Penang is a very busy tourist island on the northwest coast of Malaysia. There are many nightclubs, fish markets, shops, cafes and restaurants. Penang Island is connected to the mainland by a bridge over 13 kilometers long. So it's very easy to get to the island, but you can also resort to the ferry crossing.
Most of the tourists who come to Malaysia and go to rest on the island come here from the capital of the country - Kuala Lumpur. Therefore, one of the most popular routes is Kuala Lumpur - Penang.
Also, being in the immediate vicinity of Thailand, vacationers in this country can come to Penang by land transport, get to know the country and have a great time here. Therefore, the second most popular route is Hat Yai - Penang.
Kuala Lumpur - Penang
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang by plane
From the capital of the country, Kuala Lumpur, you can fly to Penang by plane. There are over 10 flights on this service every day. Almost all flights from Kuala Lumpur to Penang are operated by the low-cost carrier AirAsia.
Departure takes place from Sepang Airport from the terminal for low-cost airlines. You can get to the terminal by bus that runs every half hour from the central station in the center of Kuala Lumpur. You can also take a taxi, which is better to order in advance. The taxi driver will arrive at your hotel and take you to air harbor for the amount of about 3000 rubles. You can order a taxi online .
If you flew to Kuala Lumpun at the same terminal from which you are departing, then great. If you arrive at the Sepang airport terminal, where national airlines carry out arrivals and departures, then you will have to get to the budget terminal by bus or taxi.
You can fly to Penang from Sepang Airport in Kuala Lumpur in less than 1 hour. The cost of the flight Kuala Lumpur - Penang is from 714 rubles, depending on how many days before the departure you redeem the ticket.
Departures are carried out from 07.15 am to 22.00. The flight to Kuala Lumpur is very short, so you do not need food on board, and drinks are sold for a fee and are not included in the ticket price.
By bus
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang by bus? Buses towards Penang depart from Bersepadu Terminal in Kuala Lumpur and arrive at Butterworth or Singai Nibong. You can leave by bus Kuala Lumpur - Penang at any time of the day and even at night. In total, there are over 24 flights per day.
Almost all flights are operated by Seasons Express and sometimes by KPB Express. You can also get there by ten-seater minibuses that leave from the same terminal.
Total time on the way Kuala Lumpur - Penang will take about 5 hours, and the cost of tickets starts from 400 rubles. From Butterworth, you need to take a ferry to the island.
On a ferryboat
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang by ferry? Ferries run every hour throughout the day. The first flight leaves Butterworth at 05.40 am and arrives at George Town in 15 minutes. The cost of the trip is about 25 rubles. Ferries are large and spacious. On both sides of the passenger compartment there are benches that can accommodate four adults. There are about ten such rows on the ferry in total.
By car
How to get to Penang from Kuala Lumpur by car? Regardless of where you are leaving, from the center of Kuala Lumpur or from the airport, you can rent a car and get to Penang on your own. The best way to rent a car is through a search engine. The system will allow you to find the required company and compare offers for different classes of cars. You can also rent a vehicle you like right on the site with substantial discounts.
After you have rented a car, you can go on a trip from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. You have to overcome over 350 km. The roads in Malaysia are very good, so you will definitely enjoy driving. It is best to leave Kuala Lumpur along the western bypass of the E35 or further north along the E1 road. Ultimately, it will be necessary to get on it, but within the city limits it has a secondary status and there can be a lot of traffic jams on it.
The E1 or AH2 (this is an international designation) will lead you directly to Penang Island if you keep moving north. Further, according to the signs, we turn left onto the E28 road or we reach Butterworth and also turn left onto the E36.
Hat Yai - Penang
If you are in Thailand, then the most ideal way to visit Malaysia is to go to Penang Island. Here you will not only relax and have plenty of fun in nightclubs, but also get to know the country, and it is considered one of the most highly developed in all of Asia.
The best starting point from Thailand can be considered the city of Hat Yai.
By minibus
Jolly Travel minibuses run from Hat Yai to Penang. These are ten-seater vehicles equipped with air conditioning. The total travel time is about 6 hours, including crossing the border. At the border, it is advisable to have return tickets and a voucher confirming that you are vacationing in Thailand. Don't forget your passport, money and bank cards.
Buses Hat Yai - Penang depart from Red Planet Hotel at 08.30, 11.30 and 14.30. Tickets cost 900 rubles. You can buy tickets for the Hat Yai - Penang route from Jolly Travel on the website, as well as read reviews of other travelers.
How to get to Penang from other cities? If you are planning a trip to Penang from other cities in Thailand, as well as other Asian countries, then it is best to go by plane to Kuala Lumpur, and from there by plane or bus to Penang.
