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GETTING AROUND MALAYSIA
Kuala Lumpur is a relatively accessible city with many ways to get around conveniently. There are three major rail networks within the city, a number of air-conditioned buses to all areas in the city, and a fleet of taxis that will take you anywhere you need to go. Nevertheless, the best way to experience the sights and sounds would be to go for a walk around town. | | BUSES There are several bus operators servicing the bus lines in and around the capital. Bus stands are usually available next to train stations and shopping complexes. Fares commonly range between RM 1.00 to RM 3.00, depending on the zone in which the passenger intends to travel to. Passengers are also able to pay for fares using a prepaid card called Touch n' Go, which can be bought at all major train or LRT stations. It is important to note that traffic in KL could be notoriously heavy during peak hours, and bus schedules may not be accurate at all times. | a) | KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF The best way to experience all of KL is via the KL Hop-On Hop-Off City Tour. You’ll get to see and hear all of KL through the semi-glass roof double-decker bus and (literally) hop on and off the bus, whenever you like. The bus runs on a half hourly schedule starting from 8.30 am to 8.30 pm. A pre-recorded commentary, in nine languages, of the history of KL and places of attractions is available in the bus. The tour has 23 stops, which cover more than 40 attractions. The interval between buses is around 20 to 30 minutes. Tickets can be purchase in the bus, authorized agents, authorized hotels and KL Hop-On Hop-Off counters. Ticket counters are located at : Jalan Bukit Bintang (main counter at stop number 6), Malaysian Tourism Centre at Jalan Ampang, at KL Sentral (arrival hall) and Central Market. See Hop On Hop Off website for more info. | b) | RapidKL Bus RapidKL buses services 6 key areas of the Klang Valley with a total of 165 routes. It provides 5 types of bus services to the commuter, namely the Tempatan service that carries passengers from the residential areas to the main routes. The main routes is serviced by the Utama buses which then funnels the passengers into the city hubs where they can then go on to their final destination in the city center using the Bandar service. Ekspres service which, as the name implies, is a non-stop ride from key points around the Klang Valley straight into the city. Finally, under the NKRA Transport initiatives, Bus Express Transit (BET) was introduced in Feb 2010. Under this service, 4 Utama routes are converted to express routes and utilized under capacity highways such as KESAS, Kerinchi – Penchala Link & NPE, to transport passenger during Peak AM & PM to city centre. More buses have already been added to the fleet and operation times have been increased to a whopping 18.5 hours (5.30am to 12 midnight). | c) | GO-KL CITY BUS Go-KL City Bus is a free bus service, which is operated by the Land Public Transport Commission (SPAD). These single-decker busses are easily identifiable from its colour (pink) and is a comfortable and convenient option for travellers. The buses operate on two routes, one starting from KLCC and the other from Pasar Seni. They operate from 6am till 11pm. | | | TAXIS Taxis are a common mode of transportation around the city as they are often more versatile than trains. The present fleet of taxis in KL are commonly seen in red or blue. You can identify a taxi via its number plate that starts with the letter 'H'. All taxis in the capital are required to be metered, so the chances of haggling are fairly remote. Passengers should be wary when taxi drivers demand a "fixed fee", and insist on using the meter. Otherwise, walk away and flag down another taxi. Due to traffic jams during peak periods, a taxi ride could take longer than anticipated. | | TRAINS RapidKL Rail oversees the operation of the 2 LRT lines (Ampang and Kelana Jaya lines) and the KL Monorail. KTM Bhd manages the operation of its KTM Komuter trains. With the exception of the Ampang Line, all other lines converge into KL Sentral, the transportation hub of the capital. Along with the ERL airport lines, you will find KL well-connected by rail. | a) | KTM KOMUTER The KTM Komuter has 53 stations and consists of two cross-city routes, namely the Sentul-Port Klang and Rawang-Seremban lines. Transfer between the two main lines can be made at KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur, Bank Negara and Putra stations. Same-platform and cross-platform interchanges are available at the Kuala Lumpur station. Interchange with the RapidKL Rail network is available at Bandar Tasik Selatan station for the Ampang Line, and at KL Sentral for the Kelana Jaya Line. Passengers may also transfer to the Ampang Line at the Bank Negara station, by walking to the Bandaraya LRT station. | b) | RAPIDKL LRT RapidKL Light Rail Transit or RapidKL LRT is a light rail transit system (rapid transit in central Kuala Lumpur) serving a large part of the Klang Valley conurbation in Malaysia. It is owned by Syarikat Prasarana Negara and operated by RapidKL, a major public transport company in the conurbation. The rail network consists of the Ampang Line and the Kelana Jaya Line - see more infomation | c) | RAPIDKL MONORAIL RapidKL Monorail previously known as KL Monorail, is an urban monorail system in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It opened on 31 August 2003, with 11 stations running 8.6 km (5 mi) on two parallel elevated tracks. It connects the Kuala Lumpur Sentral transport hub with the "Golden Triangle" The RapidKL Monorail has 11 stations and begins from the KL Sentral Monorail station (MR1) and terminates at the Titiwangsa Monorail Station (MR11). For transiting passengers, transfer stations along this line are located at KL Sentral itself for the Kelana Jaya Line, KTM Komuter, KLIA Transit or KLIA Express, Hang Tuah (MR4) and Titiwangsa (MR11) Monorail Stations for the Ampang Line, and the Bukit Nanas Monorail Station (MR8) for the Kelana Jaya Line. | | | ON FOOT Taking the scenic route on foot around KL is a good way to explore the city. Travelers and shoppers in KL can enjoy pedestrian walkways built specifically for their convenience and comfort. One such example is the KLCC Pedestrian Walkway Bridge, which connects Pavilion KL to Impiana KLCC Hotel and the KL Convention Centre. There are also several other pedestrian bridges and walkways that are currently being built at strategic locations in the city. For instance, the Bukit Bintang-KLCC Pedestrian Walkway offers a spectacular view of KL and its modern architecture. Another newly built covered walkway is one that links the Pasar Seni LRT station to the Pasar Seni building or Central Market. Central Market is a hot spot for unconventional local arts and crafts. The walkways in KL are built to be friendly to the visually impaired as well as those on wheelchairs. The streets of KL are already well marked with road signs and all you need is a map. There are also dedicated sidewalks for pedestrians that are shaded by the trees. And do feel free to ask a tourist police or a friendly local for help whenever you need to. |
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