Talk about travelling within Malaysia, and most of us would think about driving our personal vehicles to get us between the different states, whether it be for work, leisure, or a quick visit to our hometowns over the weekend.
Yet, with the ever-improving transport infrastructure, our options have expanded beyond the limits of personal automobiles. Express coaches, trains, and even flights now present viable alternatives, providing a broader choice of travel options to connect us across different states.
Recently, I found myself considering these travel options when I needed to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore via Johor Bahru. To help me decide on the mode of travel, I evaluated it based on both the cost and the journey time.
Choosing The Mode Of Travel
Train:
Often, a train journey is one of the most efficient and predictable ways to travel from one location to another. So, I was initially excited to look at this option first.
To travel from Kuala Lumpur (KL) to Johor Bahru (JB), we need to take the train from KL Sentral to GEMAS before transferring to the KTM train to take use of JB Sentral. Unfortunately, the train frequency for both train services is limited. For instance, there are only two departure times from KL Sentral to GEMAS, which costs RM30 per ticket and takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes. On the other hand, there are four train departure times each day from GEMAS to JB Sentral. One ticket costs RM21 and takes around 4 hours and 30 minutes.
In total, it costs RM51 and takes around 7 hours to travel by train from KL to JB. The lack of train frequency and long-time intervals between the departing times make travelling via train the least efficient method. Therefore, I eliminated this option from my consideration.
Source: Easybook
Cost To Travel From KL To JB: RM51
Time To Travel From KL to JB: 7 hours
Private Car:
Typically, we may find it more convenient to use our own personal transport to travel between the different states. It may even be more cost-efficient if we are travelling with a group of more than two people.
Assuming the fuel efficiency of the car to be 15 km/litre and the cost of RON95 fuel at RM2.05 per litre, it will cost around RM50 in fuel costs to make the one-way journey from KL to JB. We also need to calculate the PLUS highway toll charges from Sungai Besi to Skudai toll plaza, which add up to RM33.21. In total, it may cost around RM83 to use our private car to travel.
As for the travel time, though it depends on each driver, it may typically take around 3.5 to 4 hours under smooth traffic conditions. However, as I am travelling on my own and heading eventually to Singapore, having the convenience of my own private transport was not a priority.
Cost To Travel From KL To JB: RM83
Time To Travel From KL to JB: 3.5-4 hours
Express Coach:
In the absence of driving ourselves, we may lean towards taking a coach service as the next best alternative. The cost of a ticket from KL to JB ranges between RM17.60 and RM40, with the average ticket costing RM35.
The bus services are available from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) to one of three locations: Johor Bahru (JB Larkin Terminal), Johor Bahru (Skudai), and Tun Aminah Bus Station. The 330-km journey takes an average of around 4 hours and 30 minutes by coach, notwithstanding any traffic jams.
It is one of the cheapest options to travel between the interstates, especially if we are travelling on our own. However, given the time constraint that I was under, the journey time was too long for me to consider it an option.
Source: Easybook
Cost To Travel From KL To JB: RM35 (on average)
Time To Travel From KL to JB: 4.5 hours
Flight:
Though it may not be the first option for many, domestic flights are becoming a popular way of travelling between interstates.
A check on a flight aggregator site showed four airline services to be providing daily flight services from KL to JB. They are Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia, Firefly, and Batik Air (previously operated as Malindo Air), with a ticket cost ranging between RM53 and RM180 during non-peak periods.
The journey time from Kuala Lumpur International Airport T1 to Johor Bahru Senai International Airport takes around an hour, and it’s by far, the fastest option to reach JB from KL.
The convenient flight timings and short journey time suited my needs to travel to JB in the shortest time possible. Furthermore, my flight ticket at RM100 was not much more expensive than travelling by car, though it only takes almost 1/4 the journey time of the latter.
Cost To Travel From KL To JB: RM53-180 (non-peak periods)
Time To Travel From KL to JB: 1 hour
Reaching Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminal 1 From KL Sentral
There are a few options to get to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) T1 from the city centre aside from taking a taxi/private hire car.
