Malaysia's transportation systems function well, by regional standards. Planes, trains, buses, and taxis are linked in a system conceived and constructed by, if not an order-loving person, at least a dedicated amateur. The planners' aims are an ultra-modern, chic, European-style system that are a far cry from the city's humble barrio beginnings. The reality is a sound B+ with still a long way to go before hitting the top. A bewildering jumble of initials and acronyms assault any first time journey planner in KL, and it will take at least a day to decipher the scheme of things.

By plane

Kuala Lumpur is served by two airports: Kuala Lumpur International Airport is the main airport and served by all long-distance jet flights, whilst Subang Airport is limited to regional flights.

1 Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL IATA). The primary airport serving Kuala Lumpur, 50 km south of Kuala Lumpur in the Sepang district of Selangor. The airport opened in 1998 and superseded Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport in Subang, which is now only used for regional flights. Over 50 airlines call at KLIA. The airport has two terminals, with Malaysia Airlines and other mainline carriers at the "main" KLIA, and Air Asia and other low-cost carriers using KLIA2. They are connected to each other (3 minutes) and the city (28-33 min) by the KLIA Ekspres train. (updated Feb 2023)

2 Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB IATA). More commonly referred to as Subang Airport, this was the city's main airport until KLIA opened. Most flights from here are domestic turboprops, but jets were allowed back in 2024 and there's limited but growing service to Singapore and Jakarta. The airport is much closer to the city centre and less crowded than KLIA. The airport is 25 km from the city centre and the convenient way to get there is by taxi. An alternative is to take Rapid KL bus 772 (destination: Subang Suria/Mah Sing) from Terminal Jalan Sultan Mohammad next to Pasar Seni LRT station, which goes past the airport. The ride takes approximately 40 min in clear traffic. It can take nearly 1h 30min during peak rush hour. Firefly and SKS Airways are the main airlines offering scheduled services to the airport. Note that Firefly's flight to Singapore uses the secondary airport at Seletar, not the main airport at Changi; likewise, TransNusa's Jakarta services go to Halim, not Soekarno-Hatta. (updated Feb 2023)

By train

The government owned Keretapi Tanah Melayu (Malayan Railway or KTM) operates modern electric trains, called the Electric Train Service (ETS) along the West Coast of Peninsular Malaysia from Johor Bahru at the border with Singapore up to Butterworth in Penang (with a ferry connection to George Town) or Padang Besar at the border with Thailand. All trains to Kuala Lumpur call at 3 KL Sentral, a modern transportation hub in Brickfields, just south of the city centre. From Singapore, you will need to catch the Shuttle Tebrau diesel train to Johor Bahru to transfer onto an ETS train. From Thailand, you will need to catch a Thai train to Padang Besar station in Malaysia (not the Thai station of the same name) and transfer onto a Malaysian train there. There are no direct services from the east coast; you will need to make a major detour via Gemas.

Kuala Lumpur railway station is the old, British-built transport hub, convenient for Chinatown. It has direct rail connections to the Seremban and Port Klang lines. It also has indirect rail connections to the Kajang and Kelana Jaya lines. KL Sentral railway station is the new, purpose-built transport hub, convenient for Brickfields. It has direct rail connections to the Kelana Jaya, Seremban, Port Klang, Skypark Link, KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit lines. It also has indirect rail connections to the Kajang and KL Monorail lines.

Taxi services are available at both stations, but you will find more at KL Sentral and can purchase a taxi coupon when there so that drivers cannot overcharge. See the Get Around section for more information.

Tickets for KTM Komuter and ETS trains can be purchased at the KTM Intercity ticket office on level two of KL Sentral or other stations which trains call at. You can also purchase your ticket online at the KTM e-booking site up to two months in advance, but remember to print out the e-ticket or download the mobticket app. Additionally, timetables and seat availability can be found on the main KTM website.

Belmond runs its luxury excursion train Eastern & Oriental Express two to three times per month between Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The price of a ticket matches the on-board extravaganza, starting at US$3,000.

By boat

Kuala Lumpur is not by the sea, so it is not possible to get in directly by boat. The nearby Port Klang, about 40 km west of Kuala Lumpur, serves as the main port for this region. Ferries operate international services from Sumatra, Indonesia and a domestic service to Pulau Ketam. Cruise ships also call at Port Klang, usually on the way to other destinations in Asia, allowing for a day trip to Kuala Lumpur. For more information refer to the Port Klang article.

