What’s the Best Way to Travel from Kuala Lumpur to Penang and Back

Let’s be more exact. What’s the best, quickest, most affordable, or cheapest yet most comfortable way to travel from Kuala Lumpur to the island of Penang? And back.

Yeah, I know. That one sentence has a lot to unpack, especially if this is your first trip to Malaysia.

Lucky for you I got the answers.

So here’s the lowdown from my recent travel experience in amazing Malaysia!

Trains, Planes, and Automobiles – Which is Cheaper?

To do research for this blog post I searched on Google with this term “What’s the best and cheapest way to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Penang”? And I’m going to discount car rental cause most travelers don’t go that route.

So one would think buses and trains are the answers. Traditionally both modes of transport are the most efficient and budget friendly. That’s what all the search results and other fellow travel bloggers say.

Well, you might be in for a shocker on this one. This is what I found out.

Depending on the time of the year, round-trip flights from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to Penang International Airport (PEN) are cheaper.

I know right? I was shocked too!

Flying is Faster and… Cheaper???

From Air Asia, I randomly selected March 18th – 24th, both evening flights, $23 USD!!!

No doubt, flying is the fastest. Comfort is debatable cause it’s only one hour flight. But $23.24 from Airasia.com for a round trip plane ticket. Your bank account definitely won’t complain.

This is cheaper than a train fare. And about the same price as a bus! And if you’re still on the time and money saving path, riding a public bus from Penang Airport to Georgetown is a one hour journey.

That beats taking a train and bus from Kuala Lumpur by a lot.

And you will be shocked by the price comparison between my bus and train fare.

Pros

  • One hour flight duration
  • Toilets
  • One hour flight duration (it’s worth mentioning twice)

Cons

  • Uncomfortable seats and cramped legroom
  • Delayed flights due to weather or mechanical etc.
  • Most likely packed with passengers due to airfare price

Why Choose the Train or Bus Then?

That said, there could be a myriad of reasons why you prefer the train or bus. The major one is you want to stop over in Ipoh. Or some other province along the way.

Perhaps one day airlines woke up and finally realized they were charging too cheap for flights to Penang from KL.

In any case, this is what it’s like for those wondering what it’s like to take a train or bus in Malaysia.

I made a trip to Penang by bus at KL Sentral first. For the return trip to KL Sentral, I rode the KTM Komuter Express train.

Make sure the bus states the destination route

The Bus – KL Sentral Station to Penang Sentral Station

I booked a bus ticket online with the tour operator Aerobus. An adult fare is 40RM, so about $9. The bus seats 30 people. I like that the left side of the bus is lined with single seats. The other side has two rows of seats.

Since I was traveling all by my lonesome I reserved a single seat. Bus seats have plenty of width for hefty boys like me. There’s a lot of room to stretch my legs out.

Aerobus -KL Sentral to Penang Sentral (Butterworth)

Just want to point out that at KL Sentral, the waiting area for buses to Penang Sentral is not marked. Buses heading to Penang Sentral stop near the exit for buses. I highly recommend you ask people around the bus ticket booths where you should be waiting, just in case the waiting area changes.

I picked an afternoon departure time to avoid the morning and evening rush hour. Traffic in Kuala Lumpur gets bad, so expect your bus to be late during peak hours. My bus arrived right on time and departed on time.

Show your bus ticket to the driver or company employee, and they’ll check you in, right by the bus door. You get a chance to choose your seats when you purchase tickets online. So every seat is assigned.

It’s a 30-seater, and I think the bus was only 85% full when it left KL Sentral. Bear in mind that the bus stops at Terminal Meru Raya (Terminal Amanjaya) if you want to explore Ipoh, a popular city almost halfway between KL and Penang. This is also where passengers traveling to Penang hop on too.

Travel time is about four hours and thirty minutes. There is a USB charge port to power up your devices. During certain parts of the bus route, the cell signal is weak, but not for long. So, download your favorite shows to avoid disruptions. Supposedly, there’s Wi-Fi internet access onboard, but I don’t think it’s reliable.

I gotta admit. The bus seats were comfortable. It had a good reclining angle. The cushion was quite thick, with back support, so my ass wasn’t hurting. I pretty much slept the entire time.

When I was awake, I saw the beautiful countryside. I didn’t realize Malaysia was full of mountains. There was one restroom break that I didn’t use.

As mentioned before, a one-stop quick stop at Terminal Meru Raya (Terminal Amanjaya) in Ipoh to drop off and pick up passengers for the next destination, Penang Sentral in Butterworth.

