The national airline is Malaysia Airlines (MH) (website: www.malaysiaairlines.com), which is southeast Asia’s biggest airline and flies to over 110 cities across six continents. Further details can be obtained from the London office of Malaysia Airlines (tel: (0870) 607 9090). Singapore Airlines, Royal Brunei and Thai International operate flights to certain Malaysian destinations.

From Kuala Lumpur to London is 14 hours.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) (Sepang) (website: www.klia.com.my) is 55 km (34 miles) south from Kuala Lumpur and near Putra Jaya, Malaysia’s future administrative capital. It currently handles 25 million passengers a year and is served by all major international airlines. To/from the airport: Kuala Lumpur's city centre is accessible via the Kuala Lumpur–Seremban Highway/KLIA interchange and the Shah Alam/North–South Central Link Expressway (travel time – 45 minutes). Taxis must be pre-paid in the Arrivals Area at the airport (travel time – 40 minutes). KL City Buses operates an Express Bus Service to the Airport Bus Terminal, Hentian Duta, Kuala Lumpur city centre; the journey takes approximately one hour. Regular feeder buses travel from Hentian Duta to Lot 10 on Jalan Sultan Ismail in the city centre between 0800 and 2430 (travel time – 30 minutes). The cheapest way to travel to the city is by combined bus and train. The Stage Bus Service, which operates 0715-2230, leaves the airport every 30 minutes for Nilai KTM Station (travel time – 30 minutes). From Nilai, trains travel to Kuala Lumpur Railway Station 0644-2244 every 20 to 30 minutes (travel time – 1 hour). The KLIA Express and KLIA Transit train link the airport to Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral); Express trains depart every 15 minutes and the Transit trains every 30 minutes. Facilities: ATMs, bureaux de change, shopping, duty free, restaurants, postal services, tourist information, hotel reservations, medical service, left-luggage, prayer rooms and car hire. Business facilities include executive lounges, shower facilities, limousine services to the city and business centres, which provide telephone, fax, computers, Internet, teleconferencing, postal and secretarial services and even golf putting.
Penang (PEN) (Bayan Lepas) is 16km (10 miles) south of Georgetown, capital of this small island off the northwest coast of the peninsula. Though not receiving as many international flights as Kuala Lumpur, there are connections from the UK via Hong Kong (SAR), Singapore or Bangkok. Facilities: Incoming and outgoing duty-free shop, restaurant and bar, bank/bureau de change and car hire.
Kota Kinabalu (BKI) is 6.5km (4 miles) from the city. Situated on the northern coast of Sabah state (the northeastern part of Borneo Island), this airport is the international gateway to East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak) and receives international flights from all over the world. Connections from the UK go via Singapore, Hong Kong and Kuala Lumpur. Facilities: Bank/bureau de change facilities, restaurant and bar.
Kuching (KCH) is 11km (7 miles) from the city. Situated in the west of Sarawak on the island of Borneo, the airport receives a limited number of international flights.

MYR45 for international departures.

Main ports: Georgetown (Penang), Port Kelang and Westport (for Kuala Lumpur) and, in East Malaysia (for Sabah and Sarawak), Bintulu, Kota Kinabalu, Kuching, Lahad Datu, Rejang, Sandakan and Tawau. Shipping lines with passenger services to Malaysia include Blue Funnel, P&O and Straits Shipping. Cargo/passenger lines are Austasia, Knutsen, Lykes, Neptune Orient, Orient Overseas and Straits Shipping. Star Cruises (Singapore) organises luxury cruises from Westport. Other lines that offer cruises from this port include Coral Princess and Gemini. Norwegian Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and Seabourn Cruise Lines also call at Malaysia. There is also a ferry service to Tanjung from Changi port in Singapore.

Through services operate to and from Singapore via Kuala Lumpur and between Butterworth and Bangkok (Thailand). There is also a 41-hour round trip available from the Eastern and Oriental Express, a luxury train service modelled on the famous Orient Express, which leaves from Singapore, journeys through Kuala Lumpur and heads north to Bangkok from where it returns to Singapore.

Peninsular Malaysia is linked by good roads to Thailand and (via two causeways) to Singapore. Toll fees are levied on all highways throughout Malaysia. Road connections between the two eastern states, Sarawak and Sabah, and their neighbours on Borneo, Brunei and the Indonesian state of Kalimantan are fairly good.

During major festivals (especially Hari Raya Pusa, the Chinese New Year and Hari Raya Haji), internal travel becomes extremely difficult unless tickets have been pre-booked long in advance. Domestic express bus tickets often go on sale up to two months before the festivals and sell out within one or two weeks. Even domestic flights tend to be packed during these periods.

Malaysia Airlines (MH) (website: www.malaysiaairlines.com) serves numerous commercial airports in Peninsular Malaysia. In East Malaysia, Malaysia Airlines crisscrosses both Sabah and Sarawak and also flies to Brunei.
Air Passes: Discover Malaysia Pass can be purchased for US$199 and is valid for 28 days from the date of issue; pass holders can make up to five flights to any Malaysian destination.