By bus

Buses are a cheap, comfortable and popular transport option for Malaysians, with services reaching virtually all corners of Peninsular Malaysia and also to Thailand and Singapore. So it is no wonder that Kuala Lumpur has several bus stations (stesen bas or hentian) to handle long distance bus services. Despite the complexity of the network there is some pattern to the madness, with buses departing from particular stations depending on the region they travel to or from. To top that off, some buses may arrive at other locations including Kuala Lumpur Railway Station, Bangsar LRT Station, Corus Hotel and the Malaysian Tourist Centre (MTC). Always confirm with the bus company where your bus will depart so that you do not miss your bus. In some cases you may need to exchange your ticket for a boarding pass, so try to arrive at the bus terminal 10–15 minutes before the departure time, although bus companies suggest 30 minutes.

Bus terminals

4 Pudu Sentral (formerly Hentian Puduraya), Jl Pudu (linked to Plaza Rakyat LRT Station), ☏ +60 3 2078-6018. The most central bus station in Kuala Lumpur, serving northbound buses. Pudu got a major facelift and air-conditioning in 2011, and could now stand in for an airport. However, ticketing and information is still not centralized, so finding the next bus to your destination still requires a lot of walking around. Tickets to services departing from other stations are also available. Taxis are on the prowl around the station and can be pushy and may not use the meter. Always negotiate a price beforehand if you want a taxi or the alternative is to head to the nearby LRT station.

5 Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), Jl Terminal Selatan (linked to Bandar Tasik Selatan Station), ☏ +60 3 9051-2000. This gigantic and ultra-modern terminal serves southbound destinations, including Malacca, Johor Bharu and Singapore. Despite its less than central location it is extremely well connected by public transport and taxis. Three train services, KTM Komuter, Sri Petaling LRT and KLIA Transit call at this bus station, making it easy to reach from Kuala Lumpur and KLIA.

6 Hentian Duta (Duta Bus Terminal), Persiaran Tuanku Syed Sirajuddin, ☏ +60 3 6201-4970. A small bus station serving express northbound services. There are no direct public transport services to this station. The nearest bus stop is 500 m north-west of the station close to Federal Territory Mosque. The busses there serve KL Sentral. It is more convenient to hail a taxi though.

7 Pekeliling Bus Terminal, Jl Tun Razak (near Titiwangsa LRT & Monorail stations), ☏ +60 3 4042-1256. This terminal handles some bus services to the East Coast, including Taman Negara and Local bus services.

Bus companies

There are quite a few bus companies that arrive and depart from Kuala Lumpur. Below is a list of the major companies. This is by no means an exhaustive list.

Transnasional, ☏ +60 3 2070-3300. Malaysia's biggest long-distance bus company. Economy class departures to Singapore's Lavender Street terminal at 08:45, 10:30, 13:30, 17:30, 22:30 & 23:59 - it takes 5 hr.

Konsortium Bas Ekspres Semenanjung, ☏ +60 3 2070 1321. Has several buses daily to/from the Golden Mile complex in Singapore.

Alisan Golden Coach Express, Hentian Pudu Raya, ☏ +60 3 2032 2273. Have three buses every day which leave Kuala Lumpur to Hatyai, departure at 9AM, 10PM, and 10:30PM, 7-hr journey.

StarMart Express, ☏ +60 3 21431666. Leaves to Singapore from Bukit Bintang. Tickets available there. RM45 next to Berjaya Times Suare (Jalan Imbi, under the monorail station)

By car

Most important roads in Peninsular Malaysia lead to/from Kuala Lumpur. The city lies about midway along the North-South Expressway (Motorway) (NSE; route numbers E1 and E2) which runs from the Malaysia-Thailand border at Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru in the south, on the Malaysian side of the Causeway to Singapore. The main expressway exits for Kuala Lumpur on the NSE are Jalan Duta (from the north) and Sungai Besi (from the south).

The Kuala Lumpur-Karak Expressway (E8), which later turns into the East Coast Expressway, links Kuala Lumpur with the East Coast cities Kuantan and Kuala Terengganu. For those who do not want to pay toll, Kuala Lumpur is on Federal Route One (the "Trunk Road") which, like the NSE, runs through all West Coast states of Peninsular Malaysia from Bukit Kayu Hitam, Kedah to Johor Bahru. Those travelling along the West Coast Road (Federal Route Five) should leave the road at Klang and get to Kuala Lumpur via the Federal Highway.