Getting around Penang - taxis and public transport
Penang buses are cheap and efficient
Getting around Penang is no great hassle as the island is small enough to reach any part in under an hour. Taxis are readily available in Georgetown or the main beach areas such as Batu Ferringhi, and that’s how the majority of visitors move around. Of course, there are public buses if you are on a budget or perhaps just want to mingle with the locals, although deciphering the complex routes can be prohibitively difficult. However, we’ve listed the key services below.
The island boasted an efficient system of public transport up until the 1970s with electric trams, double deckers and trolleybuses plying the streets of Georgetown and the surrounds.
The Penang Hill Railway, today a popular tourist attraction in its own right, was considered an impressive feat of engineering upon its completion in 1923 and is worth visiting. More on Penang attractions.
Penang has been promised a Monorail system since 1999 and these proposals were ratified by the Ninth Malaysia Plan in 2006. The plan was to connect the capital to the northern town of Tanjung Tokong with Bayan Lepas towards the south, Air Itam to the west and east to Weld Quay. However, the recent change in Penang’s administration party could further scupper these ambitious plans.
Road travel in Penang
Penang Bridge is the gateway to Malaysia
The eight-mile Penang Bridge was built in 1985 and connects the island with mainland Malaysia. It is currently being expanded to accommodate three lanes of traffic and tentative plans for a second bridge are being considered. Penang province is connected to the 966kms Malaysian North-South Expressway which links major cities and towns traversing the western side of the peninsular.
Modern forms of transportation are certainly eating away at the historic splendour of the island with traffic gridlock and diesel fumes unfortunately becoming a way of life. The monorail system is hopefully going to address some of these problems, as the narrow lanes and alleys of central Georgetown are unsuited to four wheel vehicles.
Buses in Penang
Bus services in Penang today are pretty haphazard with no concrete timetable and a tendency to desert you when most needed. It’s therefore easy to see why so many Penangites opt for their own method of transport in Penang instead. Generally blue buses serve the north of the island with yellow buses traversing the south and west. Red-and-white Transitlink buses are the most common and ply important routes all over.
All the island’s buses stop and depart from the KOMTAR shopping complex on Jalan Ria and the majority also pause at Pengkala Weld station. Fares a judged by distance travelled but are rarely more than RM1. But remember to bring plenty of coinage as no change is available on board. Services become sporadic after 20:00 and halt completely by 22:00.
Important routes include Transitlink 202 or a/c 93 (not the regular 93) which travel from Georgetown to the popular beach resort of Batu Ferringhi or further to Teluk Bahang. For Penang Hill take U204, 206, 202 or 93, while for Kek lok Si Temple take Transitlink 1, 101, 130, 351, 361, yellow bus 85, minibus 21 or U204, 206 or 203.
There are two main bus terminals catering for express long distance coach travel, at the ferry terminal in Province Wellesley and the newer one on the island itself at Sungai Nibong. More on coach travel from Penang.
Taxis in Penang
Although against the law, taxi drivers steadfastly refuse to employ their meters whilst travelling around Penang, especially when the passengers are tourists. If you cannot persuade your cabbie to do the decent thing, at least agree a fare beforehand to avoid any nasty surprises.
As a general rule, a taxi ride across Georgetown should cost around RM5 with RM20 being a fare price from the capital to Batu Ferringhi. These may rise after dark though. Some Penang taxi firms include Jade Auto (Tel: +60 (0)4 226 3015), MCI Taxis (Tel: +60 (0)4 264 5534) and Sunshine Taxi (Tel: +60 (0)4 642 5961).
Trishaws in Penang
The three-wheeled peddlecab called a trishaw is still prevalent in Georgetown but is becoming merely a quaint method of sightseeing rather than a legitimate means of public transport in Penang. Drivers wait outside popular attractions to tout for fares, with opening gambits astronomically higher than a reasonable price. A journey from the port to downtown should be in the region of RM3, with decent priced negotiable if you fancy renting one for a whole day.
Car hire in Penang
If you want to rent in Penang and travel around a few of the sights at your leisure there are a number of local firms that can accommodate you as well as all the big multinational names. Avis has an office at the airport and Batu Ferringhi (Tel: +60 (0)4 643 9633 / (0)4 881 1522), Hertz is located in Georgetown (Lebuh Farquhar, Tel: +60 (0)4 263 5914) or ORIX can be also be found at the airport or City Bayview Hotel (Tel: +60 (0)4 644 4772).
