Getting Around Kuala Lumpur

It is easy to get around Kuala Lumpur, which has a large network of buses, light commuter trains and fleet taxis. However, 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

Cabs, which are coloured red and white, can be flagged down from almost every point in the city. There are the normal taxis, which use cars like Proton Wiras, Iswaras and Sagas, and premier taxis, which uses Renault MPVs. Taxis are required to use a meter to charge passengers, but you will find that in KL, not many cabbies adhere to the rule. The premier taxis, on the other hand, do stick to the correct meter charges. Hence, be aware of overcharging and insist on the cabbie using the meter. Irresponsible cab drivers can be reported to the authorities by taking down their personal details, which is stamped in bold on their car's left side of the dashboard; a requirement for taxis by law.

Buses

Buses are a cheaper method of travel around 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, during the morning rush hour and evening exodus, the buses can get cramped to the point that it feels like sardines in a can, so avoid these times where possible.

Rapid KL, a government-sanctioned company, is the main bus service provider in the city. Their buses are coloured white with red stripes and use a slot where you put in coins to get a ticket. Alternatively, you can purchase monthly passes to use Rapid KL buses. Other private companies serving some routes around KL include Metrobus and Setara Jaya. These use the traditional conductor who goes around the bus collecting fares and dispensing tickets according to destination.

Rented Cars

Renting your own car offers you great flexibility and convenience. By paying a deposit, you can take a car to drive around and pay the corresponding rate measured daily. Cars can be rented from various agencies in the city and even in the airport. You also have a wide range to choose from, such as compact cars to luxury sedans and large vans to 4-wheel drive vehicles. Do be warned that the locals dive rather brazenly, so be on your guard at all times.

Trains

Trains are an integral part of the city's transport system. These are specifically commuter trains that are meant to ferry passengers from one point to another point in the city quickly and efficiently, rather than going to outstation areas. The KTM Komuter is a land-based train that plies railway tracks which cuts though major residential areas in and around Kuala Lumpur. The Monorail, Putra LRT and Star are, on the other hand, light rail transit systems, which utilise elevated tracks that cuts across and above busy intersections in the city. Putra LRT even has a subway track from half its route onwards. Most of the train systems connect in KL Sentral, Malaysia's central railway hub located in Brickfields. The trains systems are explored below.

Sistem Aliran Transit Ringan (STAR)

The STAR Light Rail Transit system is an elevated rapid train that starts from Sentul Timur, in northern KL and heads south, via Masjid Jamek and Pudu. From there, the line splits into two and one continuing south to Sukan Negara and the other going east to Ampang. The train moves across elevated tracks that are built across land, bypassing major roads and vegetation.

Trains depart every 6 to 10 minutes and it operates from 6am till 11.30pm daily. Commuters can purchase tickets from machines or counters located within the stations and swipe the cards into a machine to enter the waiting area.

Putra LRT

The new 16 km elevated monorail, the People-Mover Rapid Transit (PRT), runs south from Jalan Tun Razak near the Jalan Pekelling bus station, to end on the south-western outskirts of the city at Kampung Pasir. Along the way, it passes the Golden Triangle. The monorail is connecting with the Putra LRT as well as the Star LRT at various stations in the city.

Monorail

The Monorail is the latest light rail transit system to be incorporated in Kuala Lumpur. The entire route is only about 9 km-long and the trains are considerably shorter and smaller, consisting of only two cars each. It also rides on thin, dual elevated beams rather than tracks. Its purpose is to serve the busiest routes in the Golden Triangle and provide quick and efficient transport between adjacent commercial areas. The Monorail uses the same ticketing system as STAR and PUTRA. The Monorail starts from Pekeliling and ends in KL Sentral.

Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM)

The KTM system is a typical railway train that operates on normal railway tracks. Used predominantly to service the large residential areas in the outskirts of the city, KTM has a long history in the development of Malaysia's railway systems. The KTM railways connect from these outskirts areas to major parts of the city. There are two main tracks; one lies from Seremban to Rawang while the other is from Klang Port to Sentul.