Kuala Lumpur Subang (KUL) is 22 km (14 miles) west from the city. Previously the main international airport, it is now mainly used for domestic flights. Most Malaysian states have domestic airports and plans are underway for the further development of several airports.

MYR6.

Coastal ferries sail frequently between Penang and Butterworth and there is a scheduled passenger service linking Port Kelang with both Sarawak and Sabah. Small rivercraft often provide the most practical means of getting about in East Malaysia, even in the towns, and they are the only way to reach the more isolated settlements (unless one has access to a helicopter). A modern ferry service runs between Kuala Perlis, Kuala Kedah and Pulau Langkawi. Regular boat services also connect Lumut to Pangkor Island and Tunjung Gemak or Mersing to Tioman Island. In Sabah, long boats connect Labuen to Menumbak. In rural Sarawak the major means of transport are air-conditioned express boats. Boats may easily be chartered and river buses and taxis are plentiful.

Malayan Railway (Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad or KTM) at Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, 50621 Kuala Lumpur (tel: (3) 2263 1111; website: www.ktmb.com.my) operates nearly 2092km (1300 miles) of line. There are three classes of train: Deluxe or First Class (with upholstered seats), Eksekutif or Second Class (with padded leather seats) and Ekonomi or Third Class (with cushioned plastic seats). The fast daytime Express Rakyat runs from Singapore to Butterworth, and continues on to Thailand. Express trains are modern, and some have sleeping berths and buffet cars. Some trains are air conditioned. East Malaysia has one railway line, known by travellers as the Jungle Railway, which is the main overland route for the Taman Negara National Park; it runs along the coast from Kota Kinabalu (Sabah), then inland up a steep jungle valley to the small town of Tenom. Other than this line, there are two main lines operated for a passenger service. One runs along the west coast and from Singapore, which runs northwards to Kuala Lumpur and Butterworth, meeting the Thai railways at the border. The other line separates from the west coast line at the town of Gemas and takes a northeastern route to Kota Bharu and Tenom. There is also a passenger service to two of Malaysia’s seaports – Penang and Padang Besar on the west coast. The KTM Komuter, a commuter service, runs from Kuala Lumpur to Port Klang (west), Rawang (north) and Seremban (south). There are no rail services in Sarawak.

Children under four travel free; children aged four to 11 pay half fare. For further information on discount fares available to passengers, contact Malayan Railway (see address details above).

The Malayan Railway Pass is available in 10- and 30-day tickets, giving unlimited travel on all trains through Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore and can be purchased from train stations in Butterworth, Johor Bahru, Kuala Lumpur, Padang Besar, Port Kelang, Rantau Panjang, Singapore and Wakaf Bharu. However, reservations must be made in advance for seats in first-class, air-conditioned trains and a supplement is charged. Reservations may be made up to three months in advance with the Director of Commerce, Malayan Railway, Jalan Sultan Hishamuddin, Kuala Lumpur. Enquire at Tourism Malaysia for further details.

Traffic drives on the left. Most roads in the peninsular states are paved and signs leading to the various destinations are well placed and clear. The north–south expressway, spanning 890km (553 miles) from Bukit Kayu Hitam (on the Kedah–Thailand border) to Johor Bahru is fully open to traffic. The dual carriageway will provide shorter travel times between towns. Bus: Local bus networks are extensive, with regular services in and between all principal cities. 4-wheel-drive buses are used in rural areas of Sabah and Sarawak. Trishaw: Available in Penang and Malacca, these are inexpensive for short trips. Fares should be negotiated in advance. Taxi: Shared and normal taxis are a fast means of inter-town travel, but delays may be encountered whilst drivers get their passenger load before moving off. Ask drivers to turn the meter on before starting the journey. There is a 50 per cent surcharge for fares between 0000-0600 and an extra MYR1 is charged for taxis booked by phone. Taxi coupons providing fixed prices to specific destinations can be purchased at the Kuala Lumpur railway station and the airport. Car hire: This is available through several agencies. Some agencies provide cars on an unlimited mileage basis. Cars with driver are also available. Documentation: An International Driving Permit is required. For UK citizens, a national driving licence is sufficient, but it has to be endorsed by the Registrar of Motor Vehicles in Malaysia.

Parking in the centre of Kuala Lumpur and other towns is restricted to spaces for which a charge is made and a receipt is given. Public transport services in Kuala Lumpur are provided by conventional buses and by ‘Bas Mini’ fixed-route minibuses, taxis and pedi-cabs (trishaws) licensed by the Government. Bus fares vary, but the ‘Bas Mini’ have flat rates. These are used for shorter journeys, and tend to be crowded. The PUTRA Light Rail Transit (LRT) is a quick way to get around the city and provides links to the eastern and western suburbs of Kuala Lumpur. Routes and timetables are indicated in stations with an LRT logo.

The following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from Kuala Lumpur to other major centres in Malaysia.

	Air	Road	Rail
Penang	0.45	5.00	9.30
Alor Setar	0.45	7.00	7.30
Johor Bahru	0.35	3.00	6.00
Singapore	0.45	6.00	7.00