How to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh by train

Whether you’re travelling to Ipoh to explore the city or using it as a base for visiting the nearby Cameron Highlands, it’s only a simple two-hour journey from Kuala Lumpur. Eighteen comfortable and reliable trains run the route each day, arriving at Ipoh’s glorious historic railway station (pictured above).

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Route map and details

Kuala Lumpur and Ipoh are two key stations on Malaysia’s West Coast Main Line, located just 200 km apart.

Timetables

KL Sentral to Ipoh

There are eighteen trains per day from Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral) to Ipoh. The Express trains stop at fewer stations than the Platinum and Gold trains, completing the journey in only two hours.

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.

Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh train tickets

How far in advance you can book depends on the train. Only five services each day start in KL and terminate in Ipoh (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. Beyond the wider seat and complimentary meal, the two classes are quite similar, and most travellers are perfectly happy staying in Standard Class.

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

How much does it cost?

All trains offer Standard Class, but Business Class is available only on the 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 in our view it’s not really worth the extra cost. You do get a wider seat and a complimentary meal, yet the experience somehow falls short of expectations. Part of this is because Standard Class is already very comfortable, and the train has a well-stocked Bistro Car in the middle where the food is exactly the same, with the added advantage that you can actually choose what you want. You can read a full review of ETS Business Class here.

In Standard Class, each seat comes with a tray table, armrest, footrest, recline button, and charging points (both a three-pin plug and USB slot). Legroom is generous and there’s 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 KL Sentral to access the platform and again at Ipoh 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

KL Sentral is every bit a modern transport hub, well connected to the city’s public transport network. From here, trains to Ipoh slowly make their way through Kuala Lumpur’s streets. Keep an eye out for glimpses of the iconic skyline, including KL Tower, Merdeka 118 and the Petronas Towers.

For the first hour or so after leaving the city, the scenery is largely urban, though it gradually opens up as the train enters the state of Perak. Approaching Ipoh, the route passes through a quieter part of the countryside, framed by green fields, jagged peaks and flowing rivers.

Ipoh’s station is arguably the grandest in all of Malaysia. Built in the early twentieth century, the station is almost worth the two-hour journey rom Kuala Lumpur by itself. Take a few moments to explore and admire the building before heading into one of Malaysia’s most relaxing and attractive towns.