Last tip on riding the bus. Make sure you have a light jacket or sweater handy. It gets chilly inside from the air conditioning.

Pros

  • Very comfortable seats, plenty of legroom
  • Not crowded
  • Good countryside view

Cons

  • 4 – 5 hour travel time
  • Late departure time due to traffic
  • Possible breakdown in the middle of the road
  • No bathroom on the bus. But there’s one stop on the highway for a toilet break.

The Train – Penang Train Station to KL Sentral

Butterworth Railway Station is where you go to catch the KTM Komuter Line. This railway station is conveniently located near Penang Sentral and Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim (PSAH) ferry terminal on Malaysia’s mainland. All are just a short walking distance, with direction signs marked. Not easy to get lost.

  • Platinum: Platinum trains are the quickest because they only stop at the main stations. They also tend to run at the most popular times of day. 
  • Gold: Gold trains are a little slower than Platinum because they stop at more stations. 
  • Express: Express trains have fewer limited stops than Gold. 
  • Silver: Silver trains stop at all stations, so they take slightly longer than Gold and Platinum. 

I purchased an Express ticket for 97RM that’s $21.84 USD one way! Travel time is about three hours, thirty minutes to four hours. There were stops in between I can’t recall how many but it wasn’t a lot.

You can buy tickets online https://www.ktmb.com.my/ or purchase tickets at the kiosk. There are friendly station workers to assist you all the way. I purchased my tickets online because I wanted to book a forward-seat chair.

I will get motion sickness if my seat is facing the opposite direction of where the train is headed. So if that’s you too, book online ahead of time. Train tickets are released three to four weeks in advance.

I booked one week before the departure date. By then there weren’t many seats available. Trains get filled up to capacity, especially on weekends and holidays. And to be honest, I kinda felt claustrophobic. There are toilets in every car, so that’s always a plus.

You are allowed into the station waiting area one hour before the train’s scheduled departure. Overall I say train travel is more organized than bus though. To enter scan the bar code on your ticket.

The waiting area is small considering the number of people waiting to board. There is only one elevator to go down to the tracks so you have that option if you’re carrying lots of bags. So get ready to wait, the elevator is not too big. Otherwise, it’s the stairs.

And there were many passengers so good thing you can choose seats.

There is an electrical charge port right below the seat. A fold down table to enjoy a meal you bought outside or from the train’s concession stand. But for me, the countryside view on the train wasn’t as good as the scenic route on the bus. Keep your ticket out for a little while as the train conductor will come in to check.

To me, the seat cushion felt thin. I found myself shifting my weight so my buttcheeks didn’t get sore. I couldn’t wait to get off the train by the third hour, to be honest. There is room to stretch your legs. But I felt no back support on the seat.

The train was cool but it wasn’t as cold as the bus. I guess that there were way more passengers on the train.

Pros

  • On time arrival and departure
  • Toilets in every train car
  • Purchase food and snacks on the train

Cons

  • Uncomfortable seats (at least for me)
  • Many people on the train, and space felt tight (I’m a big guy)
  • 4 hour travel time

What’s the Verdict?

It’s a no brainer. Flying is the best way to travel to Penang fast. Pricewise, plane tickets are about the same if not slightly cheaper than train fares during non-peak travel dates. I searched on AirAsia.com, and I couldn’t believe flights were $12 USD to $20 USD one way.

Flight duration is one hour. Add another hour to travel by public bus from Penang International Airport to Georgetown so the total is around two hours. And in the comforts of your hotel room!

Even if your round trip airfare costs $10 USD – $20 USD more than the round trip train fare, don’t you think it’s still worth it?

Train or Bus?

Between traveling by train or bus, I prefer the bus. Even though the fastest train service, which is Platinum takes four hours to travel from Butterworth Rail Station to KL Sentral.

It’s still not much faster than the bus in my book. And I prefer the spaciousness of bus travel.

But I can see some may not like the bus because the bus could break down in the middle of the road. Getting stranded in the middle of nowhere sucks. Also, there’s only one bathroom break at a rest stop by the highway. And getting stuck in traffic sucks.

Here’s what I would do. If you do not mind flying, check prices for plane tickets first. If you are not in a hurry to Penang or Kuala Lumpur, take the bus. For me, riding the train is the last option. But that’s just me.

MORE MALAYSIA TRAVEL INFORMATION

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TheWayfaringSoul.com is an online travel guide to Asia. Written by Warren, a native New Yorker and long-term resident in Thailand.

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