From this article you will learn how to get to Penang from Kuala Lumpur, Cameron Highlands and Langkawi Island, as well as in the opposite direction from Penang 🙂 I already wrote about that, but most tourists who come to Malaysia on vacation arrive in Kuala Lumpur, and then get to other cities and islands.
If you want to visit several islands during your vacation and interesting places in Malaysia, it will be convenient to combine Kuala Lumpur,. The result is such a circular, stress-free route of a two-week journey, the starting and ending points of which will be Kuala Lumpur. Or, if you wish, from Penang or Langkawi you can then get to Thailand and continue your journey further across Thailand.
On the island of Penang there is international Airport Penang International Airport where flights from Malaysia and other Asian countries arrive. The island of Penang is connected to the mainland by the famous 13.5 km bridge, so there is a good bus service between Penang and other cities.
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang and back
By plane
Airlines fly from Kuala Lumpur to Penang: AirAsia, Malaysian Airlines, FireFly, MalindoAir (note that the last two airlines fly from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah airport, not from KLIA).
About twenty flights a day, flight time is about an hour. If you take tickets in advance, for example, from AirAsia, then you can get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang for just $ 7! (excluding the cost of travel to and from the airports).
Flights Kuala Lumpur - Penang can sometimes be bought for $ 7!
Air tickets Kuala Lumpur - Penang
By bus
Buses on the Kuala Lumpur - Penang route depart from the Pudu Sentral Terminal and KL Sentral bus stations every hour - half an hour from 7:00 am to 1:00 am. Travel time is about 5 hours, ticket price 45-50 ringgit (~ 10-12 dollars).
On the way back from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, a bus ticket can be bought both at the Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal and in the center of Georgetown, near the Komtar Tower. Near the entrance to the Perangin Mall, there are a number of ticket agencies selling tickets to anywhere in Malaysia 🙂
Near the Komtar bus station in the Perangin Mall building there are several ticket agencies for all directions 
Bus schedule from Penang By train
On the very island of Penang railway station no, but it is on the mainland in the city of Butterworth. Trains from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth run for 6 hours and are constantly late. Not far from the Butterworth railway station there is a ferry crossing to Penang. It takes about 20 minutes and the ferry arrives almost to the center of Georgetown, at Weld Quay Jetty. There you can also find a hotel nearby.
Ferry crossing (Jetty) on Penang island To tell the truth, this is not the most convenient way get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang. But suddenly, who wants to ride the Malaysian trains? 🙂 By the way, you can go by train to Thailand from Butterworth Station.
How to get to Penang from Cameron Highlands and back
If you come to Malaysia and are not spoiled by the tea plantations of Sri Lanka, or just want to plunge into the coolness, breathe in the mountain air, walk in the mountains, pick strawberries from the garden and buy tea, then go for a few days to.
Cameron Highlands tea plantations How to get to Cameron Highlands from Penang
Buses leave several times a day from the Perangin Mall (Komtar) in Penang. The schedule changes, but the main flights are at 8:00, 13:00 and 15:00. There are also flights at 7:30, 8:30 and 13:30. Find out the current schedule immediately before leaving for travel agencies in the city. Buses run through Ipoh, travel time to Tanah Rata 5 - 5.5 hours. The ticket price is 40 ringgit (~ $ 9).
How to get from Cameron Highlands to Penang
Buses from Cameron Highlands leave for Penang from information center at Cameron Highlands and from Tanah Rata Bus Terminal at 8:00, 9:00 and 14:00. Tickets can be bought at your hotel, then it is still possible to get a free transfer to the bus 🙂
Bus schedule from Cameron Highlands How to get to Penang from Langkawi and back
In my opinion, Penang Island is not very suitable for beach holiday, but the neighboring island of Langkawi is just right for a leisurely beach vacation, and is also a Duty Free zone.
I advise you to consider the option of combining the two Malaysian islands of Langkawi and Penang on your trip to Malaysia: visit Langkawi, swim in the ocean, visit, climb to the jungle, buy beer and other alcoholic drinks in Dyuti fries, and then move to Penang, stop in downtown Georgetown for sightseeing and must-see visits, and National park Penang.
I advise you to combine your visits to Langkawi and Penang. In the photo, the island of Langkawi How to get to Penang from Langkawi
On a straight boat - speedboat
There is a passenger boat from Langkawi to Penang three times a day (not a ferry, so you won't be able to drive a bike or a car).
