Plaza Rakyat LRT station
Plaza Rakyat LRT station is an elevated rapid transit station in central Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The station is on the common route of the Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line. (both lines originally known as STAR-LRT) The station was opened on 16 December 1996, as part of the first phase of the STAR-LRT system's opening, along with 13 adjoining stations along the Sultan Ismail to Ampang route.
AG8 SP8 Plaza Rakyat | |||||||||||||||
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| LRT station | |||||||||||||||
General information | |||||||||||||||
Other names | 人民广场 (Chinese) பல்சா ரக்யத் (Tamil) | ||||||||||||||
Location | Jalan Pudu 56000 WP Kuala Lumpur | ||||||||||||||
Coordinates | 3°8′40″N 101°42′5″E | ||||||||||||||
Owned by | Prasarana Malaysia | ||||||||||||||
Operated by | Rapid Rail | ||||||||||||||
Line(s) | 3 Ampang 4 Sri Petaling 9 Kajang via Merdeka | ||||||||||||||
Platforms | 2 side platforms | ||||||||||||||
Tracks | 2 | ||||||||||||||
Connections | Integrative station with KG17 Merdeka via a 180 metres paid-to-paid pedestrian walkway. | ||||||||||||||
Construction | |||||||||||||||
Structure type | Elevated | ||||||||||||||
Platform levels | 2 | ||||||||||||||
Parking | Not available | ||||||||||||||
Other information | |||||||||||||||
Station code | AG8 SP8 | ||||||||||||||
History | |||||||||||||||
Opened | 16 December 1996 | ||||||||||||||
Services | |||||||||||||||
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History
The station is named after and located at the rear of Plaza Rakyat, a large mixed-use development project that was stalled during the economic crisis in 1997. Due to its proximity with Plaza Rakyat as it was opened, the concourse level of the Plaza Rakyat station was originally intended to directly link the south side of the complex.
With Plaza Rakyat incomplete, a 150-metre-long covered pedestrian bridge and walkway was provided to connect the station to the south of the nearby Pudu Sentral bus station. Due to the suspension of the construction project, the pedestrian bridge continues to serve passengers entering and leaving the station until now.
The station is located near the site of the old Sultan Street railway station.
Connection to MRT Kajang Line
The Plaza Rakyat LRT station is an interchange station with Merdeka MRT station since 17 July 2017. It was initially meant to be only a connecting station without paid zone-to-paid zone integration, but a later update included paid zone-to-paid zone integration, where commuters do not need to tap out and purchase new tickets to transit to the other line. A covered and air-conditioned 180 metres pedestrian walkway was built, connecting the paid-area concourses of the two stations.
Station layout
The station was constructed in a significantly different style from a standard Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line station. Whereas a typical Ampang Line and Sri Petaling Line station consists of a dedicated structure of a similar style of white facades and roofs supported by latticework, the station is embedded into the Plaza Rakyat project, with thick, untreated concrete pillars and ceilings, and exposed pipes. Curved sheets were added and pillars were painted to soften the rough appearance of the station's interior.
The platforms of the station are linked via escalators and stairways to a single concourse area just below the rapid transit line, where tickets are purchased. There is lift facilities in this station.