Kuala Lumpur ~ Getting Around

� Taxi Services � Bus Services �

Public transport in Kuala Lumpur and the rest of the Klang Valley covers a variety of transport modes such as bus, rail and taxi. The Government of Malaysia has spent millions of ringgit to improve the quality and availability of public transport in the Klang Valley area, including constructing the new Light Rail Transit line.

 Kuala Lumpur has a large network of buses, light commuter trains and fleet taxis. However KL is a city that can be difficult to move about especially for those not familiar with the city. It can a tiring if you intend to walk the distance in the heat of the day as not everything is nearby. The traffic jams, which happen regularly, are legendary. This makes travelling by commuter trains the best option if you plan to explore the city sights during peak traffic periods. Stay away from taxis and buses during the early morning rush hours from 7.30-9pm and late evening crawl from as early as 5 till as late as 7.30pm.


Taxi Services
If you are travelling in a group of 2 or more, getting a taxi to the city is the cheapest and the most convenient way. There are 2 types of taxi - Premier Taxi or a Budget Taxi. The premier is usually a larger type of car (The locally manufactured Proton Perdana) or Renault MPVs are more comfortable and obviously more expensive the normally used Budget Taxis.

 Taxi drivers can be a real pain! One should be wary of some of local taxis drivers as they do try and rip you off if they can. They do tend to give you a tough time and never agree on the first go to take you by the meter. So be sure you fix the price before you board the taxi, or insist on going by the meter. If they refuse, take another taxi. Or best, take a taxi from the taxi stand. One should also check for midnight surcharge which should be 50% above the meter rates.
 The best option is to book a reliable taxi guide.


Bus Services
Buses are a cheaper method of travel around the city. Rapid KL, a government-sanctioned company, is the main bus service provider in the city. There are bus stops located in every nook and cranny of Kuala Lumpur that will take you to a variety of places, including adjoining areas in Selangor state. However, it can be quite confusing if you are not familiar with the areas or routes.


For intercity travel, the main transit hubs in Kuala Lumpur are:

Puduraya or Hentian Puduraya is the main station that caters for express buses that runs from K. Lumpur to other destinations throughout the country as well as to Singapore and to Thailand. Due to congestion other stations has been opened to ease the traffic as such some express bus services to certain destinations depart from this station.
Please take note that seats on these express buses tend to be sold out during Fridays and Saturdays especially so during long weekends and public holidays.
It would be wise to book early.

A new bus terminal, Plaza Rakyat is planned to replace neighbouring Puduraya, however the project has been put on hold since 1997 due to a financial crisis, and excessive costs. As of April 2007, only the base of the complex has been completed and is now a major eyesore in the city centre. The other stations are as follows:-

Putra Bus Terminal � serving buses heading to the East Coast destinations. Nearby rail connections are at PWTC LRT and Putra Komuter.
Pasar Rakyat � a new bus terminal to take away some of Puduraya's load.
KL Sentral � Kuala Lumpur's main railway station.
Duta Bus Terminal � for buses operated by Transnasional and Airport Coach (bus services to KLIA)


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