Getting There By Road
Roads in Malaysia are generally in good repair and driving standards are higher than in most Asian countries. In general, road routes are simply numbered. Traffic drives on the left and it is compulsory to wear a seatbelt. The speed limits are 60kph (37mph) in the city, 90kph (56mph) on main country roads and 110kph (69mph) on highways and expressways. The minimum age for driving is 21 years (16 years for a motorcycle). A national driving licence is required and it is advisable to obtain an International Driving Permit. Without the latter, the Road Transport Department must endorse any national licence. Third party automobile liability insurance is compulsory. Drink-driving is an offence that is taken very seriously in Malaysia, and is punished with large fines or imprisonment. So if you are going to drink alcohol, leave the car behind.
The North–South Highway, which extends from Singapore to the Thai border via Kuala Lumpur, has made driving in Malaysia a relative breeze. Although driving standards are good, Malaysia still has its share of drivers who take risks such as overtaking on blind corners, speeding in heavy rainfall and jumping red traffic lights.
A letter of introduction from a driver’s own automobile association is required to join the Automobile Association Malaysia (AAM). (tel: (03) 2162 6915, fax: (03) 2162 5358; e-mail: support@autoworld.com.my; website: www.autotrade.com.my/aam.)
Emergency breakdown service(s): Automobile Association Malaysia (03) 2161 0808 or 1 800 88 0808 (toll free). Plusronda (tel: (03) 2692 0000; website: www.plus.com.my/plusronda.asp) provide 24-hour emergency telephones, situated every two kilometres on expressways and highways.
Routes to the city: The North–South Expressway Central Link (NSECL), Federal Highway, Shal Alam Expressway and Klang Valley Expressway Highway are the main routes to the city centre. Both the NSECL and the federal road Route 1 run from Johor Baru, which is connected via bridge to Singapore in the south, to Kuala Lumpur, as well from Butterworth/Penang into the city centre. From Melaka, the federal road Route 5 connects to the Shah Alam and Klang Valley Express Highway into Kuala Lumpur city centre.
Approximate driving times to Kuala Lumpur: from Melaka – 2-3 hours; Singapore – 5-6 hours; Butterworth/Penang – 6-7 hours.
Coach services: Kuala Lumpur has four interstate express bus terminals serving different regions of Peninsula Malaysia. A large number of companies operate air-conditioned services, including Transnasional Express (tel: (03) 2070 3300). In most cases, there is no need for travellers to book in advance and passengers simply turn up and get on the next bus. The main terminal, Puda Raya Bus Station, Jalan Puda Raya (tel: (03) 230 0145), is a hub for services all over Peninsula Malaysia, as well as international services to Singapore (journey time – 7-8 hours) and Thailand (journey time – 12-13 hours). Despite the recent introduction of ‘black boxes’ on Malaysian buses, serious accidents remain a frequent problem and dangerous driving is common.
Services to the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia also leave from Putra Bus Station, opposite the Putra World Trade Centre, and Pekeliling Bus Station. Banguan MARA Bus Station serves destinations to the south.
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Getting There By Road