Departure time from Langkawi to Penang: 10:30, 14:30, 17:15. Travel time is 2 hours 45 minutes. The cost of the boat Langkawi - Penang 60 ringgit + 8.10 port tax. Total 78 ringgit (~ $ 19).
By boat - bus - ferry
Not a fast track for those looking to save money, not time:
Boat Langkawi - Kuala Kedah every hour from 7:00 to 19:00, travel time 1 hour 45 minutes, cost 23 ringgit (~ 5.6 dollars).
Take a taxi to the Alor Setar bus station (I don't know the cost).
By bus from Alor Setar to Butterworth. Buses run every half hour, travel time 1.5 hours, fare 10 ringgit (~ $ 2.3).
By ferry from mainland to Penang: about 20 minutes, cost 1.2 ringgit (0.3 dollar).
In total, this dreary journey from Langkawi to Penang will cost 8-10 dollars and will take five hours.
By plane
Direct flights between Penang and Langkawi are operated by AirAsia and Malaysian Airlines. The flight time is only 35 minutes. The cost of a ticket is from $ 15, and for a promotion it can be up to $ 10 in general! Buy tickets in advance!
The flight from the island of Langkawi to Penang is very inexpensive and takes only 35 minutes Air tickets Langkawi - Penang
Penang - Langkawi: how to get there
Just do all the steps that are described above in reverse: by direct boat, by plane or via Butterworth - Alor Setar 🙂
Schedule of direct boats Penang - Langkawi: 8:15, 8:30, 14:00.
Schedule and cost of boats Penang - Langkawi Detailed article on how to get to Langkawi:
That's all I wanted to tell you about how to get to Penang. Have a nice rest!
Penang is very lively due to its many nightclubs and entertainment venues. Most of the hotels are located in the north of the island in the resort area of ​​Batu Ferringhi, where dozens of restaurants, shops, various shops, markets and night bazaars are open. There are also the most famous sandy beaches Penang is very popular with tourists. Only a few hotels are located a little further from this resort.
Jellyfish interfere with swimming in the coastal area of ​​Penang, so as an alternative to tourists are offered inexpensive half-day cruises to uninhabited islands with the cleanest beaches and clear water.
How to get to Penang
You can get to the island either by ferry from the town of Buttervoorch, or by land transport... Penang is connected to the mainland by a 13.5 km long bridge, which is considered one of the longest in Asia and the third longest in the world. Also, local flights from Kuala Lumpur fly to Penang (travel time - 50 minutes).
Search for flights to Kuala Lumpur (nearest airport to Penang)
A brief history of Penang
Once this island belonged to the Sultan of Kedah and was uninhabited until 1786, when the British East India Company decided to establish its trading post here. Since then, Penang has become the first British possession in what is now Malaysia. And in the same year the Englishman Francis Light founded the capital of the island - the city of Georgetown, naming it in honor of the English Emperor George III. The new owners of Penang immediately spotted a potential resort in this land overgrown with tropical jungle of betel nut palms, and several decades later the Sargsyan brothers opened the first hotels here.
Penang beaches
Notable is the golden Ferringhi Beach in Batu, which is located on the northern coast of the island. There are several luxury hotels here, offering all kinds of water sports and horseback riding.
The most famous beaches are Teluk Bahang ("bay of embers") on the western edge of the island, Tanjung Bungah ("overhanging cliffs") with giant reefs and lush vegetation and Telun Bahang with its secluded coves.
In total, the hotel base in Penang is about 25 hotels, 18 of which are five-star. The most popular are Casuarina Beach, Feringghi Beach, Shangri-La Golden Sands, Park Royal Holiday, Inn Penang Bayview Beach, Penang Parkroyal Resort.
Shopping and shops in Penang
For shopping it is better to go to the capital of the island - the city of Georgetown. There are many artisan and antiques shops in the Penang Road area. You can bargain with local street vendors at nearby Leboch Campbell Street. There are also many shops around Rope Walk and Love Lane. In search of antiques, it is better to go to the area of ​​Jalan-Masjid-Kapitan-Keling, Lebuh-Chulio and Lebuh-Pantai streets.
Chips for playing mahjong or Chinese name seals are considered interesting souvenirs from the island.
Weather in Penang
Average monthly temperature, ° C day and night, water
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
April
As in the rest of Malaysia, Penang does not show seasonal fluctuations in weather. Throughout the year, the temperature here is kept at around +23 ... 32 ° С, water +26 ... 28 ° С.
The rainy season lasts from May to September, so the best time for rest on the island - from October to March.
