Getting around
Kuala Lumpur to Penang: train, bus or flight
Three ways to make the longest overland leg on the west coast, and the short ferry that finishes all of them except the flight. For most people the train is the answer.
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Penang is an island, and George Town is on it. The railway stops at Butterworth on the mainland, which is why every overland option ends with a crossing — and why the airport, which is on the island, looks better on paper than it is in practice.
By train: the ETS
KTMB’s ETS runs from KL Sentral to Butterworth several times a day. The classes differ by how many stops they make: Express about 3 h 35 min, Platinum about 4 h 05 min, Gold about 4 h 20 min. Standard-class fares start at roughly RM 86, RM 78 and RM 60 respectively, and rise as the date gets closer — booking more than 30 days ahead is cheapest. With only a handful of trains a day, the bigger risk is a sold-out train, not the price.
At Butterworth, walk through to the ferry terminal beside the station. The crossing to Weld Quay in George Town takes 10 to 15 minutes, runs roughly every 20 to 30 minutes in the day, and costs RM 2 for an adult — by card or e-wallet only; the ferry no longer takes cash.
By bus
Intercity coaches leave TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) for Penang through the day, most terminating at Sungai Nibong on the island or at Penang Sentral in Butterworth. Allow around five hours; fares start around RM 35–50. It is the cheapest option and the least comfortable, and the expressway out of Kuala Lumpur decides how long it really takes.
By air
AirAsia, Malaysia Airlines and Batik Air fly from KLIA to Penang, and Firefly flies turboprops from Subang, the city airport. The flight is about an hour, and low-cost fares are often in the region of RM 60 one way when booked ahead. But KLIA is an hour from the city centre, and by the time you add the check-in buffer and the drive from Penang airport to George Town, the door-to-door time lands close to the train’s — with less of the country seen.
Flying makes sense when you are connecting straight from an international arrival at KLIA, or when the train you need is sold out.
By car
About 350 km on the North–South Expressway, roughly four to five hours depending on traffic, plus expressway tolls and RM 7 for the bridge onto the island. Worth it only if you are stopping on the way — Ipoh and the Cameron Highlands both sit just off this road.
- ETS Express to Butterworth
- About 3 h 35 min · from about RM 86
- ETS Platinum / Gold
- About 4 h 05 / 4 h 20 min · from about RM 78 / RM 60
- Butterworth to George Town ferry
- 10–15 min · RM 2 · cashless
- Bus from TBS
- Around 5 hours · from about RM 35–50
- Flight KLIA to Penang
- About 1 hour in the air · often from about RM 60
- Driving
- About 350 km · 4–5 hours
Common questions
What is the best way to get from Kuala Lumpur to Penang?
The ETS train from KL Sentral to Butterworth - about 3 h 35 min on Express - then the 10-to-15-minute ferry to George Town. Flying is quicker in the air but not door to door, because KLIA is an hour from the city; the bus is cheapest and takes around five hours.
How long is the train from Kuala Lumpur to Penang?
About 3 h 35 min on ETS Express, 4 h 05 min on Platinum and 4 h 20 min on Gold, from KL Sentral to Butterworth. Add the ferry across to George Town, 10 to 15 minutes.
How much is the train from KL to Penang?
Standard-class fares start at roughly RM 60 on Gold, RM 78 on Platinum and RM 86 on Express, one way. Fares rise closer to the date and at weekends; the Butterworth ferry is RM 2 more.
Does the train go to Penang island?
No. It stops at Butterworth on the mainland. The ferry terminal is next to the station and the crossing to George Town takes 10 to 15 minutes, paid by card or e-wallet.
Is the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Penang a good option?
It is the cheapest, from around RM 35 to 50, and takes around five hours from the TBS terminal to Sungai Nibong or Penang Sentral. The train is faster and more comfortable for not much more.
This page is the free part
Facts like these belong to everyone. What the guide adds is the sequence — 10 days in an order that never doubles back once it leaves Kuala Lumpur, 141 pages, 9 drawn maps.
- Why the ten-day route reaches Penang from Ipoh rather than from Kuala Lumpur, and what that saves
- The George Town walking route, drawn, for the afternoon you arrive
- Where to stay so the ferry is a walk, not a taxi
No email required for the preview.