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KL Sentral

KL Sentral, Kuala Lumpur: trains, airport links and connections

Last updated: October 22, 2026
Train station 🇲🇾 Malaysia Kuala Lumpur

Photo: Ombrewan / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

KL Sentral is Kuala Lumpur's main railway station, and almost every rail line in the city meets here. ETS intercity trains leave for Ipoh, Butterworth, Padang Besar and Johor Bahru, KTM Komuter trains run to Batu Caves, Seremban and Port Klang, and KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit take you to the airport.[1] It is a train station, not the long-distance bus terminal. Express buses to Penang, Melaka or the east coast leave from TBS, one stop away on KLIA Transit (see the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan guide on GoAsia).

Location and how to get there

KL Sentral sits in Brickfields, southwest of the city center. It has direct access to six rail systems: KTM Intercity, KTM Komuter, the Kelana Jaya and Ampang lines, KLIA Ekspres, KLIA Transit and the KL Monorail.[2]

The Kelana Jaya Line platform at KL Sentral
The Kelana Jaya Line platform at KL SentralPhoto: Two hundred percent / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
  • Rapid KL: The LRT Kelana Jaya Line has its station 15 here, and the KL Monorail starts from station 1.[3][4] The last monorail leaves for Titiwangsa at 23:30.[4]
  • KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit: Trains leave from the KL Sentral concourse. The ticket counter there is open 06:00 to 23:00.[5]
  • KTM Komuter and ETS: Both use the station. Komuter transfers between its two lines happen here.[6]
  • Taxi and ride-hailing: Ask for "KL Sentral".

Operators and destinations

ETS (KTMB). ETS is Malaysia's fastest intercity train, running at up to 140 km/h on the electrified West Coast Line between Gemas and Padang Besar.[1] Platinum trains stop at few stations, Gold at selected stations and Silver at every one. ETS Express trains are a fourth type.[7] The main routes from KL Sentral are Ipoh, Butterworth (for Penang) and Padang Besar on the Thai border. Here are some trains from the timetable valid from 1 June 2026:

TrainLeaves KL SentralArrives
EP9224 (Platinum)07:20Ipoh 09:44, Padang Besar 12:41
EP9124 (Platinum)08:05Ipoh 10:29, Butterworth 12:10
EX9108 (Express)11:40Ipoh 13:41, Butterworth 15:15
EG9442 (Gold, from JB Sentral 07:35)12:16Ipoh 14:48, Padang Besar 17:53
EX9214 (Express)18:00Ipoh 20:04, Padang Besar 22:50[7]

The timetable has 22 northbound and 22 southbound services.[7] Platinum business class passengers can wait in the Ruby Lounge on the second floor of the station.[1]

Airport trains. KLIA Ekspres runs every 20 minutes all day. It reaches KLIA Terminal 1 in 28 minutes and Terminal 2 three minutes later. The first train leaves KL Sentral at 05:00 and the last at 00:00. A single costs RM55 for adults and RM25 for children aged 6 to 15, children under 6 ride free, and a return ticket is RM100 for adults.[5]

KLIA Transit makes stops at Bandar Tasik Selatan, Putrajaya and Cyberjaya, and Salak Tinggi. Trains run every 15 minutes at weekday peak hours and every 30 minutes at other times. The first train leaves KL Sentral at 05:03 and the last at 00:03. Bandar Tasik Selatan, the stop for TBS, costs RM6.50 for adults and RM2.90 for children.[8] KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit tickets are not interchangeable.

Airport buses. Skybus runs from the KL Sentral bus terminal on the lower ground floor to KLIA Terminals 1 and 2.[9] An express coach to Terminal 1 leaves every 30 minutes from 05:00 to 18:00, takes about an hour and costs RM15 for adults and RM10 for children.[10]

Komuter. KTM Komuter runs on two lines, Batu Caves to Pulau Sebang and Tanjung Malim to Port Klang.[6] It connects suburban towns such as Rawang, Sentul, Port Klang and Seremban.[2]

GoAsia guides for rail trips from here: Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur to Butterworth, Kuala Lumpur to Padang Besar, Kuala Lumpur to Perlis, Kuala Lumpur to Kedah, Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves. For the return trip, see Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur and Batu Caves to Kuala Lumpur.

Tickets and facilities

You buy ETS tickets from KTMB through its online ticketing service and mobile app.[1] KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit tickets are sold on the KLIA Ekspres website and app with a 10 percent online discount, at the concourse counter and at self-service kiosks. Online tickets are valid for one month from the travel date and are non-refundable. A ticket is valid for 90 minutes from entry to exit.[5]

Tips

  • Pick the right airport train. Boarding the wrong train earns no refund, so check whether you hold a KLIA Ekspres or a KLIA Transit ticket.[8]
  • Late flights. From 23:00 all KLIA Ekspres trains stop at every station, and service runs until 01:00 from KLIA T1 and T2.[5]
  • Look at the stops. Platinum trains skip many stations, and some trains start or end at Butterworth, Padang Besar or JB Sentral. Check the train number against the timetable.
  • Crossing to Thailand by train? ETS ends at Padang Besar, the border town on the Malaysian side.[1]
  • Bus to the south or east coast? Take KLIA Transit one stop to Bandar Tasik Selatan for Terminal Bersepadu Selatan.

Sources and background

Numbers in the text such as [1] refer to these sources.

  1. [1] Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB): ETS: routes, services, Ruby Lounge. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  2. [2] Kuala Lumpur Sentral (MRCB): Connectivity: rail, road, air. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  3. [3] Rapid KL (Prasarana Malaysia Berhad): Kelana Jaya Line. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  4. [4] Rapid KL (Prasarana Malaysia Berhad): Monorail. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  5. [5] KLIA Ekspres (Express Rail Link): KLIA Ekspres: journey time, fares, counters. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  6. [6] Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB): KTM Komuter details. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  7. [7] Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB): ETS timetable effective 1 June 2026. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  8. [8] KLIA Ekspres (Express Rail Link): KLIA Transit: timetable, fares. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  9. [9] Skybus: Skybus: KL Sentral to KLIA Terminal 1 and 2. Retrieved October 21, 2026.
  10. [10] Malaysia Airports: Getting to KLIA Terminal 1 by public transport (bus). Retrieved October 21, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is KL Sentral?

KL Sentral is Kuala Lumpur's main railway station, in Brickfields southwest of the city center. KTM Komuter, ETS intercity trains, KLIA Ekspres, KLIA Transit, the LRT Kelana Jaya Line and the KL Monorail all stop here.

How do I get from KL Sentral to KLIA?

Take KLIA Ekspres, which is non-stop and takes 28 minutes to KLIA T1 (adult single RM55), or KLIA Transit, which makes stops. Skybus and an airport coach also run from KL Sentral.

Which ETS trains leave from KL Sentral?

ETS trains run to Ipoh, Butterworth and Padang Besar in the north and to JB Sentral in the south. The KTMB timetable valid from 1 June 2026 has 22 services in each direction.

Do buses to Penang and Melaka leave from KL Sentral?

No. Long-distance express buses leave from Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), one stop from KL Sentral on KLIA Transit to Bandar Tasik Selatan.

What time does the first KLIA Ekspres leave KL Sentral?

The first KLIA Ekspres leaves KL Sentral at 05:00 and the last at 00:00, with trains every 20 minutes.

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