Kuala Lumpur to Penang: Bus, Train or Flight?

Kuala Lumpur to Penang takes about 5 hours by coach, or about 4 hours on the comfortable ETS train to Butterworth plus the ferry or bridge across, heading north to the heritage streets and food of George Town. Coaches are cheap and frequent from around EUR 8; flights are quickest. Here is how they compare.

Distance	About 355 km
Cheapest	Coach
Most comfortable	ETS train to Butterworth
For	George Town's heritage and food

Mode	Departures/day	First-last departure	Fastest	Typical fare	Top operators
Bus	361	00:00-23:59	4h 00m	USD 14-16	Billion Stars Express, Alya Xpress, Pancaran Matahari
Flight	112	06:35-23:35	55m	USD 36-431	Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, AirAsia
Prices checked July 11, 2026 from 26467 scheduled departures.

Mode	Operator	Duration	Approx fare	Overnight
Bus	Plusliner / KKKL / Konsortium coach Cheap and frequent, often direct to George Town.	about 5 hours	approx €8 to €18	No	Check on 12Go →
Train	KTM ETS (to Butterworth) Comfortable ETS to Butterworth, then ferry to the island.	about 4 hours plus ferry	approx €12 to €25	No	Check on 12Go →
Flight	AirAsia / Malaysia Airlines / Firefly Fastest in the air, into Penang International.	about 1h plus airport time	approx €30 to €70	No	Compare on Kiwi →

Fares are approximate and shown for comparison. Confirm live prices and times on 12Go before booking.

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How long is the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Penang?

About five hours, with frequent daily coaches, many running directly across the bridge into George Town.

Does the train go all the way to Penang island?

The ETS train runs to Butterworth on the mainland. From there a short ferry or the bridge takes you across to George Town.

What is the fastest way from KL to Penang?

Flying, at about an hour in the air into Penang International, though the coach and train are cheaper and avoid airport time.

Hotel options and prices come from Agoda and update at booking time; sample data shown if live pricing is unavailable. Transport fares are estimates, confirmed on 12Go.