How to Go from Ipoh to George Town, Penang

We’ve had a glorious time here in Ipoh, Malaysia’s third-largest city, which actually doesn’t feel like a city at all.  There have been cave temples, great food, lots of rain, museums and a lot of history here.  But now it’s time to move on.  And our next stop is Penang, George Town to be exact.  And so we had to look at the different options for transport from Ipoh to George Town, Penang and here’s our guide on how to get to George Town from Ipoh.

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There are multiple ways to go from Ipoh to George Town – from a direct transfer, buses, a combination of bus and ferry as well as a train and ferry.  I’ll cover each of those options, and take you through our route and why we chose that particular combination to go from Ipoh to George Town.

Where is George Town?

George Town is the financial center of Northern Malaysia and is located on the northeast corner of the island of Penang.  Penang Island is just off the west coast of mainland Malaysia and is connected by both ferries and two bridges – the Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shad Bridge (aka the Penang Second Bridge) and the Penang Bridge.  George Town is 161 kilometers (100 miles) from Ipoh by road and 3.4 kilometers (2.11 miles) from the mainland ferry terminal at Butterworth.  George Town is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang.

How to Go from Ipoh to George Town – Transport Options

In this guide on how to go from Ipoh to George Town, we’ll cover the fastest way to travel go from Ipoh to George Town, the easiest way to go to George Town from Ipoh, and the cheapest way to get to George Town from Ipoh, as well the route that we took from Ipoh to George Town.  Our guide to the best things to do in George Town is here

How to get to George Town from Ipoh

For transport from George Town to Ipoh, you have several options.  The most convenient is to take a direct transfer, and this is certainly the quickest as it will take you from door to door from your hotel in Ipoh to your hotel in George Town.   If you have a lot of luggage or a family, then this is likely the best option, so I’ve included details of it.

There are also a few direct buses that go from Ipoh to George Town, and this is the cheapest way to go to George Town from Ipoh.    There are buses you can take from Ipoh to George Town that go over one of the two bridges that connect Penang Island to mainland Malaysia, or you can take a bus to Butterworth and take the ferry across.

And then finally, you can take a train from Ipoh to George Town, well, to Butterworth, and then take the ferry across to George Town.  This is the route that we took (and I’ll explain why), arriving in George Town by the ferry from Butterworth.

Taking a Taxi or Transfer from Ipoh to George Town

Taking a private taxi to George Town from Ipoh is the fastest way to go to George Town.   It’s certainly the easiest way to travel if you have luggage and a family, and as I’m writing this in George Town it’s currently 31 degrees, and it was 33 when we left Ipoh.  This way of traveling is a good way to avoid becoming a hot sweaty mess!  You can check prices for Ipoh to George Town taxis here.  It can take as little as 2 hours to go by taxi from Ipoh to George Town.

Schedule your trip from Ipoh to George Town here.

Ipoh to George Town Trains

To get the train from Ipoh to George Town you’ll need to take the train from Ipoh to Butterworth Train Station, then you take the ferry from Butterworth to George Town.  It’s a really easy trip. 

There are 6 trains a day from Ipoh to Butterworth.  The first train is at 10:34 and the last train is at 22:41.

You can catch a train from Ipoh to Butterworth at 10:34, 13:34, 16:08, 18:26, 20:36, and 22:41.  You will need to prebook this train as they do tend to book out.  You can book the train from Ipoh to Butterworth here.  You’ll get to select your seats on booking and while your booking will be confirmed it can take up to 24 hours for the confirmed ticket to be sent by email.

You can use Busonlineticket to book train tickets from Ipoh to Butterworth. 

Once you arrive at Butterworth train station, then simply follow the signs (there are lots of them), to the Butterworth ferry terminal, it’s about a 5-8 minute walk.  Buy your tickets for the ferry, which runs every 30 minutes, hop on the ferry, and 15 minutes later you’ll be in George Town.

Ipoh to George Town Bus

If you plan on taking the bus from Ipoh to George Town, then there’s no perfect routing, you’ll have to compromise on something, here are the details of the bus options and routes.  Intercity buses from Ipoh leave from either the Ipoh Amanjaya Terminal or Jalan Bendahara they arrive in one of three different places in Penang – Penang Sentral aka Butterworth (on the mainland), Komtar Building, George Town or Sungai Nibong (near the airport on Penang Island).

Where the buses do NOT (and all apart from one do not) stop in George Town, I’ve included details of how to get to George Town from that particular bus terminal.

