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| Malaysia
Getting Around - Internal Travel |
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Note
During the main festivals particularly the Chinese New Year, Hari
Raya Pusa, and Hari Raya Haji, internal transportation is terribly hard except that travellers book the tickets long in advance. Domestic express
bus tickets go on sale up to 2 months before the festivals and will be sold
out in 1 or 2 weeks. Domestic flights are very tight during these
periods. For the exact festival dates, contact the Tourism Malaysia
office (see Contact section).
Air
Malaysia Airlines
(MH) serves most commercial airports in Peninsular Malaysia.
In also crisscrosses both Sabah and Sarawak and flies to Brunei.
Transmile Air has discounted domestic flights to Sabah
and Sarawak.
Domestic airports
Kuala Lumpur Subang (KUL) is 22 kilometres or 14 miles
west of the city. The previous major international airport
presently provides domestic flights. Most Malaysian states feature domestic
airports.
Departure tax: RM6.00.
Sea/River
Ferries frequently sail between Butterworth and Penang and a scheduled passenger service links Port Kelang with Sarawak
and Sabah. There are small river boats providing the most practical ways of
travelling around in East Malaysia. Even in towns they are the only
mean to reach the more peaceful settlements. Boats can easily be
hired while taxis and river buses are everywhere.
Rail
Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad or KTM) at Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin,
50621 Kuala Lumpur (telephone: (3) 2263 1422; email: passenger@ktmb.com.my;)
operates nearly 2,092 kilometres or 1,300 miles of line.
3 classes of train are available to choose from: the First
Class or De Luxe with upholstered seats, the Second Class or Eksekutif with padded
leather seats and the Third Class or Ekonomi with cushioned plastic
seats. The daytime ‘Express Rakyat’ fast train runs
from Singapore to Butterworth, and continues on to Thailand. The
Express trains are modern, and some offer sleeping berths and buffet
cars. Some trains have air-conditioning. East Malaysia has one line
known as the Jungle Railway. It is the major overland route for the
Taman Negara National Park and runs along the coast from Kota Kinabalu,
then inland up a steep jungle valley to the small town of Tenom.
There are 2 major lines operated for passenger service. One travels
along the west coast from Singapore and runs north to Kuala Lumpur
and Butterworth meeting the Thai railways at the border. The other
separates from the west coast line at the town of Gemas and travels
a northeastern route to Kota Bharu and Tenom. There is also rail
service to the seaports of Penang and Padang Besar on the west coast. The KTM Komuter, travels from Kuala Lumpur to Port Klang
(west), Rawang (north) and Seremban (south). There is no rail service
in Sarawak.
Cheap fares
Children below 4 travel free; ages 4 - 11 pay half fare. For more
details concerning discounted fares, contact Malayan Railway (see address
details above).
Special tickets
The Malayan Railway Pass sells tickets in 10 and 30-day
passes, providing unlimited travel on all trains through Peninsular
Malaysia and Singapore. These passes can be bought at the stations
in Butterworth, Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Padang Besar, Port Kelang,
Rantau Panjang, Wakaf Bharu and Singapore. Reservations must be
made in advance for first-class, air-conditioned trains and a supplement
is charged. Reservations can be made up to 3 months in advance at
the Director of Commerce, Malayan Railway, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin,
Kuala Lumpur. Enquire at Tourism Malaysia for further details.
Road
Driving is on the left. Most roads in the peninsular states are
paved and signs are clear and well placed. The north–south
highway that spans 890 kilometres or 553 miles from Bukit Kayu Hitam (on
the Kedah–Thailand border) to Johor Bahru is now fully open
since the Sultan opened the last stretch between Tapah and Gopeng.
The dual carriageway provides shorter travel times between towns.
Bus: The local bus networks are numerous. There
are about 1,000 routes with frequent service in and between all main
cities. Four-wheel-drive buses are available in the rural areas of Sabah
and Sarawak while Trishaw's operate in Penang and Malacca which are
quite cheap short journeys. Fares need to be agreed in advance.
Taxis: Normal and shared taxis are speedy means
for travelling from town to town, but there are delays when drivers get
passengers loaded before moving on. Remind drivers to turn their meters
on before starting the journey. There is a 50% surcharge
for fares between midnight - 6.00 am and an additional RM1.00 charged for taxis
reserved by phone. Taxi coupons for fixed fares to specific destinations
are available at the airport and at the Kuala Lumpur railway station.
Cars for charter are provided by several agencies. Some offer cars
on an unlimited mileage basis while cars with drivers are also available.
Documentation: An International Driving Licence
is needed. For United Kingdom
residents, a national driving permit is accepted,
but it must be authorised by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles in Malaysia.
Urban
Public transport in Kuala Lumpur is provided by buses, by ‘Bas
Mini’ fixed-route mini-buses, taxis and pedi-cabs (Trishaw's)
licensed by the Government. Bus fares vary, but the ‘Bas Mini’ have fixed rates. These are used for shorter trips and are fairly tight. The PUTRA Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a quick
way to travel around and links to the eastern and western suburbs of
Kuala Lumpur. Routes and times are shown in stations with an
LRT logo.
Travel times
The following journey times are estimated in hours and minutes
from Kuala Lumpur to other centres in Malaysia. |
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Air |
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Road |
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Rail |
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Ipoh |
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0.30 |
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2.00 |
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4.30 |
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Penang |
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0.45 |
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5.00 |
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9.30 |
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Alor
Setar |
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0.45 |
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7.00 |
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7.30 |
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Kuantan |
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0.35 |
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4.00 |
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Johor
Bahru |
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0.35 |
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3.00 |
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6.00 |
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Singapore |
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0.45 |
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6.00 |
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7.00 |
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