# Merdeka MRT station

The Merdeka MRT station is a mass rapid transit (MRT) underground station in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is one of the stations of the Klang Valley Mass Rapid Transit (KVMRT) MRT Kajang Line, formerly known as Sungai Buloh–Kajang Line and serves as an interchange station with Plaza Rakyat LRT station for LRT Ampang and Sri Petaling lines. The station was opened on 17 July 2017 under Phase Two operations of the MRT line.
The station's name translates to "independence" in English and is taken from its location near the historic Stadium Merdeka (English: Independence Stadium), where the independence of the Federation of Malaya was declared on 31 August 1957, and the covered Stadium Negara (English: National Stadium). The station is located beneath Jalan Hang Jebat (formerly Jalan Davidson), adjacent to historical landmarks such as Stadium Negara, Stadium Merdeka, Merdeka 118 and the future 118 Mall.

## Nearby stations

The station is connected and integrated with the SP8 AG8 Plaza Rakyat LRT station via a 180-metre pedestrian linkway. The linkway connects the paid areas of both stations, thus allowing commuters to transfer between the MRT Kajang Line and the LRT Ampang & Sri Petaling Line.
The station is located about 600 metres and is within walking distance of the SP9 AG9  Hang Tuah LRT station and MR4 Hang Tuah monorail station.

## Station design
### Station features

As the underground station is near the historic Stadium Merdeka where Malaysia's first Prime Minister Tunku Abdul Rahman declared the independence of the Federation of Malaya from the British Empire on 31 August 1957, the theme "independence" was chosen for the interior design for this station.
The theme is manifested through several features such as a wall at the Upper Concourse Level bearing a relief of the Rukun Negara, the Malaysian national pledge. The ceiling above the escalator leading down from the Upper Concourse Level to the Lower Concourse Level bears a motif of the arms of the 14-pointed star on the flag of Malaysia.
At the Lower Concourse Level, each pillar bears the flag and emblem of each states of Malaysia.

### Station layout

| G | Street Level | Entrance A and Entrance B along Jalan Hang Jebat, Taxi and E-hailing Layby, Kiss and ride lay-by, escalators, lifts and staircases to Upper and Lower Concourse levels |
| B1 | MRT Upper Concourse | The Merdeka and Rukun Negara feature walls Future connection to the 118 Mall |
| B2 | MRT Lower Concourse | MRT Station Control, MRT Customer Service Office, Ticketing Machines and Fare gates. Entrance C, paid-to-paid walkway to the concourse level of Plaza Rakyat LRT station |
| B4 | MRT Platform Level | Platform 1: 9 Kajang towards SBK35 Kajang (→) |
| B4 | MRT Platform Level | Island platform, doors will open on the right |
| B4 | MRT Platform Level | Platform 2: 9 Kajang towards KG04 Kwasa Damansara (←) |

### Exit and entrances

The station can be accessed via two main entrances (Entrance A and Entrance B) located along Jalan Hang Jebat, as well as the paid-to-paid walkway from the Plaza Rakyat LRT station via Entrance C. Entrance A is located on the north side of Jalan Hang Jebat near the YWCA and Olympic Hotel while Entrance B is located on the south side near Stadium Negara and Merdeka 118. The station is located about 600 meters and is also within walking distance of the Hang Tuah LRT and monorail station connected with the Bukit Bintang City Centre (BBCC) development.
Kajang Line station :
| Entrance | Location | Destination |
| A | North side of Jalan Hang Jebat | Shoplots, Grand Olympic Hotel, YWCA KL (Young Women's Christian Association of Kuala Lumpur), Wisma OCM and SJK (C) Jalan Davidson |
| B | South side of Jalan Hang Jebat | Stadium Negara, Merdeka 118 Tower, Victoria Institution |
| C LRT-MRT Linkway | Underground at Lower Concourse level with escalator and travelator to elevated linkway | LRT MRT |
| D | Upper Concourse Level | Direct access to 118 Mall (future connection) |

## Around the station

The station is located near the Stadium Merdeka, currently being refurbished as part of the KL118 Tower project. Directly next to Entrance B of the station is Stadium Negara indoor stadium.
The 118-storey Merdeka 118 tower will be the tallest building in Malaysia and in Southeast Asia region once completed. It is currently under construction and will be integrated with the station in the future.
Bukit Bintang City Centre is also located nearby the station and is within walking distance through a linkage walkway.

## Bus services

Being in the city centre, MRT feeder buses do not operate from this station. However, it is adjacent to Pudu Sentral, a city bus station in Kuala Lumpur.

## Gallery
### Station

* Platforms of the Merdeka MRT station.
* Flags and emblems of Malaysian states on the pillars at the Lower Concourse Level of the station.
* Bench at the Platform Level of the station which was designed by student Chong Chin Sheng as part of a bench design competition.
* Entrance A of the station.
* The Declaration of Independence feature wall at the Upper Concourse Level of the station.

### Linkway to Plaza Rakyat LRT station

* View of the linkway heading towards the Merdeka MRT station.
* View of the linkway heading towards the Plaza Rakyat LRT station.
* Travelator at the linkway towards the Plaza Rakyat LRT station.