Kuala Lumpur is the hub of transportation for Malaysia and is rapidly undergoing an infrastructure overhaul. KL’s new International Airport in Sepang opened in June 1998 and is the main international gateway for air travellers into the country. The new Kuala Lumpur Sentral Station is also due to open in early-2000 and is poised to become the nucleus of the country’s transportation needs integrating the bus, train, light rail transit (LRT) and air transportation systems - although at time of writing, the Express Rail Link (ERL) between the new airport and the City Air Terminal (CAT) to be located within KL Sentral had been delayed and is now due for completion in 2001.
By Air
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA)
The ultra-modern and architecturally impressive Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) at Sepang is located 50km south of Kuala Lumpur and comprises the main terminal building (MTB) and a satellite building which caters for international flights. A tracked transit system – the Aerotrain - shuttles passengers between the satellite building and the main terminal building in under two minutes. From here arriving passengers follow the arrival (ketibaan) signs which would take them downstairs to the arrivals duty-free shops and through to passport control and baggage reclaim. Information counters are available throughout the airport and there are plenty of maps and signboards should you lose your way.
Bureau de change kiosks can be tricky to find as they are located by the Aerotrain station at the satellite building before you get to the arrivals hall and should you miss them you may well end up having to proceed through to the exit and use the ones located upstairs on the main departures concourse. Malaysia Airports Berhad – the airport operator – is aware of this problem and has plans to relocate some of the kiosks to the arrivals hall itself. Other counters on exit into the arrivals hall currently house Tourism Malaysia, tour operators, major car rental companies and the Taxi-Limo service.
The cheapest means of getting into the city centre from KLIA involves both a bus and a train journey. From the bus station located at Block C at the Covered Car Park, board the bus bound for KTM-Komuter Nilai station (every 30 mins. RM2.50) and change on to the KTM-Komuter train (every 20-30 mins. RM4.50) service into Kuala Lumpur’s main railway station. Alternatively board the bus bound for Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah (SAAS) Airport (every 30 mins. RM6.30) and ask to be dropped off at the KTM-Komuter Subang station, from where the KTM-Komuter train (every 15-30 mins. RM1.40) also runs into the main railway station. The more convenient Express-Bus company (03-782-7060) offers two bus services into KL, the Luxury Coach (every 15 mins.) costs RM25 one-way, whilst the Semi-Luxury Coach (hourly) costs RM18 one-way. Both coaches depart from the same bus station found at Block C of the Covered Car Park. Currently these buses operate into the temporary bus terminal at Hentian Duta (Duta Terminal) located on the western edge of the city until the completion of KL Sentral.
Airport Limos (1-800-880-737) provide the fastest and most convenient service to all parts of KL and the Klang Valley and have two levels of service available. The 'Budget' service provides an air-conditioned Proton Wira (Ford Escort/4-door Compact size) for you to reach your destination whilst the 'Premier' service allows you to board the larger Proton Perdana or request an MPV (Multiple-Passenger Vehicle) should there be more of you. A pre-paid ticket HAS to be purchased first at the 'Taxi-Limo' counters located at the arrivals hall (ensuring that fixed fares are used) and is presented to the driver once in the car. Fares are zone-based and average about RM57 to Petaling Jaya, RM70 to KL and include all highway toll-fees and excess charges. Local city taxis are unlicensed for the route from KLIA into the city but unfortunately touts do exist from time to time and are generally best avoided.
Information from KTM-Malaysian Railway for KLIA transfers here
Arriving at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International - Subang Airport
Some of you (those wise ones amongst us) may still be using the former gateway into Malaysia - the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah International Airport located at Subang- which is only 14 miles or 23 km from the city centre. However due to restrictions - the only international flights that operate into SAAS (coded SZB) are from Pekanbaru, Padang and Palembang in Sumatra. Nevertheless, here is some useful information should you need it - as SAAS is still the first choice for domestic services - due to its convenience.
By train, bus, taxi
Kuala Lumpur’s main railway station is located on Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, just a stone’s throw from Chinatown. There’s a tourist information office (daily 0800-2000) located here and an accommodation booking service around the back of the station. City taxis also run from the rear of the station, where a pre-paid zone-based ticket has to be purchased first from the taxi booth and presented to the driver – ensuring unassumming visitors that fixed fares are used.
Most long-distance buses currently arrive at the Pudu Raya bus station, a 1970s concrete relic which will soon be torn down to make way for new development. Although it may seem rather chaotic, Pudu Raya is surprisingly efficient with hundreds of buses arriving and departing throughout the day and night, amongst the bustling traffic around this infamously busy roundabout. Ticket offices are located on the first floor with the Ekspres Nasional and TransNasional bus companies using the counters in the central area whilst the smaller bus companies are generally divided into sections grouped by the destinations they serve. The buses themselves depart from the basement whilst arriving passengers may either find themselves alighting here or outside the bus station. Facilities at Pudu Raya include a left-luggage area, a post-office near the ticket counters, toilets and variety of food-stalls - although the latter two are probably best used only in desperation. Long-distance taxis also arrive at Pudu Raya on the second floor.
Other bus terminals you may find yourself arriving in are the Putra Bus Station, Pekeliling Bus Station and the Klang bus Station. Some bus companies from the East Coast arrive at the Putra Bus Station, a more modern terminal located adjacent to the Putra World Trade Centre to the northwest of the city. From here, you may refresh yourself at the Mall shopping centre across the street before heading on to one of the many budget hotels located around Jalan Raja Laut or Chow Kit. Numerous city (IntraKota) buses (10,12,33,46,333 are some of them) ply the route south to Chinatown from this area. Pekeliling Bus Station is located near the Putra Bus Station and caters mainly to buses arriving from Kuantan and the interiors of the peninsula. Klang bus station on Jalan Sultan Mohammad right in the heart of Chinatown, as its name implies caters mainly to buses plying routes from the western port of Klang (where ferries from Belawan, Sumatra arrive). From here it is just a short walk to Central Market and the main railway station.
Useful Links
Malaysia Airports Berhad
Updated Information for Getting to/from KLIA
Road Map of KLIA
KTM - Malaysian Railway's Website
Road distances in Malaysia