Guides in Penang
Popular hotels in Penang
Penang entertainment and attractions
Excursion Temples of Penang (25-30 USD): Temple of Serpents (and indeed, many of these reptiles, curled up in spirals, peacefully lie on the altar: local snakes are considered harmless, since they are intoxicated by the smell of constantly smoking incense), Kek-Lok-Si (“Temple of ten Thousand Buddhas ") and Wat Chayamangkalaram with the third largest statue of the reclining Buddha in the world (33 m).
Excursions to the butterfly park (3000 butterflies and more than 50 species of other insects), bird park (400 species of birds from all over the world, orchids, hibiscus and other tropical flowers) and Botanical Garden, each - 25-30 USD.
Prices on the page are for September 2018.
Other attractions: St. George Church in Georgetown, Sri Marimman Temple, famous for numerous statues of Indian deities, Khu Kongsi House and Mount Penang (830 meters, funicular), from where a beautiful panorama of the island opens up.
Attractions in the capital of the island - the city of Georgetown: Fort Cornwallis, the Little India quarter, the Khu Kongsi clan temple decorated with carvings and the Masjid Captain Kling Mosque. The Penang State Museum is also noteworthy, which houses an invaluable collection of historical photographs, documents, maps, paintings, antiques and antique furniture. It is also worth seeing the Chong Fat Jie Mansion, which features artfully crafted mosaics of animals from Chinese legends on the roof.
It is interesting to go jungle trekking in Teluk Bahang National Reserve.
It is believed that Georgetown, on Gurney Drive, serves some of the finest traditional Malaysian cuisine. For example, small kebabs-sat, flat fried noodles char-kue-tyao and "spring" rolls with popia vegetable filling.
Most come to the island of Penang (Pulau Pinang) only for a day - on a visaran, but in fact there is something to see on this oversized developed island.
Penang Island is part of the Malaysian state of the same name and is approximately half the size of Phuket in area, and almost twice as large in population (~ 750 thousand inhabitants). The island is connected to the mainland by the longest bridge in Asia, 13.5 km long. There is also an international airport on the island (code PEN, there is free wi-fi).
The island has rich history, for some time was an English colony. The population is about 40% Chinese and Malays, the rest is Indians. Multinationality is everywhere. The capital of the island is the city of George Town, in the historical part of which all backpackers usually stop.
First, I attach scans tourist card, it is done pretty well, all the sights are marked. By clicking, a large original will open, on which you can see everything: 
This is a map of the historic center of George Town: 
By the way, the Thai consulate is located. Not so far, but not accessible on foot. Guest houses usually have such a service: they will bring you to the consulate, help with filling out, and then on the same day they will take you for a ready-made passport with a visa. Guest houses also sell tickets to the Thai islands and other popular places.
Ringitis course.
Everything is very simple here: to roughly translate prices from Malay ringit to Thai baht or rubles, simply multiply by 10.
How to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang.
Buses to Penang run almost every half hour from both KL Sentral and Pudu Sentral (in Chinatown), take 4 hours and cost about 35 ringit. I do not highly recommend taking the last bus departing at 00:00. He comes to Penang at about 4-5 in the morning. The Sungai Nibong Bus Terminal is located in the center of the island between the airport and Georgetown. There is absolutely nothing to do there at night! All closed! And it is corny even there is no bench where you can sit and wait for the morning.
From Sungai Nibong you can get to the city either by taxi (for about 20 ringit), or by city bus: 102, 303, 401 (it will cost RM2).
Where to live in Penang.
The epicenter of the concentration of guesthouses in Penang is the intersection of Lebuh Chulia and Love Lane streets, there are 20-30 of them (see the map above). Most of the guesthouses are very inexpensive (20-40 ringit) and very poor quality. But you can find more or less decent places, I could recommend Red Inn, Red Inn Heritage or Old Penang on Love Lane, they are easy to find, the price will be 70-80 ringit. The Internet is almost everywhere, just be sure to ask if wi-fi works in the room. When looking for guest houses, I recommend using my old one.
If you are looking for something better, there are also more civilized and expensive hotels in the area. By the way, there are practically no Russian tourists, but there are a lot of Europeans.
Guest House Red Inn Heritage
I liked this guest very much! Cozy, clean, good stable wi-fi throughout and in the room too.
Cozy lobby with plush sofas for evening seating.
There is billiards for fun 🙂
Free tea / coffee / water always available.
And breakfast in the morning.
The rooms are different: large and small. Single-room with a fan costs 35 ringit (the window in the room opens onto the corridor and the rooms themselves are in the shade inside the courtyard, so the sun does not heat up and it is quite possible to do without an air conditioner). The same room, but with kondeem it will cost 45 ringit. Bathrooms and toilets on the floor. At the same time, everything is clean and there are really a lot of them! There was never a situation that I had to wait until she was free, although the guest house was full. There are also sinks and hair dryers everywhere.
