The actual travel times are likely to be higher due to traffic congestion or accidents. The sharpest buildup was seen on the east coast routes, with travel times rising steadily after midnight and remaining high throughout the morning. The ECE route first exceeded eight hours at 10pm on March 18, while the Central Spine Road crossed the same threshold at 8am on March 19. The longest trips were logged at 8am on March 19, when the Central Spine Road took eight hours and 15 minutes, and the ECE route reached eight hours and 35 minutes. Northbound traffic to Penang showed a more moderate increase, peaking at four hours and 42 minutes in the early hours of March 19, compared with a low of around three hours and 39 minutes.

Source: The Star March 20, 2026 03:04 UTC