17 July 2017:   MRT SBK Line Phase 2  is up and running With the opening of Phase 2 of the MRT Sungai Buloh-Kajang  (SBK) Line by Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib Razak on 17 July 2017, commuters can now enjoy a seamless journey between the two destinations instead of having to disembark at the final station of Phase 1, Semantan, and look for other travel options. The complete SBK Line stretches for 51 kilometres and covers several prominent areas in and around Kuala Lumpur. Among the new destinations in the heart of the city that is now reachable by the line thanks to Phase 2 the centre of Kuala Lumpur, such as the Golden Triangle and the old Chinatown quarter. “The launch is ahead of schedule and the entire project came under budget. Now it takes only takes 88 minutes to travel from Sungai Buloh and Kajang on the MRT, as opposed to an estimated two-and-a-half-hours by bus,” said Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib during the ceremony. “There is also a cost benefit, as taking in all the costs involved to make the trip by car – fuel, toll, maintenance, the MRT is a bargain at RM6.40 (RM5.50 via Touch ‘n Go. An environmental bonus also comes into the picture; the MRT reduces greenhouse gases to the tune of several hundred tonnes a year thanks to the cars it helps to keep off the roads.” Enabling travellers to save even more money, he also announced that a 50% discount will be applied on all MRT, LRT and monorail rides until Malaysia’s Independence Day on 31 August 2017. The new phase, between the Semantan to Kajang stations, includes a 9.5km underground and a 20.5km southern elevated sections, with seven underground stations.   The interchange stations under Phase 2 are Muzium Negara which is linked via a pedestrian walkway to KL Sentral Station;  Pasar Seni which has a paid-to-paid link with the Pasar Seni LRT Station (LRT Kelana Jaya Line);  Merdeka which has a paid-to-paid link with Plaza Rakyat LRT Station (LRT Ampang  Line); Maluri which has a paid-to-paid link with Maluri LRT Station (LRT Ampang Line); and Kajang where there is a common concourse with the Kajang KTM Station.  The Sungai Buloh Station also shares a common concourse with the Sungai Buloh KTM  Station and was opened last year under Phase 1 of the SBK Line.  A paid-to-paid link means that commuters do not need to exit any fare gates nor buy a  new ticket when transferring from the MRT to the other rail service or vice-versa. Seven park and ride facilities have also been opened at the Maluri, Taman Midah, Taman Suntex, Bandar Tun Hussein Onn, Bukit Dukung and Sungai Jernih Stations, as well as the one at Phileo Damansara Station.