Some photos of the area: 
There are a lot of small restaurants in the area: Chinese and Indian, you can easily eat for 3-5 ringit. Roti Hindus do, of course, simply divine, in total for the ringitis: 
It's convenient to go to this food court for dinner.
In the evening, it's nice to walk along the embankment in the northern part, next to the fort: 
There is nothing awful inside the fort, but you can go for 2 ringits: 
Transport in Penang.
Well developed on the island bus network from Rapid Penang. The buses are large and air-conditioned and the fare is 2.7 ringits. You can get to almost any point on the island.
One of the Jetty bus stations is located and is the terminus of many routes. From here you can get to the airport (over an hour). By the way, the list of bus routes is also on the tourist map attached at the beginning.
You also can rent a motorbike... The cost is 25-35 ringit per day, depending on the model. On long term of course you can bargain. You will be asked if you have a license, fill out the contract, leave a deposit (we left 200 ringit) and go! It is strange that everyone on the island wears helmets, unlike Thailand. Despite the fact that the traffic cops are not particularly visible on the roads.
The traffic is very active, there are a lot of cars, but in principle it is quite neat, no one is nervous or beeping. But I would not recommend starting to learn to drive here. The roads are quite good. 
Taxis are quite expensive here. You can also rent a bike.
If you have time, I recommend a ride to the northwest of the island. The road goes along the coast, first past the Pasof hotels: 
Then more or less pleasant beaches begin: 
But after looking at all the beaches, I did not want to get into the water anywhere. In general, Penang is not particularly suitable for swimming. 
Neighborhood with skyscrapers does not benefit the coastline: 
At the end western road abuts the Muka Head National Park. There are several routes-tracks, up to 5 kilometers long, although not all of them can be opened. The entrance to the park is free. The views are sometimes quite pleasant: 
But even there, if you look closely at the water, you will not want to swim. The paths in the park require good physical shape 😉
There are also quite a few monkeys living there, but they do not show any aggressive intentions.
I recommend not ending the trip with the park, but moving further west and then south along the island. The path there is very picturesque, it goes partly through the mountains and in some way even reminded of the recent one, the traffic is less busy. I advise you to take a ride.
On the way, you will meet a butterfly farm, a reservoir, a fruit farm, where you will be guided (for 29 ringit) through a hefty tropical garden, which contains numerous tropical and subtropical fruits. Naturally, you can taste freshly chilled fruit platter and freshly squeezed juices. On a hot day, sitting in the shade not on the top of a mountain is that itself 😉 
There will also be several view points and small waterfalls along the way. 
If you look at the map, you will see that driving further along the road, you will exit approximately in the center of the island. From there, you can easily drive back to historical Center George Town.
Locals live in some strange multi-storey shacks in sleeping areas: 
On the way, you can stop at Penang Hill. From this point, a funicular-trailer for 30 ringit takes you to the highest point of the island (about 820 meters). If you don't want to pay, then from a Chinese temple located on a nearby mountain, almost the same view of the island opens up: 
There are many more interesting sights on the island: a snake temple, a butterfly farm, a tropical spice garden, etc. Take the map in hand and explore!
Conclusions: Bustling, industrial, versatile, Penang is more about sightseeing, sightseeing, history, entertainment and shopping than a relaxing beach holiday.
Transport KL - how best to get to Kuala Lumpur along the most common tourist routes and get to Penang.
From Kuala Lumpur Airport to the city and from KL to Penang
New convenient routes have appeared. Carriers are trying to optimize their work, and I will help you navigate a little in this matter, since I myself know very well what it is like to be without preparation in an unfamiliar city. When you orient yourself at least a little, Kuala Lumpur becomes intuitive, because this city is still very convenient for both tourists and permanent residents. So, welcome to Malaysia!
How to get by plane from Kuala Lumpur to Penang
You can, of course, fly Air Asia from the LCCT low-cost terminal to the airport directly to Penang Island, especially if you are lucky with a sale or you are in a hurry. Sometimes cheap tickets from 49 ringit are sold a week or two before departure, sometimes for a date several months later. You need to watch. Now, for example, tickets from 49 ringits have been announced for the promotion, but only from 74 and above are on sale. The usual price for a flight from the capital to Penang ranges from 100 to 180 ringit. Plus 20-30 ringit for luggage, if you have one. Luggage is paid separately, as well as lunch. You can fly from KLIA by Malaysian Airlines, this is not a low-cost, I will not tell you how much the ticket will cost, but it is not difficult to find out on the Malaysian Airlines website. If you fly to Penang by plane, you will land in just 40-50 minutes at the cozy Penang airport, where the landing strip starts on the seashore, like in Hong Kong, Kota Kinabalu, and on many islands: it seems that you are landing right on the water.
