How to get around KL airports, hotels, etc?

[Wisnu]

LCCT - Bukit Bintang;
Sure you can use taxi, can't remember the exact amountbut ithink around RM 70 for budget or RM 100 for premier; almost double that cost for van.
you can also use bus to KL Central. There's lot ox taxi parking in KL central bus station; very likely you've to bargain as many of them will refuse to use meter.
Saturday night, bukit bintang area can be very crowded - so taxi probably not the fastest way.
Alternatively, use monorail to bukit bintang. Unfortunately the KL central monorail station is not in the same building; you've to walk 500 m (the shortcut is closed for construction, at least till a week ago). The monorail operate until 12 midnight.

 

[pauldub]

Highdesert, glad to hear you'll be spending a couple of days in my hometown! I don't live there now but I still feel the love! The suggestions thrown out so far all sound pretty good to me. Here are some additions:

It's good that you've decided to stay near the airport on the night of your arrival in Malaysia. The last run to town on the KLIA Ekspres departs at 1230a so you wouldn't even catch that after clearing customs. There should be options to fit most budgets, including Tune which begins operations in the KLIA vicinity this year. However, you might want to splurge a little to recover from the long flight! You'll find that rates in Malaysia will seem low to US travellers, even at the more upmarket chains.

On your return to LCCT, I should say the best option would be to take a taxi or shuttle bus to KLIA and get on the KLIA Ekspres there. Based on your arrival time, you would be heading into town right about rush hour. Taking a taxi might seem convenient but you will almost certainly get caught in rush hour traffic, which is BRUTAL. Any savings you'd see in taking the bus from LCCT into town would be negated for the same reason, plus the buses make several stops along the way. Honestly, KL rush hour traffic is no laughing matter.

The shuttles departing LCCT for KLIA are less than a 5 minute walk from the LCCT entrance. Just ask at the information counter for where to go, and double check with the driver to make sure you're boarding the right bus (green Cityliner). One caution: you will have to lug your bags onto the bus as they don't stow luggage under the bus carriage. No biggie, really. I did it and and helped a friend with her THREE bags, and it was fine. Just a heads-up, that's all. If all goes well, this will get simpler in late 2011 when they install the proposed rail link between LCCT and KLIA. Fingers crossed!

For shuttle bus info, scroll to the bottom of the page:
KLIA International Airport - LCC Terminal - getting to terminal

The Cityliner shuttle costs only RM 1.50 (under USD 0.50). The ride to KLIA is about 20 minutes so don't worry if it seems to take longer than it should. At KLIA you will save a little if you buy a return ticket on the Ekspres.

If you're dead set on taking a taxi pre-pay at one of the cab counters and forego the 'luxury' cabs. Sure you'll be riding in a Mercedes or something similar, but it costs a good bit more.

In KL, staying around Bukit Bintang means you'll be in an upmarket area with lots of ex-pats and tourists. Nice hotels, shopping and restaurants/clubs. I 100% agree that you should eat in Jalan Alor! The old shophouses are also quite pretty. FYI, the city council may have renamed the street (stoopid!) but Jalan Alor is well-known and locals will be able to point you in the right direction. And just about everyone is friendly to tourists. Malaysians are friendly people!

The other option mentioned was staying near KL Sentral. Le Meridien and Hilton have hotels right next to the train hub. Just for a frame of reference, a regular room at the Meridien is about RM 390 + tax (just over USD 100, quite a bargain). From KL Sentral you'll be within steps of the LRT, Monorail and KLIA Ekspres. To see the Petronas Towers, you can hop on the LRT right there. Typically, I wouldn't recommend staying by a transit hub, but Sentral is actually well-maintained and nice! And since you won't be in town long, the convenience factor cannot be overlooked.

Kuala Lumpur Hotel: Le Meridien Kuala Lumpur--Hotel Rooms at lemeridien.com/kualalumpur
Hilton Kuala Lumpur hotel

A short walk from Sentral is the Little India area around Jalan Brickfields. If I'm not mistaken, Deepavali (Festival of Lights) falls sometime in October, so the area should be quite festive. You'll be close to good Indian food. Actually, ask around for the 'chee cheong fun' cart near the YMCA (open only at night). It's a Chinese dish of steamed flat rice noodles served with veggies stuffed with fishcake. You'll eat it standing by the side of the road but that's one authentic Malaysian experience under your belt! There's also a night market in that area, but I've forgotten which night.

A short cab ride away is the Royal Lake Gardens, which is quite pleasant in the late afternoon when the sun is not so strong.

Sorry about the long post. I got carried away! You really won't go wrong with the others' advice. And as Wisnu said, if you take the necessary safety precautions and are mindful of your surroundings all will be well. Hey, we divers are all about safety first anyway, right?

Happy diving, and I hope you enjoy your time in KL!

 

[pauldub]

Sorry for barging in...
but is China Town much closer to the Sentral station, where the ERL train is, than Bukit Bintang? I said that just because there seemed to be less stops from China town to Sentral.

Also, which area is exactly the "Golden Triangle"? I heard that most shopping, etc are in that area.

Thanks.

Chocolate, the Golden Triangle is the area around the Petronas Towers (aka Twin Towers). There's a big upmarket mall right at the base of the towers, with a little park just outside. Lots of fancy hotels around, many with trendy restaurants/bars. There are also a couple other pricey malls not to far off. There are lots of tourists and local shoppers in the area, along with a fair number of corporate/banking professionals. Generally safe at all hours.

