Kuala Lumpur Travel Guide

Getting There By Air

Flights to Kuala Lumpur include a number of different scheduled airlines, including Cathay Pacific, Emirates Airlines,Gulf Air, Malaysian Airlines, KLM, Qatar Airways, Royal Brunei Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL)
Tel: (03) 8777 8888.
Website: www.klia.com.my

The award-winning, ultra-modern Kuala Lumpur International Airport (or KLIA), 43km (27 miles) to the south of the city center, is a major gateway to south east Asia. It handles flights for over 45 international carriers, including Malaysian Airlines, the national carrier. A fast transit train connects the arrival gates with the arrivals hall.

Approximate flight times to Kuala Lumpur
From London - 13 hours; from New York - 20 hours 15 minutes; from Los Angeles - 17 hours 45 minutes; from Toronto - 21 hours 45 minutes and from Sydney - 8 hours.

Airport facilities
These include ATMs, bureau de change, 24-hour shopping, duty-free, restaurants, postal services, tourist information, hotel reservations, car hire (Budget and Hertz), medical services, left luggage and prayer rooms. There is also a transit hotel and a business center.

Transport to the city
The Express Rail Link (tel: (03) 2267 8000; www.kliaekspres.com) connects KLIA with the KL KAT Terminal at Sentral Station, in the city center. There are two airport services - the KLIA Ekspres, which covers the journey without stopping in 28 minutes, and the KLIA Transit, which stops en route at Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya/Cyberjaya and Bandar Tasik Selatan. Taxis can be pre-paid in the arrivals area at the airport, with fares depending on the type of vehicle to the city center. Approximate journey time by cab is 40 minutes.

Getting There By Road

Main roads in Malaysia are generally in good repair and driving standards are higher than in most Asian countries. Traffic drives on the left. The speed limits are an optimistic 60kph (37mph) in the city, 90kph (56mph) on main country roads and 110kph (69mph) on highways and expressways. The minimum age for driving is 21 years (16 years for a motorcycle). A national driving license is required and it is advisable to obtain an International Driving Permit. The North-South Highway, which extends from Singapore to the Thai border via Kuala Lumpur, has made long distance driving in Malaysia a relative breeze, although traffic in Kuala Lumpur itself can be pretty nightmarish more or less any time of day or night. Although driving standards are generally good, Malaysia still has its share of drivers who take risks such as overtaking on blind corners, speeding in heavy rainfall and jumping red traffic lights.

Emergency breakdown services
Automobile Association Malaysia (tel: (03) 2162 5777; www.aam.org.my). Plusronda (tel: (03) 7666 4297; www.plus.com.my) provides 24-hour emergency telephones, situated every 2km (1.2 miles) on expressways and toll roads.

Routes to the city
Both the North South Expressway Central Link and the federal Route 1 run from Johor Baru, which is connected via causeway to Singapore in the south, to Kuala Lumpur and from Butterworth/Penang into the city center. From Melaka, the federal road Route 5 connects to the Shah Alam and Klang Valley Express Highway into Kuala Lumpur city center.

Driving times to the city
From Melaka - 2 to 3 hours; Singapore - 5 to 6 hours; Butterworth/Penang - 6 to 7 hours.

Coach services
Numerous companies operate air-conditioned services, including Transnasional (tel: 1300 888 582; http://www.transnasional.com.my). The main terminal, Puduraya Bus Station, Jalan Puda Raya (tel: (03) 230 0145), is a hub for services all over Peninsula Malaysia, as well as international services to Singapore (journey time - 7 to 8 hours) and Thailand (journey time - 12 to 13 hours). Services to the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia also leave from Putra Bus Station, opposite the Putra World Trade Center, and Pekeliling Bus Station. Banguan MARA Bus Station serves destinations to the south.

Getting There By Rail

Rail Services
KL Sentral Station (tel: (03) 2730 2000; www.klsentral.com.my) is located 1.5km (1 mile) northwest of the city center. Facilities at this high-tech transport hub include ATMs, bureau de change, left luggage and tourist information. It is also the city center terminus for the KLIA Ekspres (tel: (03) 2267 8000; www.kliaekspres.com) high speed airport rail link. KL Sentral is part of a multi-million dollar development, which will incorporate hotels, offices, retail outlets, residential property and recreational facilities when completed in 2012.

Rail Operators
Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad - KTMB (tel: (03) 2267 1200; www.ktmb.com.my) operates most rail services in peninsular Malaysia. These are generally reasonably fast and efficient, although prone to occasional minor derailments and land/mudslides on longer journeys away from urban centers. The luxury Eastern and Oriental Express (www.orient-express.com) connects KL with Singapore to the south and Bangkok and Chiang Mai to the north in Thailand.

Transport
From Singapore - 7 hours; Bangkok - 14 hours 30 minutes; Ipoh – 2 hours; Butterworth - 7 hours).

Getting Around in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Public Transport

KL has an efficient and cheap public transport system, overseen by Rapid KL (tel: (03) 7885 2585; www.rapidkl.com.my). Integrated tickets and passes are available on all trains and buses that come under the scheme. English is almost universally spoken, so communication is never a problem. Two cross-city Light Railway Transit (LRT) lines, the Kelana Jaya Rail Line running west from the Putra Terminal via KL Sentral, and the Ampang Rail Line, linking northern and southern suburbs.

There are over 160 bus routes. The most useful for tourists are the 10 City Shuttle services that provide efficient transport around the central area. The KL Monorail (tel: (03) 7885 2585; www.klmonorail.com.my) runs from Titiwangsa to the north to a stop near Kuala Lumpur's Sentral Station.

Taxis

Public Cab (tel: (03) 6259 2020) and Sunlight Taxis (tel: (03) 9057 5757) offer pre-booked cabs, or you can hail them on the street. Taxi ranks are also found throughout the city. Be prepared to haggle over the fare.

Driving in the City

Roads are generally of good standard, but the one-way system can be confusing, and traffic is heavy. The ubiquitous scooters are a constant hazard in the city, and not just to their own riders. Car parks are mainly located at large hotels and city-center shopping malls.

Car Hire

It is advisable to hold an International Driving Permit. Drivers must usually be at least 23 years old and have held a full driving license for two years. Car hire companies include Avis (tel: 1 800 88 AVIS (2847) or (03) 7628 2317; www.avis.com.my), and Hertz (tel: (03) 2148 6433; www.hertz.com.my).