From Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by Train

It is easy to travel overland from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, as there is a good train connection between the capitals of Thailand and Malaysia.

In this short guide, I’ll show you what it is like to travel from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by train and give advice on how to best plan your journey and book tickets.

By train from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur

If you want to plan an overland rail trip from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, you need to do so in stages, starting with your journey from the Thai capital to Padang Besar, the rail border between Thailand and Malaysia.

After you have planned and booked this, the next step is to arrange the second part of your journey – the train from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur.

Let’s take a look at this step by step.

Bangkok to Padang Besar

There is a direct sleeper train linking Bangkok with Padang Besar on the Thai–Malaysian border.

This train (train number 45) currently departs Bangkok’s modern Krung Thep Aphiwat Central Station (KTW) at 16:10 and arrives in Padang Besar at 08:05 Thai time, which is 09:05 Malaysian time.

It features second-class air-conditioned sleepers, which are open-plan carriages with berths on either side of the aisle, each fitted with a privacy curtain.

It also has third-class seats, although these are not recommended for overnight or long-distance travel.

More options are available if you do not mind making a connection in Hat Yai, as you can then catch one of the numerous night trains from Bangkok to Hat Yai and connect there onto a shuttle train to Padang Besar.

Although the extra connection may be seen as inconvenient by some, this option can be useful if direct train number 45 is fully booked.

It also gives you the opportunity to book a first class sleeper with two-berth compartments, which is available on some of the Bangkok-Hat Yai night trains.

Border procedure at Padang Besar

Both Thai exit immigration and Malaysian entry procedures take place at Padang Besar station, with the two border posts just a few metres apart.

The station itself is located on Malaysian territory, so once you have completed all formalities, you are officially in Malaysia.

Remember that local time in Malaysia is one hour ahead of Thailand.

At the station, you will find ticket counters and a small hawker centre where you can buy food and drinks.

There are no official currency exchange facilities, so it is highly recommended to exchange some money into Malaysian ringgit before setting off on your train journey, so you have cash on hand.

From Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur

Frequent Malaysian ETS trains link Padang Besar with Butterworth (for the ferry to George Town on Penang Island), Ipoh (for the Cameron Highlands), and Kuala Lumpur.

These are modern and comfortable daytime trains, with the journey from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur taking just under 5 hours.

There are also commuter trains that run solely between Padang Besar and Butterworth.

Booking tickets

You can book Thai night trains through the official Thai Railways website and the Malaysian train through the Malaysian Railways website.

However, you may find that the booking website 12Go is much easier to use for booking trains in Thailand as well as arranging all your transport across Southeast Asia, such as buses and ferries.

Tickets for the shuttle train between Hat Yai and Padang Besar can be purchased on the day at the station.

Keep in mind that booking websites show the arrival time of Thai trains into Padang Besar in Thai local time, so you need to add one hour to get Malaysian time!

Conclusion

It is straightforward to travel by train from Bangkok, Thailand, to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, but the journey needs to be booked in stages.

First, book a night train from Bangkok to the Thai-Malaysian border station of Padang Besar.

At this station, you will need to complete border formalities, so allow enough time for this and remember the one-hour time difference between Thailand and Malaysia.

Finally, book your Malaysian train from Padang Besar to Kuala Lumpur.