Segment 2: Kuala Lumpur to Hat Yai

Despite being in Bukit Bintang, Mercure KL Shaw Parade isn't located in the most glamorous location.



It was an early start and a 15-minute Grab ride (10 MYR or 2.26 USD) brought me to KL Sentral where the next leg of journey would begin. It wasn't too difficult to locate the departure gate.



The first round of check was conducted around half an hour before departure by security officers who verified the passengers' vaccination status on MySejahtera app. The second round required passengers to scan the barcode on their tickets in order to access the platform through the turnstiles. While waiting in line, I noticed that KTM operated the Ruby Lounge for the business class passengers. However, I had no idea how to access it.



While I am no stranger to Malaysian state railway Keratapi Tanah Melayu (KTM) since I grew up traveling on its trains to visit my Malaysian relatives, it was my first time traveling on its Electric Train Service (ETS). I booked the ticket through KTM's app two days prior, paying 178 MYR for a Business Class seat to Padang Besar.




My first impression was pretty good. My cabin looked clean and the seat seemed comfortable. Like most indoor places in Southeast Asia, the cabin was kept quite cold and I had to bring out an additional layer.





The obligatory seat pitch shot:-



Safety card was found inside the seat pocket.





Each business class seat was also equipped with in-seat entertainment device but there was no content available.



Thankfully there was power outlets where I could charge my devices.



We rolled out of KL Sentral on 7.08am exactly, heading towards northern Peninsular Malaysia.



The train crew soon came around with the meal cart and it was only then when I realised that there was food included.



Chicken bolognese was the only meal choice available; drinks-wise I could choose between tea and coffee.



The taste was probably as good as any pre-packaged food could get.



Typical view outside the train:-



A typical KTM ETS train station:-



The toilet was kept clean throughout.



Another surprise awaited me after the train left Ipoh; the crew cabin around with the second meal service! I was thoroughly impressed.





The train came to a halt outside Taiping. I wasn't sure what caused the stop.



I took a peek of the standard class cabin; it seemed pretty decent too.



The scenery changed from the rubber or oil palm plantations to padi fields when the train entered the state Kedah, also known as the "rice bowl" of Malaysia. The green fields seemed to stretch on forever.



After the penultimate station of Arau, I was the only passenger remaining in my carriage and the crew began to change the direction of the seats for the southbound return journey. We arrived at 12.45pm, just a few minutes behind schedule. I followed the signs on the platform to get out of the station. Passengers were required to scan the QR code on their tickets at the gantries in order to exit into the station.





There used to be two or three daily local Thai trains which connected Padang Besar to Hat Yai but they had been suspended since the start of pandemic in 2020. Hence, one would need to cross the Malaysia-Thai border by foot and then take the minivan to Hat Yai.

One used to be able to use the foot bridge to get across the train tracks to get to the Malaysian Immigration checkpoint at Padang Besar easily. However, the bridge was closed since September 2020 and I was left with no choice but to take an overpriced 20 MYR (4.53 USD) ride in a really old Proton Saga.

At the Malaysian immigration side, I had to get down to get my passport checked and fingerprints scanned.



The driver then drove me across the no man's land and alighted me just outside of the Thai immigration building. Thailand would be country number 3 for me within the past 24 hours.

In order to enter Thailand, visitors are required to have travel insurance with at least 10,000 USD coverage and apply for Thailand Pass. I have submitted my application a few days prior and it was approved almost immediately.

Before entering the immigration office, I had to fill up the arrival card. Then a Ministry of Health officer would verify my approved Thailand Pass and also stamp on my arrival card. After it was complete, I proceeded to one of the immigration officer's counters to get my passport and myself stamped into the country.

However, upon seeing my passport, the officer at the counter asked me to go inside a room where another officer began to ask me about my travels. Once he was satisfied with my explanation, he stamped my passport and sent me on my way.



As soon as I walked out of the immigration building, taxi drivers began to offer their transport services which I rejected. On hindsight I should have taken the motorcycle taxi for 5 MYR instead of walking 15 minutes under the hot sun to the minivan station.



As Thailand (GMT+7) is one hour behind Malaysia (GMT+8), I gained one hour crossing the border. I reached the bus station at around 12.45pm and paid 60 THB (1.72 USD) for the minivan ride to Hat Yai.





The minivan departed slightly after 1pm and I got a seat in the last row.


While the minivan wasn't full when leaving Padang Besar, it got filled up with passengers picked up along the way. The 50 km trip took around an hour.



After arriving at Hat Yai bus station, I used Grab to get to Red Planet Hat Yai (68 THB or ~2 USD). The driver could speak fluent Malay and with my limited Malay, we managed to make some small talk over the short 2km ride.



As my next train wouldn't depart until 5.45pm, I decided to get a room to freshen up before that. While on the train between Kuala Lumpur and Padang Besar, I searched on Agoda and I made a booking at Red Planet Hat Yai, where a single room for the night only cost 12.94 SGD (~9.32 USD).



It was a good decision as the room provided me with a sanctuary from the oppressive southern Thailand hot afternoon.





The room seemed spartan but had all the necessary amenities. I had a good shower and stayed comfortable inside the cool room until it was time to go.





Distance travelled so far: ~ 984km