Passengers travelling by train from Johor Bahru to Penang need to take two separate trains, one from Johor Bahru to Gemas, and another from Gemas to Butterworth Railway Station.
Train 1: Johor Bahru to Gemas
There are 4 direct train services a day from Johor Bharu to Gemas which can book online, however, only the first train of the day arrives in time to connect with the onward train to Penang.
| Train | Johor Bharu | Gemas | Service |
| 42 | 09:15 | 13:59 | Southern Shuttle |
| 44 | 14:00 | 18:41 | Southern Shuttle |
| 26 | 19:15 | 00:03 | Ekspress Rakyat Timuran |
| 46 | 20:35 | 01:05 | Southern Shuttle |
- Check train ticket availability for travel from Johor Bahru to Gemas.
Train 2: Gemas to Penang
There is currently 1 direct train service a day from Gemas to Butterworth Railway Station in Penang.
| Train | Gemas | Penang | Service |
| 9372 | 15:10 | 21:42 | ETS Platinum |
- Check train ticket availability for travel from Gemas to Butterworth in Penang.
Johor Bahru Railway Station
The train journey to Penang starts at Johor Bharu Sentral Station.
Gemas Railway Station
To travel from Johor Bahru to Penang you need to change trains at Gemas Railway 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. 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 1.20 MYR 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 IslandThe 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 30 MYR for a taxi ride to George Town and a fare of 44 MYR for a journey to the beach resort town of Batu Feringghi.