 

[pauldub]

What would be the best way to get to Bukit Bintang from LCCT on a Sat night - Late interconnect flight from Tawau? Im transiting for 2 nights in KL after Sipadan. Im arriving on the Air Asia flight that arrives at 8.45pm. Without haveing to take a costly taxifare - it is faster by taxi? What about Bus and Train options?

gee13, the fastest way to get into the city is on the KLIA Ekspres, followed by taxi, with bus being a distant third.

I think you could try taking the shuttle bus from LCCT to KLIA (see link two posts up) and then get on the KLIA Ekspres:
KLIA Ekspres | Train Schedules

That will get you quickly to KL Sentral. From there, you can walk about 7 minutes to the Monorail and alight at Bukit Bintang. For some reason the Monorail doesn't stop directly in KL Sentral, so ask for directions at the information counter. It's really not complicated.

OR, you could take a taxi from KL Sentral. From there, it's not very far and shouldn't cost much. You could try your luck hailing a cab at street level, but make sure they run the meter! I believe it costs a little bit more if you pre-pay at the taxi counter inside Sentral. In the end, taxi fares in KL are very low so no worries there.

Highdesert, sorry to be going off on these tangents but I figured this could all be useful KL-related information.

 

[chocolate]

Chocolate, the Golden Triangle is the area around the Petronas Towers (aka Twin Towers). There's a big upmarket mall right at the base of the towers, with a little park just outside. Lots of fancy hotels around, many with trendy restaurants/bars. There are also a couple other pricey malls not to far off. There are lots of tourists and local shoppers in the area, along with a fair number of corporate/banking professionals. Generally safe at all hours.

thanks, pauldub

actually, i'm looking for some place cheaper and i think the golden triangle area may be a bit out of my budget...

do you know anything about China Town and Bukit Bintang? Are they close to Sentral?

 

[MartianBeerPig]

This map should give you some perspective. To get from Sentral to BB and Chinatown is not difficult.

Google Maps - KL

 

[chocolate]

This map should give you some perspective. To get from Sentral to BB and Chinatown is not difficult.

Google Maps - KL

Thanks a lot, the map is really helpful!

BB is a bit farther but is still along the monorail and is closer to the tourist spots.
do you know how long it will take to go from BB to Sentral on the monorail in the morning? I have a morning flight to catch on the day i leave. thanks again!

 

[MartianBeerPig]

Thanks a lot, the map is really helpful!

BB is a bit farther but is still along the monorail and is closer to the tourist spots.
do you know how long it will take to go from BB to Sentral on the monorail in the morning? I have a morning flight to catch on the day i leave. thanks again!

From memory it takes about half an hour. If you're going to get the KLIA Ekspress to the airport, you can check your luggage at KL Sentral rather than lugging it all the way and checking in at the airport itself. But, you need to check it in at least two hours before you fly. I hear they allow it for all airlines these days but check first. It's been a while since I lived in KL so my local knowledge is somewhat dated.

 

[tzeyap]

Hello Malaysia Travelers -

We'll be going through Kuala Lumpur on our way to N. Sulawesi in October. Never been to KL, and we'll be arriving at the Main Terminal on Cathay Pacific at 1230, and out at 0640 the next morning at the LCCT on Air Asia to Manado. I'm looking for some hints on how to get around, decent hotels (nothing fancy, just clean, safe, and moderate price), etc. I've looked at many websites, but there is too much info, and it's hard to know what is good and what is not.

On our return from Manado, we arrive at the LCCT at 1510, and have planned to stay two nights so we can see a little bit of Kuala Lumpur, so we should be closer in to the city center, right? Again, looking for hotels, shuttle info, etc. Our first two choices right now for that day are the towers and Chinatown. Then after our second night, back to Main Terminal.

I don't mind booking our own hotels (I like Hotel
Reservation Online: Check Availability Worldwide Hotels, Hotel Reviews by Travelers), but I am unsure what areas to look at for these nights.

Thank you for any help!

Your flight out to Manado is 06.40 and during that time , the LCCT is always very busy..so...you have to get there by 05.15 at the latest. I think your best bet and to avoid all the hassles is to stay at Tunes Hotel at LCCT on the night before your departure. The hotel is just 7 minutes walk from LCCT and is very affordable. Tunes is a sister company of Air Asia. The rooms are very small but clean and you can book online...
Asia?s Best Value Hotels.5 Star Beds,Power Shower,Great Locations,Clean & Secure | LCCT Transit

This way you will avoid lugging your bags to and fro and the early morning hassle of also getting a taxi. The cost of the taxi will pay for the hotel room. On the day of your arrival and after you checked in to Tunes, you can take the coach to KL Sentral for the day and then take the same coach back to Tunes the same evening. the last time I stayed there...about 2 weeks ago, the room cost me around USD5.00 !!!! That a double room !!!

There is a shuttle service between KLIA and LCCT.

On your return from Manado, simply take a coach from LCCT to Sentral. The coach ride costs only RM9 or less than USD3 !!! there are lots of reasonably priced hotels in KL.

 

[gee13]

hey guys thanks for all the info very helpful indeed. highdesert hope you dont mind me adding a little here but im sure this concerns all of us who are travelling in and out of kl. So the other QUESTION is... if we want to get out of KL to KLIA on a Monday morning for a 9.40 flight what's the best way out from BB to KLIA? I am imagining that a cab ride to KL sentral then catch the KLIA express to the airport? Im not chancing on taxi as peak hour - want to get to airport by 8am.

Also How long is the train trip from KL sentral to KLIA?