The fastest option from KL Sentral to KLIA T1 or T2 is via KLIA Express, which costs RM55 (or RM49.50 if booked online) per ticket. The journey takes around 30 minutes, and the train service is scheduled to run every 20 minutes from 5 am to 12 am from KL Sentral.
A cheaper alternative could be to take the Malaysia Airports Express Coach that costs RM10 (for adults) and RM6 (for children) one-way to KLIA from KL Sentral. The bus service, which departs at 30-minute intervals, takes around an hour of journey time. Additionally, there are parallel services run by private bus operators that charge between RM12 and RM15 per ticket one-way.
As I was pressed for time and as it was not during peak hours, I decided to book a private hire car from Brickfields, which cost me a total of RM74.03 = RM65 (Metered fare) + RM9.03 (toll charges). Though it was the more costly option to take, I was able to reach my destination without much hassle and with time to spare.
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Boarding Internal Flight From KLIA T1
Unlike international flights, where stringent timelines often apply, our domestic flights afford us the convenience of checking in our luggage (if any) as early as one hour before departure time and entering the boarding gates 45 minutes prior to the flight departure. Though we do not need to come too early to the airport, it is advisable to clear these procedures as early as possible for a smoother travel experience.
KLIA T1
Domestic travellers have a separate boarding clearance where bottled drinks are allowed to be brought in as part of one’s hand carry luggage. However, we still need to go through the usual airport security checks, so it’s best to keep any metal objects in the hand carry luggage.
Domestic airport clearance
As there is no immigration clearance required, the time from security clearance to entering the boarding gate did not take more than 20 minutes. Upon arrival, I was welcomed by the standard airport retail outlets offering cosmetics, chocolates, and F&B outlets for last-minute gift purchases or quick bites.
Passing all that, it took a short 5-minute walk to reach the boarding gate of the Boeing 737 MAX 8 flight that I was about to board. The boarding experience was similar to any international flight, albeit faster due to the smaller passenger numbers.
KLIA T1 – Walking to boarding gate
KLIA T1 – Boarding plane to JB
Landing In Senai International Airport
The flight journey took a total of 45 minutes, though the plane landed at 3 pm or one hour from the flight departure. Once exited from the plane, it was a fuss-free experience as there was no further immigration clearance or baggage checks, which would be customary for international flights.
Boeing 737 MAX 8
A short walk from the arrival hall, I was greeted to a wide array of food options at the retail podium, Aeromall, in the Senai International Airport. From popular fast-food chains like KFC, Pizza Hut, and Subway to bubble tea shops like Tealive and Gong Cha, it was easy to get something to satiate if one had a hunger pang.
Touchdown at Senai International Airport
Exiting Arrival Hall – Senai International Airport
Senai International Airport – Retail Podium
From the Senai Airport, we can simply book a cab to our next destination or also have the option to rent a car at the Senai Airport, if we want to.
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Transfer To JB Sentral
Additionally, there is also a bus service to Johor Bahru Sentral, which is convenient if we wish to head down to Singapore. The Senai Airport Bus – a shuttle service by Causeway Link – costs RM8 per ticket for one way. The service runs at a regular one-hour interval from 9 am to 8.30 pm and takes around 40 minutes to reach JB Sentral Bus Terminal. I decided to hop on as one of the three passengers on the bus.
Senai Airport Bus
JB Sentral Bus Terminal
While the whole journey cost me a total of RM182 and took around 4 hours to reach from KL to JB Sentral, inclusive of the waiting time, it was worth it. While I could have shaved off as much as RM60 of my expenses by taking the airport shuttle bus instead of a private hire car, it allowed me to travel conveniently and at the shortest possible time.
If I have to travel again on my own, the flight option would certainly be one of my considerations. Though I chose a more expensive flight ticket due to the flight timing this time around, there were flight tickets as cheap as RM53. And if I were to take the airport transfer buses to reach KL/JB Sentral, it would cost me less than RM100, making it more affordable than driving and faster than taking the coach.
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