Heading east for Deepavali? Concessionaire releases travel time advisory for KLK and LPT1

Heavy traffic is seen on the Karak Highway on April 13, 2024. — Picture by Hari Anggara

By Malay Mail

First Published: Thursday, 05 Nov 2026 10:14 AM MYT

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 5 — Highway concessionaire AFA PRIME Berhad has activated its Travel Time Advisory (TTA) for the Kuala Lumpur-Karak Highway (KLK) and the East Coast Expressway Phase 1 (LPT1) ahead of an anticipated holiday traffic surge for Deepavali.

The staggered travel schedule aims to ease bottlenecks across the arterial eastern corridor, particularly at the high-volume Gombak, Bentong, and Jabor toll plazas that link the Klang Valley to Pahang, Terengganu, and Kelantan.

Under its “Smart Travel” roadmap, the operator has segmented recommended departure windows by state destination to distribute traffic evenly across peak holiday dates.

For outbound journeys from Kuala Lumpur and Selangor on Saturday, Nov 7, motorists passing through the Gombak Toll Plaza are advised to stagger their departures according to their destination. Travellers heading to Kelantan are advised to start earliest, between 6.00am and 9.00am or from 5.00pm to 8.00pm. Motorists bound for Terengganu should depart between 9.00am and 12.00pm or from 8.00pm to 11.00pm, while those heading to Pahang are urged to enter the expressway between 12.00pm and 4.00pm or during the secondary 8.00pm to 11.00pm window.

For the return commute towards the Klang Valley on Monday, Nov 9, drivers originating from Pahang are encouraged to use any toll plaza between 7.00am and 10.00am or from 7.00pm to 11.00pm. Motorists returning from Terengganu through the Jabor Toll Plaza should target travel between 10.00am and 1.00pm or from 8.00pm to 10.00pm. Meanwhile, traffic heading back from Kelantan via the Bentong Toll Plaza is advised to move between 4.00pm and 8.00pm or during the late 9.00pm to midnight slot.

To maximise efficiency, motorists are also encouraged to take advantage of “Free Travel Hours” during the midnight to 6.00am off-peak window on both designated dates. Private car owners are specifically cautioned to avoid heavy express bus departure surges at the Gombak Toll Plaza, which peak between 9.30am and 12.00pm as well as between 9.30pm and midnight.

AFA PRIME managing director and chief executive officer Ahmad Faizi Latifi Ahmad Faiz reminded motorists to navigate cautiously through ongoing construction zones along the KLK, where active widening works are currently underway as part of the RM2.1 billion KLK Expansion project.

“We urge all road users to comply with the traffic instructions and signage at work zones, to reduce speed and to drive with extra care,” he said, adding that dedicated emergency response teams and patrol units will be deployed at strategic points along both expressways to provide rapid assistance.