ON THE GO
Warning
During the most important holidays and festivities (especially Hari Raya Pusa, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Haji) the traffic connections in the country are very congested. At these times it is advisable to book well in advance.
Overview
During the most important holidays and festivities (especially Hari Raya Pusa, Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Haji) the traffic connections in the country are very congested. At these times it is advisable to book well in advance.
Traveling by plane
According to youremailverifier, Malaysia Airlines Berhad (MAB) flies to several airports on the Malay Peninsula. In East Malaysia, MH flies to Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei. Further information from Malaysia Airlines Berhad (Internet: www.de.malaysiaairlines.com).
Air Asia (AK) (Internet: www.airasia.com), Berjaya Air (J8) (Internet: www.berjaya-air.com) and Sabah Air (Internet: www.sabahair.com.my) also fly popular destinations in Domestic.
Note on air travel
Airport fees : MYR 6.
Air passes
The Discover Malaysia Pass of Malaysia Airlines has 28 days from issuing valid and entitled to up to three domestic flights.
On the way by car / bus
Car: Most of the roads on the peninsula are paved and clearly signposted; the Malaysian road network is among the best in Southeast Asia. The largest trunk road runs along the west coast to the border with Thailand. In Kuala Lumpur and other cities, cars are only allowed to park in parking lots, a fee is charged and a receipt is issued.
A toll for motorways is also levied. There are few roads in East Malaysia, so you can get around faster by boat or plane.
Petrol is much cheaper than in Western Europe.
The Automobile Association of Malaysia (AAM) (Internet: www.aam.org.my) is the national motorists association with breakdown service. Tourists who belong to an association that cooperates with the AAM enjoy the advantages of temporary membership.
Long Distance Bus : There is a wide variety of buses and bus routes that connect Kuala Lumpur with the whole country. Both with and without air conditioning, they run regularly at low fares that depend on the distance.
The main provider of coach connections is Transnasional (Internet: http://www.transnasional.com.my/).
Minibuses operate in the larger cities. They have a fixed fare.
Taxisand shared taxis are usually fast and reliable, but shared taxis do not leave until they have enough passengers. When it comes to long distances, the “Interstate Taxis” are the right choice for the thrifty traveler. These taxis are located on level 2 of the Pudu Raya bus terminal in Kuala Lumpur and go from there to all regions. The prices are fixed. Between 00.00-06.00 a surcharge of 50% will be charged; if a taxi is ordered by telephone, an additional fee will be charged. Taxi coupons, which offer fixed prices for specific routes, can be purchased at the Kuala Lumpur train station and the airport.
Rental car:Various companies offer rental cars everywhere, some with a mileage allowance, even with a chauffeur. The hotel, the airline or the yellow pages provide comprehensive information.
Documentation: International driver’s license is required.
Traffic regulations:
left-hand traffic.
Seat belts for the driver and front passenger are mandatory.
Speed limits:
urban: 60 km / h;
on country roads: 90 km / h;
on motorways: 110 km / h.
Traveling in the city
In Kuala Lumpur there are buses and Bas Mini (minibuses), the latter are used for short trips and are usually overcrowded.
There are also taxis and trischaws. Taxis are easy to spot in Kuala Lumpur. They are yellow or black, newer ones now also red and white. The prices amount to a basic fee including the first two kilometers and a fee for each additional kilometer. Air-conditioned taxis usually don’t cost anything extra, with a 50% night surcharge from midnight to 6:00 a.m. Trishaws (a type of rickshaw) are inexpensive means of transport for short distances. The fare should be agreed in advance.
The prices for Buses are different, Bas-Mini prices are the same.
Rail: The Light Rail Transit (LRT) (Internet: www.rapidkl.com.my), Kuala Lumpur’s rapid transit network, runs within the city and offers fast connections to the suburbs. In addition, KTM commuter trains run on two routes from
Sentul to Port Kelang and from Rawang to Seremban. The KL Monorail connects Titiwangsa in the north with a stop near Kuala Lumpur’s Sentral Station and also runs to major cities in the Golden Triangle.
On the go by train
The route network of Malayan Railways (KTM) (Internet: www.ktmb.com.my) covers a total of over 2000 km. There are three train classes: Deluxe or 1st class (with upholstered seats), Eksekutif or 2nd class (leather seats), Ekonomi or 3rd class (plastic seats).
The fast Express Rakyat runs during the day from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth and from there to Thailand. Express trains are modern, some have sleeping and dining cars, and there are also compartments with air conditioning.
Another railway line runs parallel to the east, from Singapore north to Rantau and connects to the Thai rail network at the border. The fourth route on the peninsula branches off in Gemas on the west coast and runs northeast to Kota Bahru and Tenom.
East Malaysia has only one rail line. Known as the Jungle Railway, the North Borneo Railway (Internet: www.northborneorailway.com.my), the main link to Taman Negara National Park, runs along the coast, begins in Kota Kinabulu (Sabah) and runs through a deep jungle valley according to papar.
There are also train connections to the main sea ports of Penang and Padang Besar on the west coast. TheKTM Komuter, a commuter train, runs between Kuala Lumpur, Port Klang, Rawang and Seremban. There is no train service in Sarawak.