IPOH: THOSE planning to take the public transport back to their hometown this Hari Raya have better start planning for alternative modes of transport.
A Streets check at the Integrated Bus Terminal and Complex in Bandar Meru Raya recently found that tickets for the festive season have sold out for the East Coast while tickets are selling fast for northbound and southbound destinations.
Farah Azwani Mat Hassan, 23, who sells tickets for Transnasional and Plusliner, said tickets to the East Coast on July 25, 26 and 27 were sold out.
“Not many tickets for northbound and southbound destinations are available as well,” she said, adding that her counter started selling tickets for Hari Raya since the start of Ramadan.
S.P. Bumi ticket seller Norlida Ahmad Hassan, 22, said tickets for the East Coast for July 24, 25 and 26 had also sold out since it opened for sale at the start of Ramadan.
Maju Ekspres ticket seller Nor Hayati Hashim, 51, said tickets for all destinations are still available.
“Business has been slow for us this year,” she said, blaming on the relocation of the ticket counter from Medan Gopeng to Bandar Meru Raya as one of the main reasons.
Meanwhile, checks on the KTM electric train service (ETS) showed that tickets to Kuala Lumpur are still available.
A check on the KTM website found that tickets for inter-city coaches to Singapore and Tumpat, Kelantan, were also sold out.
Universiti Malaya undergraduate Zulduratul Ain Ahmad Shah, 20, said she was lucky to get an ETS ticket to go back to her hometown in Parit.
“I managed to get a ticket for July 25 at 9pm,” she said.
She, however, had to alight at Batu Gajah.
“I had to ask my uncle to come and fetch me from the station,” she added.