Take The Path Less Ordinary

Like many countries in South East Asia, cities, towns and hamlets in Malaysia were built and expanded gradually in tandem with population growth and economical needs, with very little thought set aside for planning. It’s like adding more rooms to an already cluttered house when the family gets bigger. The same goes for public transportation. Hence, after decades of blips and blunders, the connectivity of airport, rail, road and bus hubs today appears like a tangled mess.

And it is still evolving.

Which is why most vacation travel guide books have given up on keeping their pages up to date with Malaysian public transport how-tos and skimp that part. Simply put, selling contents with with short shelf life is bad for reputation and business. Transportation hoodoos change all the time. It’s natural for smart book publishers to give it a miss.

KL Sentral is nerve center that interfaces KLIA Transit, KLIA Ekspres, KTM Komuter, Rapid KL and KL Monorail rail services. Once you make it there, the rest of Kuala Lumpur becomes easy.

OK, assuming your drop zone in Malaysia is KL International Airport (KLIA), Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT Airport), Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (Subang Airport) or Seaport Klang, below is a diagram to help you get your bearings right ……

You’d see that KL Sentral is the center of frenzy. This is THE place you should ace first. We have broken down travel guide and direction for each drop zone for easy reading digestion. Find one that suits you ….

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)

Depending on your budget and arrival time, the cheapest way to get to KL Sentral is by bus. However, bus’s downside is limited luggage compartment. An average backpacker has no problem fitting in but if you are one of those who brings the whole house in your Samsonites for holiday, use the rail or taxi. There are two rail services, namely KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit, that run KLIA-KL Sentral trips. Between them, KLIA Ekspres only takes 30 mins to reach KL Sentral while KLIA Transit usually takes 45 mins because it makes pitstops in Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya, Cyberjaya and Bandar Tasil Selatan districts.

Remember, the last bus or train leaves at 1am. If you arrive in wee morning hours, taxi is your only option. For bus schedule and fare, see Skybus and Airport Coach. See KLIA’s building layout here.

Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) for Air Asia flights

LCCT and KLIA are neighbours - but there’s a catch. They use the same runways but passengers are funneled into different buildings, and these are linked by Jalan Pekeliling, a 18km trunk road that defies common sense. It’s crazy we know. See below Google map ….
View Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) - Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) in a larger map. Zoom out to see how far the airports are away from Kuala Lumpur city center.

No worries though, airports are slewed with buses and taxis that connect one to KLIA, LCCT and KL Sentral. At time of writing, KLIA-LCCT shuttle bus cost RM1.50 one way and the ride takes 15 mins. Taxi men usually charge RM20 for this route.

The busiest place award in KL Sentral should go to Air Asia ticketing kiosk. Counters are packed with eager travellers from dawn to dusk. Although buying tickets is just an internet click away that can be done at home or office, many illiterate travelers make their way to KL Sentral and rely on Air Asia’s staff help for bookings.

Sea Port Klang

Port Klang is the hotspot for luxury holiday cruise ships making a day stopover before proceeding north to Penang and Phuket. Most cruise ship work with tour agents operating in Port Klang to offer van tours to nearby Malay villages and Little India. If this is mundane for you, try this. Get a taxi and make your way to KTM Komuter station in Klang. From there, the KTM train will whiz you directly to KL Sentral. You will pass royal town Shah Alam. Look out for a beautiful blue-domed mosque. The journey takes about 1 hr. Once you touch down KL Sentral, winging interesting places in KL by city rail, taxi or bus is a piece of cake.

Subang Airport

The official name is Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport but it’s a mouthful. Locals prefer short and sweet name - Subang. This airport is a dedicated to flight departures and arrivals by Fire Flyz budget carrier. A taxi ride to KL inner city is about 30 mins during non-rush hours via Federal Highway. For rush hours, we prefer train rides. While everyone is making a beeline to get out of the city, you are travelling INTO the city - making it less traffic and faster. You can catch the train at Kelana Jaya which can be reached by a short 5-10 mins taxi ride from Subang Airport.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) Rail Station

This is a no brainer. Just catch a short 5 mins KTM Komuter ride and voila, you’re in KL Sentral. For KTM intercity train services, see KTM’s official website.

Terminal Putra and Puduraya Bus Station

There are two key bus hubs in KL. Each houses different bus companies and routes. The best is to find a bus service that ends in Puduraya because it is located right in the enclave of KL inner city. Terminal Putra is a wee bit outside KL and you need to spend extra for city rail service to reach KL Sentral en route KL city. Moreover, it’s nice to break your bus journey in Puduraya because it is just a 10 mins walk away from Petaling Street (Chinatown) and Central Market - just the kind of place to eat, stroll and see some interesting inner citylife. Putra wise, it is bare and sterile. The nearest train station to Puduraya is Plaza Rakyat, which is just a short hop away.

More good reads

We have drafted a concise diagram the strings all train links and stations for KL. Although it covers nitty gritty details, it is easy to digest. Read this article.