The landing strip starts right offshore, between the green Penang Hills
You can fly to Penang not only from Kuala Lumpur, but also from other cities in Malaysia and other Asian countries, because the airport of Penang Island is international. There are regular direct flights from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Melbourne, Perth, Taipei, Seoul, Tokyo, Osaka, Medan, Jakarta and many other cities in Asia, it is a pity that Russia does not fly directly.
How to get in Kuala Lumpur from KLIA airport to train station and bus station
To go to Penang by bus or train, first you need to get from the airport to the Pudu Sentral bus station (or the old name Puduraya) or the KL Sentral railway station.
By bus
Buses from KLIA to the city and LCCT leave from the lower floor, but before the stop you have to go through the passage from the airport building itself to the adjacent building, if you make a wrong turn, you will find yourself in a cafe. You can go down by an elevator or an escalator, but the escalator is safer: at least you don’t slip through the required floor and go to the basement, where there is no transition. There are signs everywhere, and people will help you not to get lost. Buses from the international airport to Kuala Lumpur are divided into those that go to the KL Sentral railway station are Airport Coach buses, and those that go to the Pudu Sentral bus station are Star Shuttle buses. The Star Shuttle agents wear red and yellow uniforms, while the Couch Bass agents wear green uniforms. They will try to get you each one on their bus as well. But you must know exactly where you need to go: to the railway station or by car and, based on this, choose a bus. Star-Shuttle bus, bright, yellow-red with stars. He usually from the city first calls into KLIA, then to LCCT, and in the reverse order returns to the city. It travels from the airport to the city every 45 minutes from 6 a.m. to 2.30 a.m., travel time is an hour, although 1.15 is announced according to the schedule. You can see the schedule on their website. A ticket from KLIA to Pudu costs 10 ringit, and back, from Puduraya to the airport for some reason 12. Star Shuttle buses are the only ones that take not to the railway station, but directly to Pudu Central. Moreover, they usually land on the side of the bus station.
Despite the fact that the Star Shuttle runs every 45 minutes, they sometimes have gaps, apparently due to traffic jams or for technical reasons, I just got one and had to wait more than an hour. It takes a bus from the international airport to the city center a little over an hour, from a low-cost bus it turns out almost an hour and a half.
By train
In addition to buses to Kuala Lumpur, KLIA has a special "airport" train KLIA-Express (KLIA-Ekspres), which operates around the clock, the interval of movement is from 15 minutes during peak hours in the morning and in the evening to 30 minutes after midnight until the morning. The express train connects KLIA and the railway station, travels quickly and is relatively expensive - 35 ringit for adults and 15 ringit for a child ticket, travel time is only 28-30 minutes. If you choose by price, then four or even three of us are already more profitable to go from the city by taxi, and not by this train. But for the sake of experience, you can try, the train is wonderful and, apparently, is in demand.
How to get to Kuala Lumpur from LCCT airport to bus station or train station
The LCCT low-cost terminal is located further than usual, and from it you can get to the city on a special Air Asia bus - Skybus for 9 ringit, the terminus of the bus is KL Sentral. The Star Shuttle, which also calls into the LCCT, will take you to Puduraya. A ticket from LCCT to Pudu Central costs 8 ringit for an adult or a child over 7 years old, cheaper than from KLIA, competition so to speak.
The first bus from the Ayrazh terminal to the city leaves at 5.45 am, and the last one leaves at 2.15 am. On the way, according to the official schedule, it is an hour and a half, but in fact it arrives faster. Sometimes it can be delayed for 10-15 minutes. The final bus in the city, after the bus station - Batu 3, on the way can be dropped off at the required hotel, if he meets on the way. There is a special bus, which is a little more expensive, and takes you to the main hotels in the center, but it seems to run only from the main airport.
All bus stops are located next to each other. and not far from the exit from the airport building where you arrive. Going out into the street, you need to turn left and walk a little, there will be different buses and timetables.
Also, like from KLIA, you can get to the railway station by train, just first take a special shuttle bus to the Salak Tinggi railway station. A ticket will cost a total of 12.5 ringit.
