KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Rail Link Sdn Bhd (MRL) is targeting 1.4 million passengers annually for the East Coast Rail Link (ECRL) from next year, based on an initial load factor assumption of 60 per cent.

MRL chief executive officer Datuk Seri Darwis Abdul Razak said the company hoped to achieve a higher load factor, with 90 per cent being a more favourable outcome.

"For the initial operations of ECRL from 2027, our current assumption is a 60 per cent load factor. Hopefully, we can achieve more than that. If we can reach a 90 per cent load factor, that would be better," he told a press conference on ECRL fares today.

Asked whether the government would need to provide operating subsidies to maintain fares at the announced levels, Darwis said there was currently no subsidy for ECRL operations.