1. Ipoh Amanjaya aka Meru Raya Terminal to Komtar, George Town, Penang

There is one bus a day (every day) that leaves Ipoh and goes to George Town. This bus, run by CS Travel & Tours, leaves Ipoh at 16:30 and takes 3 hours and 30 minutes to get to George Town.  It arrives at the Komtar building and bus terminal, which is as close to George Town as you’re going to get on an intercity bus.  I’ve marked this on the map for you later in this article.

Check availability on the bus from Ipoh Meru Raya Terminal to Komtar George Town, Penang here.

This bus, however, leaves from the Meru Raya Terminal, aka Ipoh Amanjaya, which is about 15 kilometers (9.3 miles) north of Ipoh.  You’ll need to take a Grab (about 15-30 MYR) or the local Perak Transit bus to get from downtown Ipoh to the bus terminal.  You’ll need bus number T30a or T30b, which costs  2-3 MYR and takes about 30 minutes. This bus service from the Medan Kidd Bus Station operates from 06:00 until 21:00 (ish).  You can pay on the Perak buses with cash.

When you arrive at the Komtar building it is on the edge of George Town and you should be able to easily walk to your hotel in George Town from here.

2. Ipoh Amanjaya aka Meru Raya Terminal to Sungai Nibong

While this route picks up from Ipoh Amanjaya (details of how to get there from downtown Ipoh are above), it drops off at various places on Penang Island, with the final stop being the Sungai Nibong bus terminal, which is near the airport on Penang Island.

There are four different bus companies that run this route and you can get a bus from Ipoh at 08:45, 09:15, 10:30, 11:00, 12:00, 12:30, 13:00, and 16:30. They are all large coaches and the trip takes about 2 hours and 10 minutes.

Check your options on times and availability for Ipoh to Sungai Nibong here.

Getting from Sungai Nibong to George Town

It’s about 11 kilometers from the Sungai Nibong bus terminal to George Town.  The quickest way is to get a taxi or a Grab (prices from about 15 MYR).  The cheapest way is to get the bus, which you can get just outside the bus terminal on Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah.   Buses go from here to Komtar and take about 30-45 minutes.  Bus 102 and 401 will go from Sungai Nibong to George Town.  The first bus from Sungai Nibong to George Town leaves around 06:00 and the last one around 23:00.  These buses cost 2 MYR.

You don’t need to print a ticket for buses from Ipoh to George Town, you can use an electronic ticket from your online booking from Ipoh to George Town.

3. Ipoh Jalan Bendahara to Sungai Nibong, Penang

There are two buses each day that leave from Jalan Bendahara in Ipoh and go to Sungai Nibong.  They take about 2 hours and 30 minutes and leave Ipoh at 08:45 and 12:00 (noon).  Jalan Bendhara is just a 2-kilometer (1.24 mile) journey from the Ipoh train station, so this is a LOT closer than heading to Ipoh Amanjaya.

You can book the bus from Ipoh Jalan Bendahara to Sungai Nibong, Penang here.

Once you arrive at Sungai Nibong, then follow the instructions above for how to get to George Town.

3. Ipoh Jalan Bendahara to Penang Sentral (Butterworth) + Ferry from Butterworth to George Town

The bus that leaves from Jalan Bendahara and goes to Penang makes a stop at Penang Sentral (Butterworth).  Penang Sentral is the bus station on the mainland.  There’s also a co-located train station here (Butterworth) and the ferry to Penang Island.  The ferries from Butterworth leave every 30 minutes and cost 3 MYR.  (It’s CARD only for payment, they do NOT accept cash).

You can’t pre-book the ferry from Butterworth to George Town, but you should pre-book the bus, which, as above, runs twice a day at 08:45 and 12:00 (noon).  The bus from Jalan Bendahara will drop you at Penang Sentral (Butterworth) and then you’ll walk from the bus terminal there to the ferry.  It just takes a few minutes and it’s all under cover.

Book the bus from Ipoh Jalan Bendahara to Penang Sentral here.

5. Bus Ipoh Amanjaya to Penang Sentral + Ferry from Butterworth to George Town

Your final bus option from Ipoh to George Town is to take a bus from Ipoh Amanjaya intercity bus terminal to Penang Sentral and then get the ferry from there to George Town.  There are HEAPS of buses that do this route.  It’s the most popular bus trip from Ipoh to Penang.  The first bus is at 00:30 and the last bus is at 21:00, in total 28 buses run throughout the day!

Check the timetable and book your preferred time here.

Once you’ve arrived in Butterworth, head to the ferry terminal and get on the next ferry.  Easy!

Our Trip from Ipoh to George Town

While Jalan Bendahara and the railway station in Ipoh were equidistant from the apartment we rented in Ipoh we decided to take the train from Ipoh to George Town.  We arrived about 15 minutes before departure and didn’t have to wait long in the waiting hall – there were plenty of seats and it was relatively cool – before the sign indicating our train was put up and an announcement was made.

Your train number can be found below the QR code on your train ticket, just above the seat details.  You’ll need to scan your QR code to get through the barrier, but there are ALWAYS staff on hand to help out.

At Ipoh, there are escalators to take you up from Platform 1 and over the tracks to Platform 3 where our train departed from.  And – joy of joys – the carriage letters are painted onto the platform, so you know exactly where the carriage will stop and you can get on. (and yes it works too!).

This train was almost fully booked when we bought our tickets 2 weeks before travel, so we squeezed into the last two seats in the carriage.  There’s no standing on these trains, everyone gets a seat, so you’ll want to prebook as soon as you know your dates of travel.

On arrival at Butterworth station – there are announcements for each station in English and there are also signs on all the platforms, so you can see exactly where you are – we simply hopped off and clambered up the stairs to cross the tracks and get to the station.  There are lifts here, but there was a big line and most passengers used the stairs.

After you walk through the exit barriers you’ll want to follow the signs to the ferry terminal.  There are lots of signs and you can’t get lost.

Just keep walking.  It’s about a 5-minute walk.  You’ll need to buy a ticket at the small booth before going into the ferry waiting room.  Tickets are 2 MYR per person and you can only pay by card, not cash. 

Get your ticket (it’s paper), scan the QR code through the entry barriers, and then either wait or head straight onto the ferry. 

The ferries are small and regular and run every 30 minutes from 06:30 until 20:30. 

There’s a traffic lane for motorbikes and cycles and a line for pedestrians to walk.  Inside there’s an air-conditioned seating area and there’s also outside seating where you can take in the breeze.

The ferry takes just 15 minutes and then, the bikes leave the ferry first, and you simply walk off and you’re in George Town.  You arrive near the Weld bus terminal, where you can buy a 7-day tourist bus pass for 30 MYR, get yourself a Grab, or walk to your hotel.  Welcome to George Town!

Map of Bus Stops and Train Stations for going from Ipoh to George Town

You can also see full map of the train stations and bus stops from Ipoh to George Town here

Popular Routes in Malaysia

Traveling around Malaysia? Here’s some of the most popular routes and the best ways to go between these places.

• How to go from Langkawi to Koh Lipe
• How to go from Penang to Cameron Highlands
• How to go from Krabi to Langkawi
• How to go from Langkawi to Penang
• How to go from Cameron Highlands to Melaka
• How to go from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan
• How to go from Labuan to Brunei
• How to go from Kota Kinabalu to Labuan Island
• How to go from Brunei to Miri
• How to go from Ipoh to Penang
• KLIA2 to Ipoh – buses, transfers and trains
• How to go to George Town from Ipoh
• How to go from Kota Bharu to Sungai Kolok
• How to go from Singapore to the Perhentian Islands
• Penang to Langkawi
• How to go from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur

The quickest way to get from Ipoh to George Town

The quickest way to get to George Town from Ipoh is to take a private, direct transfer or taxi. It takes, depending on traffic, as little as 2 hours to go to George Town from Ipoh and you can book a transfer from Ipoh to George Town here.

The easiest way to go to George Town from Ipoh

The easiest way to get from Ipoh to George Town is to take a direct transfer, but if you don’t want to do that, then take either a bus from Jalan Bendahara to Butterworth and then catch the Butterworth to George Town ferry or take the train from Ipoh to Butterworth and catch the ferry.

The cheapest way to go from Ipoh to George Town

The cheapest way to get to George Town from Ipoh is to take a bus– reserve your seats here. Don’t forget that you’ll have to plan to get from your hotel to the bus station, and also take a look at where the buses arrive in Penang, there’s only one option that goes directly to Georgetown (and that’s here)

The best way to go from Ipoh to George Town

I definitely prefer train travel, so taking the train from Ipoh to Butterworth and then the ferry from the Strait was an excellent trip and I’d highly recommend it.  Book the train here.

Malaysia Travel Tips

• Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here.
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• Book Buses in Malaysia with BusonlineTicket
• Book accommodation in Malaysia with Booking

Final Words on How to Go from Ipoh to George Town

We didn’t get to do this trip on previous visits to Malaysia, as this time was our first visit to Ipoh, but I’m glad we got to further explore the Malaysian trains and also the Butterworth ferry.  This is an easy and well-traveled route and there are a lot of options.  You’ll want to take a close look at where the buses arrive and see if that suits you because there’s only one bus that goes directly to George Town. However, the options to Penang Sentral (Butterworth) and then the ferry across the Strait are fabulous.

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