How to get from KLIA to LCCT or vice versa in Kuala Lumpur (from one airport to another)
In Kuala Lumpur, it is easy enough to get from one airport to another. In KLIA, on the lower level there is a bus station, from where from platform 9 every 20 minutes from 4.30 am to midnight there is a shuttle bus to LCCT, it costs 1.5 ringits. To get to this bus station, first from the third level, where you arrive, you need to go down the elevator or escalator to the second level, go along the passage to the adjacent building and go down the escalator to the lowest level.
It is not difficult to find a stop at LCCT, there are no numerous levels, as in the huge KLIA. Everything is within walking distance there: and runway, and a bus stop. You can, of course, get there by taxi anywhere. including the neighboring airport. Taxis are ordered in a special window according to the official price list.
How to get from the bus station to the airport in Kuala Lumpur
To leave from Pudu Central to the airport, you need to stand with your back to the bus station and cross the road obliquely to the left, to shopping center Mydin, which is hard to miss by capital letters. There is a parking lot for taxi drivers, a bus stop and the main entrance to the Mydin store (by the way, a good supermarket, especially if you forgot to buy gifts for family and friends or food for the trip). At this stop from 4 am there is a man in a yellow-red "starshatlovskaya" uniform, selling tickets for the bus. The first bus arrives at 4.15. And do not believe the taxi drivers who will say that the bus is at 6 in the morning and you will be late without their almost gratuitous help on the plane.
At the stop, be more careful, the bus may be a little late, it may arrive a little earlier, it won't wait long, and if you leave for a minute, it may quickly leave and, if you have enough time, you will have to wait 45 minutes for the next one, otherwise , you will become the prey of taxi drivers who will take you anywhere with great joy. Olya and I managed to skip 2 buses, first she, then me, while we ran for a minute in Mydin. As a result, Olya almost missed the plane.
A taxi from the city to the international airport from Puduraya was offered to us for 70-100 ringits. They didn’t bargain cheaper. There is an official price for a taxi from the airport, it is paid at the box office and with the receipt received - to the taxi drivers. It costs more than 90 ringits.
How to get from the train station to the airport in Kuala Lumpur
From KL Sentral, the central station of the railway station, which can be reached by metro from any part of the city, and from where it is only five minutes by metro to the bus station, the airport can be reached by the KLIA-Ekspres train, 24 hours a day, for 35/15 ringit (for an adult / child). Travel interval: 20 minutes at normal times, 15 minutes at rush hours, 30 minutes at night. You can get to LCCT by the same train, only you need to get off earlier at the stop and transfer to the shuttle bus, which will take you to the airport. This route is called KLIA-Transit and costs 12.5 ringit.
You can get there for 8-10 ringit by bus. They leave from the bottom floor. The LCCT has an Airy Skybus, and the KLIA has an Airport Coach.
Discounts for children, unlike Star Shuttle. Airport Coach costs 10 ringits for adults, 9 - for children. If you take round-trip tickets, then 18 and 16 ringit respectively. Air Asia has a discount for those who pay for Skybus in advance, as well as those who pay for their luggage in advance.
There are also such buses, with a discount for children. Skybus competitors Aerobus.
Penang from Kuala Lumpur can be reached by bus or train.
How to get by train from Kuala Lumpur to Penang
Trains in Malaysia are more expensive than buses, run less frequently and last longer, are very comfortable, the safest of all land modes of transport, although very air-conditioned, according to those who traveled. In order to leave by train, you must first get from the airport to the KL Sentral railway station, and from there take tickets to Butterworth. Butterworth is located on the mainland next to Penang, and there is a ferry to the island every 20 minutes, the ferry is located next to the bus station and railway station. Tickets can be bought online on the KTM website, booked by email or by phone, and then redeemed no later than 2 hours before departure. We did not go by train from Kuala Lumpur, so we will not give details, but the price is about 1.5 times higher than the bus fare.
How to get by bus from Kuala Lumpur to Penang (Butterworth)
But the easiest way to get there is by bus. Buses run from Kuala Lumpur to Penang every hour, if not more often, there are several night routes. It is also more convenient to buy tickets to Butterworth, both in terms of time and money. It is faster and cheaper to travel to Butterworth, and from there it is easier to get to anywhere in Penang than from the bus station in Bukit Jambul on the island. The cost of the ticket Kuala Lumpur-Butterworth is 31-32 ringit, travel time is 4.5-5.5 hours, depending on stops and traffic jams in the city itself.
