malgudi

I arrive on a weekday at 9a, looking for suggestions on the best way to get to Villa Samadhi

They offer an airport transfer for US$60, probably way more expensive than taking a taxi?

IAN-UK

About three times the regular taxi rate, but I'd hope it would be a significantly more polished service

You could probably arrange a transfer through the likes of Klook for not so much more than the taxi fare.

Savage25

Download the Grab app. Its like RM 65 from the airport

malgudi

Thanks. that's what I figured re: being way more expensive.

So it looks like I'm better off taking a cab from KUL instead of the train/cab combo?

IAN-UK

You're fretting over a few dollars. But yes, for a party of two or more the all-the-way by cab option will certainly be cheaper than the train/cab combo: marginal for a solo traveller. Cabbing it directly to the hotel will avoid the faff of changing transport modes at the station, and outside rush hour it will impose little or no time penalty.

Grab's the other option, but it involves getting a wifi connection at the airport then finding the Grab pick-up .... and it's a fixed fare set to match the taxis.


If you are in full cost saving mode the cheapest $4 way to get to your hotel is the train to Putrajaya where you switch to the metro line to Ampang Park - then a brisk 15 minute walk into the embassy district and the Samadhi. (OK, add on an extra couple of dollars and cab it from Ampang Park )

malgudi

No, it isn't about the dollars I was merely inquiring about which will be faster/easier (since I arrive at 9a on a week day).

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IAN-UK

OK, then it's easy. Stop off at one of the desks on your way out of the baggage area, and arrange a taxi/limo.
Splashing out on the hotel car might well create a more pleasant and easier experience, met be a driver with a board carrying your name as you emerge landside .... but at a significant cost: that's a situation not unique to KL. I've heard the extra revenue flowing into hotel coffers can create goodwill (and upgrades) but i reckon that's maybe rationalisation and wishful thinking!

malgudi

Thanks for the snark.

This was a simple request for suggestions since I wasn't sure if the weekday traffic would be so bad that a train/cab combo would be better than a cab from the airport. Your previous post answered this, so the snark wasn't really helpful.

IAN-UK

Sorry you took my comments like that.

As your post also referred to the cost of a hotel car with respect to regular taxis I was seeking to set out that

• of the alternatives, a car of some sort is the most convenient way from airport to hotel, is unlikely to take longer than the train+cab combo and costs less than that combo
• while the hotel car option offers a superior level of service, it probably doesn't warrant the price tag unless you place particular value on that type of service

Arriving at 9am, you're unlikely to be engaging a cab before 10am, so the peak flow into the city will be over.

Have a good trip!

pennywern

For what it's worth, if I'm going anywhere near the city centre I always take the train and then get a taxi from KL Sentral. Been burned too many times by terrible traffic and/or insane drivers half falling asleep on the highway.

nov11

I second pennywern's opinion. MEX (E20) or Elite (E6) highways can be a mess sometimes. My advice is to check traffic conditions before you take Grab. 10AM should be fine leaving KUL but I'd rather take train + cab. 28 mins from KUL T1 to KL Sentral plus a cab ride to your hotel. Grab is a bit harder to find or it'll be really expensive if you arrive KL Sentral between 1630 and 1930 weekdays (especially if it's raining) tho but you aren't arriving at those time.

IAN-UK

Throw in trundling bags down to the station level, a measure of ticketing faff and waiting for the train, then repeat for Sentral and getting a taxi, then battling the cross-KL traffic ...... and the headline 28 minutes drifts just a little

And for many, time is simply not a primary concern, but convenience is.

Generally my concern is neither: I enjoy the cost saving of bus to Sentral or, even better, the ten ringgit Putrajaya shuffle with KLIA Transit and the MRT. If I'm alone, in a hurry, and heading for Sentral, the KLIA Express is fine. When burdened with companions or baggage I splurge on a limo: i've never used Grab FROM the airport after losing a frustrating game of hunt-the-driver.

What I'm getting at is there's no one size fits all to the KUL --> city question. First-time visitors with luggage, heading for hotels other than Hilton at Sentral might well appreciate the convenience of a car service after long flight.

nov11

I guess we are both speaking as seasoned KUL users so we know what we are doing and when to avoid what mode of transportation . I always try to run if I know I am sort of close to the train station (current schedule is 00, 20, 40 past the hour from both KUL T1 and KL Sentral) but the hold up is of course the buggy KLIA Express app which works half the time and it's so slow. But you are right, outside of peak hours, Grab might be the most convenient option for door to door service for first time visitors.

malgudi

Thanks for the suggestions.

Grab worked perfectly for me, little over an hour from KUL to Villa Samadhi (50 mins on the way back, as it was a Sunday).

I had no problems finding Grab at KUL either. The directions on the app were crystal clear.

(Hit a minor snag with Grab midway through my stay in KUL. They wanted me to verify my credit card as it was a "foreign issued card" before allowing me to book any further rides.That took all of 10 minutes to resolve via the online chat.)

ElaineWChatman

I'm glad to hear that Grab worked out well for you and that your journey from KUL to Villa Samadhi and back was smooth!