Penang buses and bus timetable
Long distance buses cross Penang bridge
Many visitors to Malaysia who plan on seeing a range of different places within the country choose to travel around by luxury bus. Roads are generally good and journey times are often less than the train with better connections, making coach travel to Penang a viable option. There are many different companies such as Plusliner, Transnasional, Konsortium and Mutiara plying different routes as far as Bangkok to the north and Singapore to the south.
First class buses usually provide customers with a blanket and pillow for added comfort, and it’s an extremely good thing as air conditioning is generally turned up so high that teeth chattering is a constant refrain around the compartment. For this same reason it is wise to carry an extra pair of socks on board if you would generally just wear sandals and even a hat or jumper.
Passengers should be careful when travelling on weekends or national holidays as seats get booked up quickly and suddenly you could be left stranded.
The majority of long journeys are accompanied by a diet of films or music which may not be to your particular taste, so it can be a good idea to bring an MP3 player and to request a seat at the rear if you intend to sleep straight away.
Baggage is generally stowed underneath the bus so make sure to padlock your belongings to prevent any opportunistic thefts. For more on safety.
Penang buses from Georgetown
Long distance buses arriving into Georgetown use the new terminal at Sungai Nibong, which is a 15-minute taxi ride from downtown (RM20) or only ten minutes from Penang International Airport. Rapid Bus 301 and 401A takes passengers from the terminal to the KOMTAR building and Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay).
The journey to Kuala Lumpur’s Pudu Raya Bus Station takes around six hours (RM35), Singapore takes 10 hours (RM60), Kota Bharu for the Perhentian Islands takes six hours (RM35). But more buses leave from Butterworth on the mainland, with tickets bookable at most hotel receptions or the travel agencies that litter Lebuh Chulia.
Buses from Butterworth
As there are many more buses that merely call past Butterworth on the mainland rather than taking the circuitous detour through Penang island, getting here is often a better option for travelling farther afield. The ferry port, train station, taxi stand and bus station are all situated right next door to each other making transfers a doddle. For more on ferries.
Most long distance buses from Butterworth depart in the evening to make the most of minimal nighttime traffic and arrive at their destination early the next day, while a few also leave early in the morning. So when destinations are listed as having a certain number of departures a day, these are rarely spread out evenly but normally clustered in the morning and evening.
Popular destinations from Butterworth include: Alor Setar (90 minutes, hourly),Bangkok, (18 hours, two daily), Hat Yai (six hours, two daily), KL (seven hours, every two hours), Kuala Perlis (four hours, five daily), Kuala Terengganu (eight hours, two daily), Kuantan (12 hours, three daily),
Other destinations from Butterworth include: Lumut (four hours, four daily), Melaka (eight hours, daily), Padang Besar (four hours, five daily), Singapore (16 hours, two daily), Surat Thani (11 hours, two daily) and Tapah (five hours, two daily).
Minivans from Penang
Minivan services are more expensive than the regular bus and generally ferry passengers to popular tourist destinations in Malaysia and Thailand. Although direct, they are rarely as comfortable as luxury coaches. But if you are short of time they can be a good option and take travellers to Ko Phi Phi, Trang, Phuket, Perhentian Islands, Surat Thani, Ko Samui, Krabi, Ko Pha Ngan, Hat Yai and Bangkok on daily basis.
