Ipoh to Penang by Bus or KTM Train
How to Get There
If you want to travel from Ipoh to Penang Island (Pulau Pinang) using public transport, you have a choice of taking a bus from Amanjaya bus terminal (taking around 2 and a half hours) or you can take a much more convenient and faster KTM train (taking one hour 45 minutes).
From September 16, '23, you can also take a cheap KTM Komuter train from Ipoh to Penang as the Komuter Utara (northern commuter) route has been extended to Ipoh.
If you are travelling on a budget, the bus option used to be the cheapest way to get to Penang from Ipoh with bus tickets costing between 15 and 25 MYR.
Now the KTM Komuter trains are running from Ipoh to Butterworth, this is an even cheaper way of travelling!
Travelling by bus is also far more time-consuming as like a lot of cities within Malaysia, the bus terminal in Ipoh is located a long distance from the city centre.
To read more about bus travel to Penang from Ipoh see below here >
The fastest way to get to Penang from Ipoh overland by public transport is to take one of the KTM ETS trains that depart from the beautiful old Ipoh railway station which is located within easy walking distance to Ipoh Old Town.
To read more about travelling by train from Ipoh to Penang click here >
Penang Pengkalan Weld (Weld Quay) - the first road you come to when arriving in Georgetown, Penang by ferry.Bus from Ipoh Amanjaya to Penang
(Bas dari Ipoh Amanjaya ke Pulau Pinang)
To travel by bus from Ipoh, you first have to get to the long-distance Ipoh bus station, Amanjaya (Terminal Bas Amanjaya also known as Terminal Meru Raya).
Ipoh bus terminal is located 10 km to the north of the city centre.
To get from Ipoh Old Town to Amanjaya bus station you can take a local Perak Transit city bus from the Medan Kidd bus station which can be easily reached by foot from the Old Town in 10 - 15 minutes.
To see a location map for Medan Kidd bus station see our Ipoh Old Town map below here >
Perak Transit buses at Medan Kidd bus station.There are regular buses from Medan Kidd to Amanjaya every 30 - 60 minutes and the fare is around 2 MYR.
Next, you have to decide where your coach from Amanjaya to Penang takes you to.
You have a choice of taking the bus from Ipoh to Butterworth bus terminal (known as Penang Sentral) then taking the 15 minute ferry ride over to Georgetown.
Or you can take the bus from Ipoh to Sungai Nibong bus terminal which is located on Penang Island, 11 km from the centre of Georgetown (KOMTAR).
We would always recommend tourists to take the bus to Butterworth as the bus trip is a little shorter, a little cheaper and the ferry is a nice scenic way to arrive in Penang Island.
Taking the bus from Ipoh to Sungai Nibong is great for those who live in this area of the island, but for tourists travelling to Georgetown, it means you will have to take another local island bus operated by RapidPenang from just outside the bus terminal into Georgetown.
This adds even more time to your journey and depending on what time you arrive, the traffic can be really bad and take over 30 minutes to get into the city.
How much does the bus from Ipoh to Penang cost?
(harga tiket bas dari Ipoh ke Penang)
The bus ticket price from Ipoh Amanjaya to Penang starts at around 15 MYR for the very cheapest coaches, to around 25 MYR for a more luxurious Executive / VIP coach.
Most buses charge around 20 MYR.
Summary on How to travel from Ipoh to Georgetown, Penang by Bus via Butterworth:
1) Take a bus from Medan Kidd to Amanjaya Bus Terminal (20 - 30 minutes).
2) Take a bus from Amanjaya to Butterworth (2.5 hours).
3) Take a ferry from Butterworth to Georgetown (15 minutes).
Total travel time (without waiting time) = approximately 3.25 hours - with waiting time it will be more like 4.5 to 5 hours.
Summary on How to travel from Ipoh to Georgetown, Penang by Bus via Sungai Nibong:
1) Take a bus from Medan Kidd to Amanjaya Bus Terminal (20 - 30 minutes).
2) Take a bus from Amanjaya to Sungai Nibong on Penang Island (2.75 hours).
3) Take a RapidPenang bus to Georgetown (30 minutes).
Total travel time (without waiting time) = approximately 3.75 hours - with waiting time it will be more like 5 hours +.
The total cost to travel to Penang Island from Ipoh by bus via either Butterworth or Sungai Nibong is 2 + 15-25 + 1 = 18 to 28 Ringgit (MYR).
KTM ETS Train from Ipoh to Penang
(Keretapi KTM ETS dari Ipoh ke Penang)
For a hassle-free way to travel to Penang Island from Ipoh, the train is by far the best way to choose.
