Transfer From Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Center and Back  

Figuring out how to travel from Kuala Lumpur airport to the city center and back is easy and difficult at the same time. Easy if you’re familiar with the public transportation system, but difficult if it’s your first time visiting and you’re unsure of which option to choose.

I traveled a few times from the airport to the city and back and learned that travel by train was the most convenient one. But perhaps for you, it will be a bus or private transfer. 

Here are all the details on how to travel between two airports in Kuala Lumpur and its downtown:

Which airport in Kuala Lumpur are you flying to?

At present time there are three airports in Kuala Lumpur: KLIA, KLIA2, and Subang. Always double check your ticket which airport you are arriving at.

The main Malaysia airport is the International airport KLIA, one of the major airports in Southeast Asia. Since this is the largest airport, it’s also the busiest one. Most likely you will be flying there.

KLIA2 Airport was built to replace LCCT Airport, solely for budget carriers. It’s a hub for AirAsia, CEBU Pacific, Tiger Air/Scoot, Jet Asia and JC Cambodia International Airlines.

KLIA and KLIA2 are located next to each other, around 60 kilometers south of Kuala Lumpur city center. Still, the distances are huge and you need to have a transfer to get from one airport to another one.

For a transfer from KLIA to KLIA2, you can:

• take a free shuttle which comes every 10 minutes. The trip lasts 12 minutes. Every passenger must show a ticket for the next flight from the airport he is going to.
• come by a high-speed train for 2 MYR
• or by taxi for 30 MYR

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RELATED POST: EXPAT LIFE IN KUALA LUMPUR: WHAT IS IT LIKE?

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Transfer from/to KLIA Airport and KLIA2 by train

There are two types of a high-speed train from the airport to the city:

1. KLIA Express -departs from KLIA2 and makes only one stop in KLIA. From the airport to KLIA Sentral Station this high-speed train runs every 15 minutes starting at 4:55 am until 12:55 am. From KLIA Sentral back to the airport from 5 am to 12:40 am. Time in route 28 minutes. Wifi is available onboard.
2. KLIA Transit – also departs from KLIA2 but takes a bit more time to get to the city center. It makes three stops along the way: at Salak Tinggi, Putrajaya & Cyberjaya and Bandar Tasik Selatan Station. The schedule is from 5:48 am to 12:59 am towards KLIA Sentral. On the way back to the airport from 4:33 am to 12:03 am. Runs every 20-30 minutes (in rush hour every 15 minutes.) Time in route 39 minutes.

The fare price is the same for KLIA Express and KLIA Transit. One way ticket costs 55 MYR for adults and 25 MYR for children. Tickets can be purchased online on the KLIA Express website or on spot. We were buying them right at the station which was quick and easy.

Side note: if you are a budget traveler who has some extra time and would like to save on tickets, we suggest taking KLIA Transit to the first station SALAK Tinggi (will cost you 5 MYR) and from there buying a new ticket to go to KLIA Sentral (costs 18.3 MYR.) In this way you’ll save, spending only 23.3 MYR.

How to get from/to KLIA Airport by bus

If you prefer going by bus, there are two options on how to do that:

• To KLIA Sentral Station take Airport Coach bus which runs every 30 minutes. The first one departs at 5:30 am, the last one at 12:30 am. On the way back from the city the first bus leaves at 5 am and the last one at 11 pm. Ticket price is 10 MYR one way and 18 MYR round trip. Tickets can be purchased on Level G, Block C, KLIA, KL Sentral on the ground floor (level G)
• To Puduraya Bus Terminal. A bus company Star Shuttle offers rides for 12 MYR. The schedule is from 5 am to 2:15 am for transit from KLIA to the city. From Puduraya Bus Terminal to the airport buses start departing at 3:15 and the last one at 12:15. Buy tickets at the terminal or airport.

Taking a bus is definitely cheaper than taking a train. However, with a bus, you never know how much time it’ll take to get to KL Sentral. On one of our journeys it took us almost 2 hours to get to the city. We got stuck in traffic which was caused by severe rainstorm not even rush hour. Wifi is not working although it is supposed to be on board.

How to get from/to KLIA2 Airport by bus

From KLIA2 by bus, you can get to KL Sentral Station or Puduraya. There are three companies transporting passengers: Sky Bus, Aerobus and Star Shuttle.

• By Sky Bus to KL Sentral – from 5 am to 2:30 am if you are traveling from the airport. On the way back the first bus leaves at 3 am and the last one at 12 am. The price is 11 MYR.
• Aerobus to KL Sentral  – the first bus from KLIA2 goes at 4:30 am, the last one at 2:30 am. On the way back 2:45 am and 12:00 am accordingly. Pricing: 11 MYR for adults and 5 MYR for kids.
• Star Shuttle to Puduraya – from 5:15 am to 2 am from the airport; 3:15 am to 12:15 am from Puduraya station. Tickets cost 12 MYR per person.

Taxi/Uber transfer in Kuala Lumpur

If you are thinking to take a taxi as your transfer from Kuala Lumpur airport to the city, I would recommend booking a prepaid Coupon Taxi instead of a regular one. There are special Coupon Taxi kiosks at the airport where you can request a cab and pay for it on spot (credit cards accepted.) On average, the price to the city center is between 70 and 90 MRY (depending on where exactly you go.)

Side note: A taxi ride to/from the airport at night time from 12 am to 6 am costs double.

Transfer from/to Subang airport

Transfer by bus – even though this airport located closer to Kuala Lumpur, it may still take an hour to get there by bus. You can use SkyPark Shuttle Bus which departs from Pekelling Terminal (and back.) Usually, buses from Skypark Terminal run every hour from 7:30 am to 9:30 pm. The first bus departs at 7:30 am and the last one at 9:30 pm. every hour from 9 am to 9 pm. Tickets can be purchased either at the KL City Bus counter located at the Transport Facility Counter or onboard the bus. The price is around 12 MYR per person.

By public bus – public bus #722, traveling from Pasar Seni bus station, stops at KL Sentral and then at Subang airport. Since the airport is not a final destination, check your maps to make sure you don’t miss a stop. Price is 3 MYR per person and exact change only.

By taxi – taxi (a regular one, not a prepaid coupon taxi) costs between 75 and 100 MYR. Uber will cost less. Another option includes taking a train to Kelana Jaya Station and from there catching a cab for around 30 MYR.

Transfer between KLIA and Subang airports

There are only two ways how to get from one airport to another one: by taxi which costs around 80 MYR or by SkyPark Coach for around 10 MYR. The shuttle buses from Subang airport connect passengers to KLIA, KLIA 2 and KL Sentral. The first one leaves at 5 am from Subang airport and at 4:45 am from KLIA. Check their website for more details.

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