How to travel from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur by train

Ipoh is a popular weekend escape from Kuala Lumpur and also a common stop for travellers heading south through Malaysia from Thailand or Penang. Whatever brings you here, the next logical destination is usually Kuala Lumpur, which can be reached easily on one of eighteen daily ETS services.

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Route map and details

Ipoh is the largest station between Butterworth and Kuala Lumpur on Malaysia’s West Coast Main Line. Trains on this route are often quite busy, particularly on weekends and public holidays.

Timetables

Ipoh to KL Sentral

Eighteen trains per day run from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral). The Express trains stop at fewer stations than the Platinum and Gold trains, completing the journey in only two hours (over 30 minutes faster than Gold).

How to buy tickets

The easiest way to buy train tickets in Malaysia is online rather than going to the station. You do pay a very small commission but the ease and convenience makes it worthwhile in our opinion.

Baolau is the best site to use for buying train tickets, they have access to the official booking engine, so you can easily see availability, timetables and prices.

Payment can be made using international credit card and PDF confirmation tickets are sent to your email address within a few minutes. This is the actual ticket you need to board the train, so there’s no need to exchange it at the station before travel. You may prefer to print the pdf out, but it’s also fine to show it on your mobile phone to the conductors and station staff.

Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur train tickets

How far in advance you can book depends on the train. Only five services each day start in Ipoh and terminate in Kuala Lumpur (shown in the table below), and these can be booked several months ahead. All other daily trains, which cover longer routes, are only available for booking up to one day before departure.

Both Express and Platinum ETS trains usually include Standard and Business Class carriages, whereas Gold trains come with Standard Class only. Aside from the wider seats and complimentary meal offered in Business Class, the two classes are quite similar, and most travellers are perfectly happy travelling in Standard Class.

You can read a review of Business class on the ETS trains here.

How much does it cost?

All trains have Standard Class, but Business Class is only available on most Express and Platinum services (those with the EX and EP prefixes):

The approximate prices for each class are:

What to expect onboard

The ETS trains have six carriages in total, usually with one Business Class carriage and five Standard Class (Gold services have six Standard Class carriages only). Business Class seats are arranged 1 × 2 and offer a little more space, while Standard Class uses a 2 × 2 layout. Whatever class you choose, each carriage feels modern, safe and comfortable.

Business Class is noticeably more expensive than Standard Class, but we’re not convinced the upgrade is worth the extra cost. While you do get a wider seat and a complimentary meal, the overall experience somehow fails to live up to expectations. That’s partly because Standard Class is already very comfortable, and the Bistro Car in the middle of the train serves the same food, with the added bonus that you can actually choose what you want. You can read a full review of ETS Business Class here.

Standard Class seats come with a tray table, armrest, footrest, recline button and charging points (both a three-pin plug and USB slot). There’s also generous legroom and plenty of space between rows, making it easy to settle in and relax.

All Standard Class carriages are broadly the same, but there are a few small differences:

• Coach D contains the two disabled spaces and is nearest the specially adapted toilet reserved for disabled passengers.
• Coach C is closest to the Bistro Car, so there tends to be a little more foot traffic from passengers walking back and forth.
• Coaches B and E each have four seats arranged around a table, which is handy if you’re travelling as a group.

A few tips for a more comfortable Standard Class experience:

• The carriages are kept at a steady 19 °C, but it can feel chilly at times, so bring a light jumper, blanket, or sarong.
• Smaller backpacks fit in the overhead racks, while larger suitcases go in the luggage racks at the end of each carriage, though space can be limited.
• On busy services, you may see suitcases left in the corridor, suggesting the luggage racks fill up quickly. As this is Malaysia, your bags will generally be safe, but it’s still best to pack light and keep valuables close.
• ETS trains generally run to schedule, and delays are uncommon.
• You’ll need to scan your ticket QR code at Ipoh to access the platform and again at KL Sentral to exit the station.

What are the toilets like?

The toilets on these relatively new trains are excellent by public transport standards. All are western-style, so there’s no need to worry about squat toilets, and they’re kept clean with plenty of toilet paper and hand wash available for the entire journey to Ipoh.

Each carriage has a sign to indicate when the toilet is occupied. Toilets can be found in Coaches B and E, while the facility in Coach F is specially adapted and reserved for disabled passengers.

Catering options

Standard Class passengers don’t get complimentary food or drinks, unlike in Business Class, and there’s no trolley service moving through the train. Instead, you’ll need to head to the Bistro Car in the middle of the train (Coach C) to purchase refreshments.

Malaysia is famous for its cuisine, so it’s great that the national railway company offers meals that are both tasty and affordable. The dishes are microwaved to order, they might not look very appetising at first, but the quality is surprisingly good.

You’ll usually find a few options, including nasi lemak, fried noodles and other local favourites. Prices are around RM12, and payment can be made by cash or e-wallet. Soft drinks, tea, coffee, crisps and biscuits are also available.

The bistro doesn’t have seating, so you’ll need to take your food and drinks back to your seat to enjoy them.

Journey description

The journey from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur begins in grand style at Ipoh’s ornate railway station. Built in the early twentieth century, it’s one of the most attractive and photogenic stations in Malaysia. It’s worth arriving a few minutes early to appreciate the building before boarding your train.

The countryside after leaving Ipoh is quintessentially Malaysian, with wide rivers, tree-covered hills rising from the fields and the occasional wildlife to spot in the branches. As the train leaves Perak and approaches the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, the scenery becomes more urban, perhaps less attractive than around Ipoh, but still with plenty to look at.

On the edge of the city, Southeast Asia’s most iconic skyline fills the train windows, including the three major landmarks of KL Tower, Merdeka 118 and the Petronas Towers. Soon after, the train rolls into the modern KL Sentral station. Collect your belongings and take the escalator up to the concourse, from where the capital city is easily reached by MRT, LRT, bus or taxi.