An ETS train at Butterworth PenangIf you are staying in Ipoh Old Town you can easily walk to Ipoh railway station within 10 minutes.
If you are staying further away in the newer part of the city, you can take a local city bus to the train station or the nearby Medan Kidd bus station.
To get from Ipoh to Penang by train you need to take an ETS service from Ipoh to Butterworth or you can now take a much cheaper KTM Komuter train from Ipoh to Butterworth.
The railway station in Butterworth is located on the mainland, just across from Georgetown on Penang Island.
Butterworth is connected to Georgetown by a regular and very cheap ferry service which takes just 15 minutes to get over to the island.
Please note: If you want to make it to Penang Island the same day, you will need to take one of the earlier trains arriving before midnight in order to catch the ferry over to Penang Island (otherwise you will have to take a rather expensive taxi via the Penang Bridge).
Trains marked with a * are operated by the newer ETS2 trains that include a Business Class coach if you want to travel in relative luxury.
Ticket prices for the KTM train from Ipoh to Penang:
(Harga tiket kereta api KTM dari Ipoh ke Pulau Pinang)
Train tickets to Butterworth from Ipoh start at around 33 MYR for an ETS Gold service, to 42 MYR for an ETS Platinum service.
If you want to pay extra for a bit of luxury, a Business Class train ticket from Ipoh to Penang will cost you around double the normal Platinum fare.
Please note that train prices are not fixed and can vary depending on when you travel and how far in advance you book as KTM now price their tickets using what they call "Flexi Fares".
In order to get the cheapest train tickets to Penang, you have to book over 30 days in advance and travel during a weekday (Monday to Thursday).
To learn more about how KTM price train tickets using their Flexi Fare system:
Visit our ETS Ipoh fares page here >
To book tickets on ETS trains in Malaysia you need to make a seat reservation as your ticket comes with a reserved seat number.
As trains can often be full, it is always best to book as far in advance as you can.
If you are already in Malaysia you can visit any ETS railway station ticket counter and book your seats in person.
If you are in Ipoh, the railway station ticket counter is located in the main hall.
They have a numbering system for booking, so you first have to take a number, then wait for your number to be called to be served.
To save a lot of hassle and time, it is much easier to book your train tickets online >
Seats on an ETS train from Ipoh to Butterworth Penang SentralSummary on How to travel from Ipoh to Georgetown, Penang by Train:
1) Take a KTM ETS or Komuter train from Ipoh to Butterworth station (1 hour 45 minutes - two hours).
2) Walk to the Penang ferry jetty in Penang Sentral Terminal (5 - 10 minutes).
3) Take the ferry to Georgetown (15 minutes).
Total travel time of around two and a half hours including waiting time for the ferry - much quicker than travelling by bus!
Total approximate price travelling by an ETS Platinum train from Ipoh to Penang Island (Georgetown) is 43 + 1 = 44 MYR
If you want a cheaper way to travel from Ipoh to Penang Island using the train, you can now take the cheap KTM Komuter Utara (Northern Commuter) trains which now start at Ipoh.
Total approximate price travelling by an KTM Komuter train from Ipoh to Penang Island (Georgetown) is 12.80 + 1.20 = 14 MYR
For the latest KTM Komuter train timetable for northbound services to Butterworth click here >
Further Information:
Ipoh Railway Station:
The railway station in Ipoh is by far the best place to depart or arrive in the city as it is located on the edge of Ipoh Old Town and you can easily walk to the train station in around 10 minutes if you are staying in this, the most popular area of Ipoh for visitors to stay.
For more information on the railway station in Ipoh click on the picture link below:
You can see the location of Ipoh railway station and the Medan Kidd bus station in the map below:
Ipoh Old Town transport mapButterworth Railway Station:
The railway station in Butterworth is the nearest train station to Penang Island and is connected to the island by the Butterworth to Georgetown ferry service which departs from the new Penang Sentral Terminal building, 5 minutes walk away from the railway station.
For more information on the railway station in Butterworth click on the picture link below:
Butterworth (Penang Sentral) to Georgetown Ferry Service:
The ferry service over to Penang Island departs from the early morning until around midnight and takes only 15 minutes to get to the World Heritage City of Georgetown.
The ferry costs only 1.20 MYR to get to Penang Island (it is free travelling in the other direction to Butterworth).
For more information on these ferry services, click on the picture link below:
Related pages on our site to this Ipoh to Penang transport page: