reduce wear by 70% and cost far less than rail tracks. KL could get stronger, longer-lasting lanes with lower maintenance.
• Rain: Multiple guidance systems — optical, laser, magnetic — keep ART running even in heavy rain. Semi-autonomous operation still delivers most speed and capacity benefits.
• Lane Reallocation: One ART lane carries five times more people than a car lane. In Putrajaya, cameras keep bus lanes clear 90% of the time. Taking two of six lanes slightly slows cars but massively boosts people-moving capacity.

More than transport

Unlike elevated rail, ART runs at street level. Elevated structures often create dead, fragmented spaces beneath them. ART integrates with the street, boosting walkability, active frontages, and human-scale development.

Imagine Jalan Ampang transformed from chaotic car lots and sprawling setbacks into a vibrant boulevard of mid-rise shop-apartments and offices.

A practical rollout

Start with a pilot line on Old Klang Road: dedicate lanes, install level platforms, and integrate Touch ‘n Go with real-time apps. Expand if ridership exceeds 70%, density continues, and congestion persists. Technology exists; the system is feasible, but reclaiming road space is essential.

The real constraint

Reallocating road space is politically sensitive, but avoiding it guarantees stagnation. As long as policymakers favour private cars over high-capacity transit, congestion will worsen, no matter how many new highways or rail lines are built.

KL can scale ART quickly, delivering immediate relief instead of another decade of waiting. It’s been tested in Putrajaya (shelved due to cost) and is already in progress in Kuching and soon Johor Bahru. The technology exists. What remains is the political will.

Boo Jia Cher is an FMT reader.

The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.