How to travel from Padang Besar to Butterworth by train

Padang Besar is the gateway to Malaysia from Thailand, marking the border crossing and the most northerly point on the country’s railway network. After arriving, many travellers set their sights on Butterworth, 170km to the south, which is linked by a reliable, basic, and affordable train service.

Consider spending an afternoon in Butterworth before taking the ferry to George Town on Penang Island. As one of Malaysia’s top destinations, there are plenty of things to do in Penang; visit the On Penang website for inspiration on how to make the most of your time on the island.

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Route map and details

Padang Besar is the start and end point of Malaysia’s West Coast Line, which runs all the way from here to the border with Singapore at Johor Bahru. For the majority of the route, the Padang Besar to Butterworth train uses the mainline, before branching off to the Butterworth line for the final 10km of the journey.

Timetables

There are eighteen trains per day from Padang Besar to Butterworth. As this is mainly a commuter service, the frequency of services drops in the late morning and early afternoon.

How to buy tickets

It’s usually easier to buy Malaysian train tickets online using a ticket agency such as Baolau, but the Padang Besar to Butterworth trip is one of the few that can only be booked either at the station on the day of travel or via the official KTMB website (select ‘Komuter’ then ‘Komuter Utara’ from the top menu).

This is KTMB’s Komuter service, aimed at mass-transit commuter traffic, rather than tourists. If you’ve not bought tickets using the KTM website, once you arrive at Padang Besar station you’ll need to buy tickets from the ticket windows or ticket machines.

Regardless of how you book your ticket, you won’t be allocated a reserved seat; it’s first-come first-served, although it’s usually possible to get a seat at Padang Besar if you board early. Tickets can’t sell out so you’ll definitely be able to board the train, even if you have to stand.

How much does it cost?

Tickets from Padang Besar to Butterworth cost: