Penang is one of Malaysia’s prime tourist hotspots and draws visitors with its vibrant main town of Georgetown, old colonial structures, beaches such as Batu Ferringhi and delectable cuisine. Riding the funicular railway up to the former British colonial station on Penang Hill is a definitive Penang experience and offers the ultimate bonus of stunning vistas once at the top.
The Bangkok-Butterworth express departs at 14:45 and arrives at 13:30 the next afternoon. Malaysian time is one hour ahead of Thailand. The return service leaves Butterworth at 13:15 local time and arrives back in Hua Lamphong at 10:30. There is a changeover of trains on the Thai-Malay border at Padang. Passengers need to disembark and proceed through immigration checkpoints.
The international express stops at key locations en route and these include Hua Hin, Chumpon, Surathani and Hat Yai. The train is mostly made up of second-class, air-conditioned carriages with sleeper berths. Going to sleep with the clickety-clack of the train wheels on the iron road evokes the era of the golden age of travel. 12GO ASIA enhances the journey by providing a trouble free ticket and reservation service which saves you queuing at the station booking kiosk.
The International Express Train for Penang Island
News in Asia
Once a day, Thailand’s only real international express train leaves Bangkok’s Hua Lamphong Railway Station for its 22-hour trip to Butterworth in Malaysia. Although Butterworth in itself is not that interesting, its station is less than 100 metres from the ferry terminal for services to Penang Island.