There were no discounts for children. Buses are all VIP: there are 3 seats in a row, wide, soft, folding. Some of the best in Southeast Asia, maybe sleepers in Vietnam are more comfortable, but riding in them is not so easy. Previously, we bought 2 seats for three - I and two children fit perfectly on 2 armchairs, but now we buy each a separate seat for the same price, since the children grew larger for Last year... By the way, the seats at the very end of the cabin are the noisiest, I came across an air conditioner over my head, which hummed like an airplane engine. Look carefully at the seat number. And the very first places are also not very good. Although Malaysian drivers drive carefully and automatically apply imaginary brakes, especially if you are driving your own car, you don't have to every minute, unlike Vietnam or Cambodia.
In general, when you have already arrived at Pudu Central, go inside and go up to the highest floor, there are ticket offices. On the way, you may be met by "helpers". They each work at their own ticket office. You can, of course, use their help to find the ticket office faster, but it is best to buy tickets from reliable companies. I never succeeded in doing this. As a result, I was then transferred from one bus to another, the flight was delayed for half an hour, the seat number was issued at the last moment, or changed at the end, and instead of the long-awaited number 13 in the middle of the cabin, it turned out to be number 33 in the very tail. In general, nothing too bad, given the general high level passenger traffic, which cannot be compared with either Russia or Indonesia. "Helpers" help all small firms to sell their tickets, but the buses, on average, are the same, only the names are different.
It is best to buy tickets at the box office of a Konsortium or Transnational - state-owned companies. And then there is a guarantee that you will take the bus with exactly that name, at the place and at the time that were promised. They are more punctual and without surprises. But the agents will most likely prevent you from even reaching the Konsortium checkout. So be persistent. By the way, small companies cannot even be seen on the screen showing the departure of buses. Therefore, you will have to find out the platform number at the ticket office an hour or two before departure, not earlier, as well as the bus number.
The platforms are located on the lowest floor. They are accessed by descents from the first floor, all numbered. There is no need to wait for the bus downstairs, because it is very stuffy there and there are a lot of buses, there is practically no fresh air.
I repeat, it is not worth buying a ticket directly to Penang: it is more expensive (38 ringit) and will not take you to a normal bus stop, such as Komtar or Jetty, but will bring you to the bus station in Bukit Dzhambul, no matter how you swear at the ticket office that they will take you to Komtar. If you arrive earlier than 6 a.m., then you will also have to pay 25 ringit for a taxi to the center, unlike Butterworth, where you just take the ferry and get there quickly and inexpensively. And you will drive almost an hour longer than to Butterworth. Moreover, all buses going to bus station at Bukit Jambul on Penang, an hour before they stop at Butterworth.
So, getting off the bus at the bus station in Butterworth, you should look around, send away all taxi drivers who will take you to the center of Penang (which is located on the other side of the strait) for 30-40-70 ringit and ask where is the Ferry (ferry - "ferry"). And he will be only 50-100 meters away from you. Follow the people up and to the right, there you will pay 1.2 ringit for an adult or 0.6 ringit for a child, small children are free, determine the age and size of the child by eye. Money can first be exchanged in a special window 2 meters from the turnstiles, into coins of 50-20-10 cents each, they are thrown into the turnstile, there are friendly controllers nearby who will help if something happens. The exit from the train station is also in the immediate vicinity of the ferry. You just need to climb the stairs and turn left.
The ferry arrives every 20 minutes and takes about 20 minutes to travel. The ferry arrives at Penang at a place called Jetty. There are both railway ticket offices and the departure point for many Rapid Penang buses throughout Penang.
How to get to Balik Pulau from Jetty in Penang
Penang is pretty big Island... It will take at least an hour by bus to get to various attractions, the national park, Bukit Bender hill, Kek-Lok-Si temple from the center.
To Balik Pulau, our paradise on Penang, where there are interesting fruit farms, there are buses 502 (1 hour and 3.4 ringits for an adult, 1.7 for a child) and 401, 401E (almost 2 hours, 4 ringits for an adult, 2 for a child over 7 years old, goes through the airport) ... The nearest inexpensive guesthouses can be reached in 5 minutes on foot from the Ferry or by negotiating with taxi drivers who are there and compare favorably with many taxis by the presence of a meter. But it’s not worth taking this taxi to remote areas, and even at rush hour, because Balik Pulau will cost 70 ringit before the same, and you will not feel any special advantages compared to a bus. All buses with Jetty go to Komtar, and after Komtar they spread throughout the city.
If you are going to ride the Rapid Penang buses, you should stock up on change money, because the driver is not obliged to give change, although sometimes he does. But sometimes he refuses, and then you either negotiate quickly with those who are behind you to change money (and for this, at least one foreign language will be needed, and preferably 2 at once - English and Bahasa), or you give your money without change ( well, if 5 or 10 ringit!), or go to change money and wait for the next bus. Some buses, by the way, run every half hour or even an hour.
