Train Tickets to JB from S’pore for CNY 2024 Have Already Sold Out

It’s not yet Christmas, but people are already thinking about Chinese New Year, despite the fact that it only occurs next February.

After the KTM Shuttle Tebrau began allowing tickets to be purchased six months in advance, the tickets to head to Malaysia for Chinese New Year 2024 were sold out in a day… in August 2023.

Kiasu?

Kiasu.

Train Tickets to JB from S’pore for CNY 2024 Have Already Sold Out

KTM recently announced a new ticket sales model, allowing passengers to purchase tickets six months in advance, a whole month earlier than the previous model.

This new system, which starts on the 30th of every month, kicked off with a bang on 30 August, offering tickets for the Chinese New Year period in February 2024.

This initiative aims to facilitate better planning for travellers, especially those eager to reunite with their families during the festive season.

The new ticketing model encompasses tickets for the KTM Shuttle Tebrau, the ETS dual-track electric train, and the KTM Intercity train, making it a breeze for passengers travelling between Singapore and Johor Bahru to secure their seats well in advance.

And you can guess what happened next.

A Festive Frenzy: Tickets Snapped Up for the Hottest Dates

According to Shin Min Daily News, the fervour for tickets reached its peak for the eve of Chinese New Year (9 February 2024) and the night before (8 February 2024), with all tickets to Johor Bahru being snapped up in less than a day.

It seems the early bird indeed catches the worm, or in this case, the train.

As of today (5 September), at least 37 train services to Johor Bahru have sold out, leaving only the earliest slots on 7 February 2024 available. With each train accommodating 320 passengers, this means over 11,000 tickets have flown off the virtual shelves.

Now, how about the return tickets?

As Singaporeans gear up for the public holidays from 10 February 2024 to 12 February 2024, the return tickets for the mornings of 12 February 2024 and 13 February 2024 have also sold out.

In case you’re wondering, the first day of Chinese New Year 2024 falls on a Saturday (10 February 2024).

According to the Ministry of Manpower, only the following Monday (12 February 2024) will be a designated public holiday. For the other day, it’ll depend on whether you work a 5.5-day workweek or a 5-day workweek, and your company will determine whether to give you a day off in lieu.

Why Chinese New Year is So Late in 2024

If you’re wondering why the Chinese New Year starts so late in 2024 when it started so early this year, it’s because for 2023, an extra month was added to the Lunar calendar (though technically, it’s the lunisolar calendar) as it is a Leap Year.

In 2023, we have two “Februaries”, which also explains why the Hungry Ghost Festival started so late this year.

If this is confusing, watch this video to the end instead: