If you’re wondering how to get from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka, this guide will walk you through all the different types of transportation available so you can decide which one suits you best.
Those on a budget will find that taking the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka is the cheapest and most convenient option. On the other hand, if you’re traveling as a family or group of friends, you might want to take a private taxi from KL to Malacca.
Either way, I’ll also tell you how to get to Melaka from both Kuala Lumpur city center and Kuala Lumpur Airport.
So, keep reading to find out the best ways of getting to Malacca from KL, including step-by-step instructions.
In a hurry? Buy your KL to Melaka bus ticket here so you can save time by not having to queue up at the bus station!
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Read more about Melaka:
- Melaka day trip itinerary
- Guide to visiting Jonker Street Night Market + food prices
- Where to find the best street art in Malacca?
Bus from KL to Melaka (Malacca)
The best way to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka is by bus since it’s the cheapest and most convenient option.
The bus ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka costs about RM 10 or more, depending on the bus company.
The bus departs every 15 minutes from 2:50 a.m to 9:30 p.m. It should take about 2.5 hours to get to Melaka from KL by bus.
CHECK BUS SCHEDULE AND PRICES HERE
I traveled several times to Melaka from Kuala Lumpur by bus and used different bus companies like Delima Express, StarMart Express, Melor Interline, and KKKL.
I found most of them similar in terms of price, comfort, and service. All of them have reclining seats and decent leg room. Luckily, most of them depart on time but some may be delayed by 5-10 minutes.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to take the bus from KL to Melaka:
Step 1
The bus terminal from which you will depart is called Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS).
To get there, you first need to take a bus or MRT to KL Sentral. If you prefer to travel by taxi or Grab, you can ask the driver to drop you off directly at TBS (see step 4).
Step 2
From KL Sentral, take the KLIA Transit to Bandar Tasik Selatan.
Step 3
Walk about 10-15 minutes from Bandar Tasik Selatan to TBS. You will see the pink sign in the photo below as soon as you get out of the train station at Bandar Tasik Selatan.
Go up the escalator and follow the signs to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan TBS (blue bus sign).
You’ll eventually reach a covered bridge. Keep walking until you see a sliding door which is the entrance to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS).
Step 4
Head to the counter to buy your KL to Malacca bus ticket. There are usually lots of people waiting in line, so if you want to save time, I recommend buying your bus ticket in advance here.
Step 5
Once you get your ticket, walk to your designated gate and board the bus.
Step 6
After 2.5 hours, you’ll arrive at Melaka Sentral, which is about a 20-minute drive from the Dutch Square where most hotels and attractions are found.
You have two options to get from Melaka Sentral to the Dutch Square: public bus or Grab taxi.
Personally, I found Grab to be more convenient since it’s faster and costs only about RM 8. If you’re on a budget, you can instead take the bus No. 17. It departs every 30 minutes and costs about RM 2 (check the route and schedule here).
Related post: Guide to taking a day trip to Malacca
Alternatively, you can also take the bus from Kuala Lumpur Airport to Melaka.
StarMart Express is the main bus company that serves the KLIA to Melaka bus route between 8:15 a.m and 6:15 p.m. The bus ticket from KL Airport to Malacca costs RM 35 and the journey lasts about 2.5-3 hours.
CHECK BUS SCHEDULE AND PRICES HERE
The StarMart Express buses will drop you off at Melaka Sentral or Mahkota Medical Centre, the latter being closer to the Dutch Square. You can check the schedule and drop-off location here.
Note that the price will be the same whether you book your ticket online or in person. Still, I recommend booking your bus ticket online to save time and ensure that you get a seat on the bus.
Below is a step-by-step guide on how to take the bus from KLIA to Melaka:
Step 1
Exit the customs area and turn right at the sign showing the way to “Stesen Bas Bus Station”.
Step 2
Take the elevator down to Level 1 and walk toward the KLIA 1 bus terminal building.
Step 3
Head toward the counter to buy your ticket. If you’ve booked your ticket online, you’ll need to redeem your ticket here.
