Penang, George Town and Butterworth
Penang is a Malaysian state located on the northwest coast of Peninsular Malaysia.
It is divided into two parts by the Strait of Malacca: Penang Island to the west, where the capital city George Town is located, and Seberang Perai on the mainland Malay Peninsula to the east. These two halves are physically connected by the Penang Bridge and the Second Penang Bridge. The state shares borders with Kedah to the north and east, and Perak to the south.
Getting to Penang, George Town and Butterworth
Penang International Airport (PEN IATA), formerly Bayan Lepas International Airport, is the third largest airport in Malaysia and situated in Bayan Lepas, about 16 km (9.9 mi) south of George Town. The airport is served by more than 15 airlines with flights operating to domestic and international Asian destinations.
- 01Penang Sentral
Worth seeing
Penang island, in particular, is full of things to see, including the great views of George Town and environs and across to Seberang Perai from Penang Hill, the tremendous Kek Lok Si pagoda in Ayer Itam, the many historic Chinese towkay (merchant) mansions, and the quiet beaches on Balik Pulau.
Things to do
The secluded beaches of Pantai Kerachut, Muka Head, and Teluk Kampi are located on the northern coast. There is an old lighthouse at Muka Head beach. You can reach these beaches by either hiking (1 - 3 hours) or by hiring a fisherman's "sampan" (boat) from the small village of Teluk Bahang. The village has a kilometre-long beach and a small Scout campsite.
Where to eat
Penang is widely considered the food capital of Malaysia and is a melting pot of cuisines. The obvious mix of Malay, Chinese, Peranakan/Nonya and Indian cuisine has a strong presence along with a variety of other international fare. Penangites live to eat and will eat anywhere, provided the food is exceptional.
Getting around Penang, George Town and Butterworth the local way
The island and the mainland are one system stitched together by two toll bridges and a passenger-only ferry; George Town's own streets run on Rapid Penang buses, a free downtown shuttle and Grab.
- 01Penang Ferry (Weld Quay – Butterworth)ferry
Raja Tun Uda terminal, Weld Quay, George Town to Sultan Abdul Halim terminal, Butterworth
- Where
- Terminal is at the seafront end of Pengkalan Weld, next to KOMTAR side; the Butterworth terminal adjoins the railway station
- When
- Every 20–30 minutes, 06:30–23:30 daily
- Fare (2026)
- RM2.00 adult one way, RM2.50 with a motorcycle; child, disabled and bicycle tickets are only quoted at the ticket counter
- Takes
- 15 minutes
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none, pay at the gate
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · penangport.com.my (2026-09) · penangport.gov.my (2026-09) · confidence high
- 02Penang Bridge and Second Penang Bridge tollsservice status
Island-bound traffic on either bridge pays; mainland-bound traffic does not
- Where
- Toll plazas are on the mainland side, before you cross: Sungai Dua or Juru for the First Bridge, Batu Kawan for the Second; Touch 'n Go is accepted
- When
- always in force
- Fare (2026)
- First Bridge: motorcycles RM1.40, cars RM7. Second Bridge: motorcycles RM1.70, cars RM8.50, six-wheel two-axle vans RM30.50
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 03Rapid Penang bus networkbus
Hub-and-spoke from KOMTAR and Pengkalan Weld across the island and to the mainland
- Where
- Board at KOMTAR bus terminus or Pengkalan Weld next to the ferry terminal; stops are signed and numbered
- When
- varies by route; timetables hold badly in traffic, so use the MyRapid PULSE app for live bus positions
- Fare (2024)
- RM1.40–RM4 per ride depending on distance; RM30 Rapid Passport for a week of unlimited travel
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none, pay the driver on board
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2024-06) · en.wikivoyage.org (2024-06) · confidence high
- 04CAT (Central Area Transit) free shuttleshuttle bus
Between the Pengkalan Weld ferry terminal and KOMTAR, through the George Town heritage core
- Where
- Stops are marked CAT along the loop; boards from Pengkalan Weld ferry terminal forecourt
- When
- Every 20 minutes, 06:00–24:00 daily including weekends and holidays
- Fare
- free
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 05George Town trishawcycle rickshaw
Ad hoc, wherever the rider is asked to go within the heritage core
- Where
- Riders tout along the heritage-core streets and outside hotels; no source names a fixed stand, so ask a hotel to call one
- When
- on demand
- Fare
- negotiated before boarding, no meter; hourly hire is the usual basis
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none, negotiate on the spot
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 06Butterworth – Kuala Lumpur ETStrain
Butterworth railway station to KL Sentral via Ipoh
- Where
- Butterworth station adjoins the ferry terminal and Penang Sentral bus terminal; book ahead as trains sell out
- When
- Seven ETS departures daily
- Fare
- no confirmed fare figure for the current timetable
- Takes
- 4 hours
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- advance booking recommended via KTMB or Easybook, seats sell out on weekends
