Getting there

Air

Kuala Lumpur International Airport is one of the best airports in the world, and dozens of airlines fly in and out of it. The Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) is just a few hundred metres from the main international airport terminal and is used by budget airlines. Although they’re close, it’s 20 minutes by bus between them, so make sure you check which terminal you’re using before setting out from central Kuala Lumpur to the airport.

Among the budget airlines flying in and out of KL are:
•    Air Asia
•    Tiger Airways
•    Dragon Air
•    Bangkok Airways
•    Cebu Pacific
•    Jetstar
•    Lion Air

Note, if you are flying with Malaysian Airlines from Kuala Lumpur you will be able to check in at KL Sentral train station. You can then get the KLIA Express to the airport, while your checked luggage will be transported for you by the airline from the station onto the plane.

Bus

Long-distance bus travel in Malaysia is much more comfortable than elsewhere in South-East Asia. Buses run from Kuala Lumpur to just about everywhere on peninsular Malaysia.

Train

Train is a great way of getting in and out of Kuala Lumpur, even though there are a limited number of routes. The main destinations are:
•    Tumpat (near the town of Kota Bharu) on the far north-east coast of peninsular Malaysia. Known as the “Jungle Railway”, this is a fantastic journey, best done during the day for fantastic views.
•    Singapore
•    Butterworth, the jumping off point for the resort island of Penang
•    Hat Yai, in southern Thailand.

Getting around

Train

The best way to get around Kuala Lumpur is by train. As well as commuter trains, there’s a handy monorail in the downtown area. This is not only a useful way of getting around town, it’s a tourist attraction in its own right!

Bus

Buses go all over Kuala Lumpur but probably won’t be the easiest to navigate, plus they can get caught in traffic.

Taxi

Kuala Lumpur taxis are reasonably cheap and a good option for getting around to catch an early morning/late night bus or train. But Kuala Lumpur’s streets can get very congested making getting around a hassle.

From central KL to the airport

To the Kuala Lumpur International Airport terminal

The best way, by far, to get between the Kuala Lumpur International Airport and central KL is the non-stop KLIA express. It takes less than half an hour to go from the airport to KL Sentral train station.
Buses are less than half the cost, but take double the time.

To the Kuala Lumpur Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT)

There are no trains to the LCCT. One option is to catch the KLIA Express to the main terminal then get one of the frequent shuttle buses to the LCCT.

Another option is to get a bus from central Kuala Lumpur to the LCCT. The easiest place to do this from is KL Sentral train station, and several bus companies operate this route.