Step 4
Walk to your designated gate and board the bus.
Step 5
Follow step 6 above to get from Melaka Sentral to the Dutch Square.
Kuala Lumpur to Melaka by Car
Another way of getting to Melaka is by car. One main advantage of renting a car in Malaysia is that you can stop wherever you like.
There are a few attractions right outside of Melaka City Center like the Melaka Zoo, Skytrex Adventure, Bayou Lagoon Water Park, or A’Famosa Water Theme Park that you can check out on your way to Melaka from KL.
CHECK CAR RENTAL RATES IN MALAYSIA HERE
The distance between Kuala Lumpur and Melaka is about 140 km and the driving time is about 2 hours.
Note that there are several toll roads between KL and Melaka and that you’ll need a Touch ‘n Go card to pay the toll fee. The card can be purchased at any gas/petrol stations or convenience stores. You can use this website to check the toll fee.
Related post: What to expect at Jonker Street Night Market?
Taxi from Kuala Lumpur to Melaka
If you’re not renting a car, the next best option is to hire a taxi from Kuala Lumpur to Malacca.
For convenience, I recommend that you book your private taxi online. This includes pick up from any hotel in Kuala Lumpur and drop off at any hotel or location in Melaka.
CHECK PRICE FOR A PRIVATE TAXI FROM KL TO MELAKA
You can also take a Grab taxi from Kuala Lumpur Airport but this option is less reliable as not all drivers will be willing to go all the way to Melaka.
The first time I went to Melaka, I had to wait over 30 minutes to get a Grab as most of the drivers kept canceling on me. This is why I think it’s best to pre-book your taxi online to avoid any hassle.
Melaka Guided Tour from KL
If you’re only planning to take a day trip to Melaka and don’t mind joining a group tour, I recommend taking this Melaka historical tour from KL.
The tour duration is about 10 hours and includes visits to all the main attractions in Melaka, transfers to and from your hotel in KL, lunch, and an English-speaking guide.
CHECK PRICE FOR A MELAKA DAY TOUR FROM KL
Related post: Map of the best Melaka street art
KL to Melaka by train
The final option is to take the train. Honestly, this isn’t the best option as there is no direct train from KL to Melaka.
You’ll need to board the train at KL Sentral and it will drop you off in Batang Melaka, about a 1-hour drive from the city center.
CHECK TRAIN SCHEDULE AND PRICES HERE
How to get from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur?
If you’re wondering how to get from Melaka to Kuala Lumpur, you just need to follow the above instructions in reverse.
To summarize, the best and cheapest option is to take the bus from Malacca to Kuala Lumpur. You can check the Melaka to Kuala Lumpur bus schedule by clicking the link below.
CHECK BUS SCHEDULE AND PRICES HERE
The first step is to take the public bus No. 17 or a Grab taxi to Melaka Sentral. If you’ve booked your ticket online, there’s a specific counter where you need to redeem your ticket.
If you want to buy your ticket onsite, you’ll find a row of yellow ticketing kiosks near the departing gate. Note that most of them only accept payment by the Touch ‘n Go Wallet though.
Alternatively, you can go to the ticket counter to buy your Malacca to KL bus ticket. If you don’t want to wait in line, I recommend that you buy your bus ticket online.
Once you get to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS) follow the pink signs to Bandar Tasik Selatan to take the train to KL Sentral or simply take a taxi or Grab to your hotel in KL.
If you want to go from Melaka to KLIA, you can book your bus ticket here.
Read more about Malaysia:
- 20 Top Malaysia weekend getaways
- Malaysia itinerary guide for 2 weeks
- 2 days in KL itinerary
- Top attractions in Bukit Bintang KL
- Best attractions in Chinatown KL
- What to do in Ipoh?
- Things to do in Penang in 3 days
- How to plan a 3-day Langkawi trip?
- Seven Wells Waterfall: Langkawi’s best waterfall
- Singapore and Malaysia itinerary guide for 4-12 days
2 comments
Very informative. Thanks
Thank you Aurelio! I’m really glad you found my article helpful :)