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 07Butterworth – Padang Besar Komuter, onward to Thailandtrain
Butterworth to Padang Besar on the Thai border; cross on foot, then Thai State Railway to Hat Yai or Bangkok
- Where
- Same platform as the KL trains at Butterworth; at Padang Besar, immigration is inside the shared station building
- When
- Hourly Komuter departures, 05:25–21:25
- Fare (2026)
- RM11.40 Butterworth to Padang Besar; 80 baht Padang Besar to Hat Yai on the Thai side
- Takes
- 1 hour 50 minutes to Padang Besar
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none for the Komuter leg, pay at the counter
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 08Penang International Airport bus 401Ebus
Penang International Airport (Bayan Lepas) to Weld Quay via KOMTAR
- Where
- Bus stop directly outside the arrivals hall; look for the Rapid Penang livery
- When
- not confirmed; 401 and 401E both run from the airport to Weld Quay through the day
- Fare (2026)
- RM2.70, exact change required
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- none
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 09Grab versus airport prepaid taxiprivate hire
Anywhere on the island or mainland
- Where
- Grab pickup zones are marked outside arrivals; the prepaid coupon kiosk is inside. Street taxis have meters but drivers almost always refuse to use them
- When
- on demand
- Fare (2026)
- Prepaid airport coupon: RM18 to Bayan Lepas town, RM44.70 to George Town, Air Itam or Balik Pulau, RM69 to Batu Ferringhi, plus a 50% surcharge between midnight and 06:00; Grab fares float with demand and were not separately confirmed
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- prepaid taxi: buy a coupon at the counter; Grab: app booking
Sources: en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence medium
- 10Penang – Langkawi direct ferry, discontinuedservice status
Formerly Swettenham Pier or a Penang jetty to Kuah, Langkawi
- Where
- No current jetty serves this route; the operator's own site now points travellers to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis instead
- When
- no longer running
- Fare
- not confirmed, no current service
- Season
- n/a
- Booking
- none, service ended
Sources: langkawi-ferry.com (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high
- 11Penang Hill funicularfunicular
Air Itam lower station to Penang Hill upper station
- Where
- Reached by Rapid Penang buses 203/204 from KOMTAR to the Air Itam terminus, then a short walk to the station
- When
- continuous departures within opening hours
- Fare (2026)
- Return, normal lane: RM40 adult and RM20 child at the standard rate; RM16 adult and RM8 child with MyKad, MyKid, MM2H or i-Kad. Express lane is double. One-way and a RM6 MyKad sunrise round trip are counter-only
- Season
- year-round
- Booking
- book online at penanghill.gov.my or buy at the Lower Station counter; one-way and special rates are counter-only
Sources: penanghill.gov.my (2026-09) · penanghill.gov.my (2026-09) · en.wikivoyage.org (2026-09) · confidence high
Not yet confirmed: Rapid Penang's per-route fare table could not be read on myrapid.com.my; the RM1.40–RM4 range and the RM30 Rapid Passport come from Wikivoyage, which dates both to June 2024. Confirm at a KOMTAR counter or in the MyRapid PULSE app.; Butterworth–Kuala Lumpur ETS current one-way fare was not confirmed from KTMB's own site; check ktmb.com.my or Easybook.com for the current price.; Correction to the brief: there is no longer a direct Penang–Langkawi ferry. The operator's own site (langkawi-ferry.com) says the route has ended and points travellers to Kuala Kedah or Kuala Perlis on the mainland instead; the George Town Wikivoyage article says the same.; Whether bicycles ride the passenger ferry free or at a fare was not confirmed; the Wikivoyage fare line sends children, disabled passengers and cyclists to the ticket counter rather than naming a price.; Sources disagree on who runs the ferry and what it costs. The Penang article and Penang Port Sdn Bhd's own ferry section point to PPSB at RM2.00, while the George Town article still describes a Prasarana 'Rapid Ferry' at RM1.20 with free return legs. The RM2.00 figure is the one used here; confirm at the gate.; The vehicle-ferry closure date (2020) and any partial vehicle service since were not independently confirmed beyond the Wikivoyage account.; Frequency and journey time for airport bus 401E were not confirmed from Rapid Penang; only the RM2.70 fare and the exact-change rule are sourced.; The Municipal Council of Penang Island's own CAT bus page has been dead-linked since August 2026, so the free shuttle's current hours and route should be reconfirmed on arrival.; No source names where George Town trishaws actually wait; the fare-negotiation and hourly-hire customs are sourced, the pick-up points are not.; Whether the bridge toll plazas still accept cash, or are RFID and Touch 'n Go only, was not confirmed..
The field note on Penang, George Town and Butterworth reads this entry in full, one option at a time, with every source beside it.
Text adapted from Wikipedia and Wikivoyage, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photograph: HundenvonPenang (CC BY-SA 4.0), Wikimedia Commons.
