The journey from Johor Bahru to Penang involves taking two separate trains. One from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur, and another from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth Railway Station in Penang.
Train 1: Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur
There are currently 7 train services a day from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur.
- Buy train tickets from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur.
| Train | Johor Bahru | Kuala Lumpur | Service |
| 9442 | 07:35 | 12:11 | ETS Gold |
| 9524 | 08:40 | 13:00 | ETS Platinum |
| 9326 | 09:55 | 14:05 | ETS Platinum |
| 9428 | 11:25 | 15:35 | ETS Platinum |
| 9528 | 12:45 | 17:05 | ETS Platinum |
| 9530 | 15:00 | 19:20 | ETS Platinum |
| 9532 | 16:20 | 20:40 | ETS Platinum |
Train 2: Kuala Lumpur to Penang
There are currently 7 trains a day from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth Railway Station.
- Buy train tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth in Penang.
| Train | Kuala Lumpur | Penang | Service |
| 9124 | 08:05 | 12:10 | ETS Platinum |
| 9108 | 11:40 | 15:15 | ETS Express |
| 9130 | 13:40 | 17:45 | ETS Platinum |
| 9326 | 14:10 | 18:15 | ETS Platinum |
| 9136 | 15:55 | 20:00 | ETS Platinum |
| 9352 | 18:22 | 22:42 | ETS Gold |
| 9138 | 20:15 | 00:20 | ETS Platinum |
Johor Bahru Railway Station
The train journey to Penang starts at Johor Bahru Sentral Station.
Gemas Railway Station
During the journey from Johor Bahru to Penang you need to change trains at KL Sentral Station.
Butterworth Railway Station
Passengers travelling by train to Penang Island should alight at Butterworth Railway Station.
Travel to Penang Island
There are two ways to get from Butterworth Railway Station to Penang Island.
Ferry to George Town
The cheapest of the two options is to walk 550 metres from the entrance to the railway station to Penang Sentral Bus Station. The route is well sign posted. The ferry terminal for services to Penang Island is on the 2nd level of the bus station. A passenger ferry departs every 20 minutes from 05:40 to 00:40. The ferry costs RM2 for adults and takes 15 to 20 minutes to reach Penang Island.
The ferry terminal on the island is an easy walk from the historic centre of George Town. There is also a bus station right by the ferry terminal on Penang Island with inexpensive services to a wide variety of destinations across Penang Island.
Hock Teik Cheng Sin Temple in Penang IslandTaxi to George Town
The other way to get from Butterworth Railway Station to Penang Island is to take a taxi. This is a good option for people with small children, large bags or restricted mobility. There are two bridges connecting Penang Island to the mainland.
It is, however, a relatively expensive option and taxi fares are not fixed (the taxis also don’t have meters) so you need to negotiate a price before you start your taxi journey. Expect to pay around RM40 for a taxi ride to George Town and a fare of RM50 for a journey to the beach resort town of Batu Feringghi.