Short overnight transit at KUL - where to stay?
Jan 25, 2018, 11:09 pm
#1
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Short overnight transit at KUL - where to stay?
Hi all,
This is a question for KUL regulars.
I am arriving at KLIA from an international flight on AC around midnight, then departing from KLIA on a domestic flight on MH at 7:00am. By the time I get through immigration I am estimating I will only have 4-5 hours to get some sleep. I've looked into staying at the Capsule Hotel in KLIA2 but don't qualify for the free transfer bus since both flights arrive/depart from the main terminal. It also looks like I will most likely miss the last train ERL train of the night. If I stay at Sama Sama Express I will need to wait until morning to go through immigration and don't want to risk missing my flight. Plus it seems a bit pricey for the number of hours of use.
Other than finding a bench to crash on are there any reasonable options not too far away to get a few hours of rest?
This is a question for KUL regulars.
I am arriving at KLIA from an international flight on AC around midnight, then departing from KLIA on a domestic flight on MH at 7:00am. By the time I get through immigration I am estimating I will only have 4-5 hours to get some sleep. I've looked into staying at the Capsule Hotel in KLIA2 but don't qualify for the free transfer bus since both flights arrive/depart from the main terminal. It also looks like I will most likely miss the last train ERL train of the night. If I stay at Sama Sama Express I will need to wait until morning to go through immigration and don't want to risk missing my flight. Plus it seems a bit pricey for the number of hours of use.
Other than finding a bench to crash on are there any reasonable options not too far away to get a few hours of rest?
Jan 26, 2018, 12:29 am
#3
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
That G gates snooze hotel has closed many months ago, and even if were still operating, G gates area is only accessible if you are departing on an international flight.
Jan 26, 2018, 12:32 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
Hi all,
This is a question for KUL regulars.
I am arriving at KLIA from an international flight on AC around midnight, then departing from KLIA on a domestic flight on MH at 7:00am. By the time I get through immigration I am estimating I will only have 4-5 hours to get some sleep. I've looked into staying at the Capsule Hotel in KLIA2 but don't qualify for the free transfer bus since both flights arrive/depart from the main terminal. It also looks like I will most likely miss the last train ERL train of the night. If I stay at Sama Sama Express I will need to wait until morning to go through immigration and don't want to risk missing my flight. Plus it seems a bit pricey for the number of hours of use.
Other than finding a bench to crash on are there any reasonable options not too far away to get a few hours of rest?
This is a question for KUL regulars.
I am arriving at KLIA from an international flight on AC around midnight, then departing from KLIA on a domestic flight on MH at 7:00am. By the time I get through immigration I am estimating I will only have 4-5 hours to get some sleep. I've looked into staying at the Capsule Hotel in KLIA2 but don't qualify for the free transfer bus since both flights arrive/depart from the main terminal. It also looks like I will most likely miss the last train ERL train of the night. If I stay at Sama Sama Express I will need to wait until morning to go through immigration and don't want to risk missing my flight. Plus it seems a bit pricey for the number of hours of use.
Other than finding a bench to crash on are there any reasonable options not too far away to get a few hours of rest?
Jan 26, 2018, 12:35 am
#5
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
Just to be clear; assuming you would already have an e-boarding pass for MH, you should only leave the hotel at around 6am-ish and as you exit the aerotrain at the main terminal, look for the domestic gates A or B which is a floor down. (Not to be confused with main arrivals immigration which is also a floor down). The transit immigration facility would be at that same level.
Jan 26, 2018, 4:48 am
#7
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Jan 26, 2018, 11:51 am
#8
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If I understand correctly, by using the transit immigration facility it will be less crowded than the main immigration, so I should be able to make the aerotrain before the last one scheduled AND have enough time to get from KLIA2 to KLIA when the first train starts up, as long as I have my e-boarding pass for MH and my incoming flight is not severely delayed.
Otherwise, is there another way to get from KLIA main terminal to KLIA2 late at night? The inter-terminal bus runs 24/7 every 10 minutes but it requires online registration. I am assuming you need to have a flight departing from the other terminal but the registration page does not specifically ask this. LST - LANDSIDE TRANSFER
If I can't take the bus is this distance safely walkable? Should I consider taking a taxi to KLIA2 if I miss the train?
Jan 26, 2018, 12:09 pm
#9
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Thanks for clarifying OP! Taxi is very expensive between the terminals and will run you ~RM50. As others have suggested, the airside samasama is the best option, I really would avoid the klia2 trek if possible.
Jan 26, 2018, 1:20 pm
#10
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What time does immigration open in the morning? I would need to check out of airside Samasama then go through immigration before heading to me domestic flight.
Jan 26, 2018, 2:54 pm
#11
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Immigration is open 24 hours, would ideally leave about an hour to the flight as after clearing the immigration and customs via domestic connections you would be at the domestic gates already.
Jan 26, 2018, 6:19 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
Actually Activistflyer is correct. I am arriving on Air Canada's codeshare flight operated by ANA. I should have clarified that in my original post.
If I understand correctly, by using the transit immigration facility it will be less crowded than the main immigration, so I should be able to make the aerotrain before the last one scheduled AND have enough time to get from KLIA2 to KLIA when the first train starts up, as long as I have my e-boarding pass for MH and my incoming flight is not severely delayed.
Otherwise, is there another way to get from KLIA main terminal to KLIA2 late at night? The inter-terminal bus runs 24/7 every 10 minutes but it requires online registration. I am assuming you need to have a flight departing from the other terminal but the registration page does not specifically ask this. LST - LANDSIDE TRANSFER
If I can't take the bus is this distance safely walkable? Should I consider taking a taxi to KLIA2 if I miss the train?
If I understand correctly, by using the transit immigration facility it will be less crowded than the main immigration, so I should be able to make the aerotrain before the last one scheduled AND have enough time to get from KLIA2 to KLIA when the first train starts up, as long as I have my e-boarding pass for MH and my incoming flight is not severely delayed.
Otherwise, is there another way to get from KLIA main terminal to KLIA2 late at night? The inter-terminal bus runs 24/7 every 10 minutes but it requires online registration. I am assuming you need to have a flight departing from the other terminal but the registration page does not specifically ask this. LST - LANDSIDE TRANSFER
If I can't take the bus is this distance safely walkable? Should I consider taking a taxi to KLIA2 if I miss the train?
You arrive on an NH aircraft and departing on MH. So, do not venture anywhere close to KLIA2.
Book the Sama-sama express hotel at the satellite building of KLIA. (There is also another sama-sama express hotel at airside KLIA2). Arrivals and departures pax at KLIA are mixed (as security checks are done at individual gates) and there is no segregation - so you would have access to all facilities of a departing international pax. (Only international and domestic pax are segregated at KLIA)
Your NH aircraft will park at the satellite building. Spend the night at the satellite building where the hotel is located. The next morning at around 6, check out of hotel and jump on the aerotrain (which is the inter-buildings train of KLIA and operates virtually 24hts, and not to be confused with the intercity-like train linking KLIA and KLIA2) and head to the Main terminal building of KLIA. The transit immigration facility is one floor down, below where the aerotrain station/stop is. Look for signs stating A or B gates as you step off the aerotrain as these will be the gates where MH domestic flights will depart from. Do not make the mistake of going to “Arrivals”, which will be where the main immigration is.
In short, you remain airside and in KLIA at all times.
Jan 29, 2018, 9:25 pm
#13
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Zawnet my reason for wanting to go to KLIA2 is two-fold: For the few hours I would be staying, the Capsule Hotel seems to be more budget friendly. Secondly I want to pick up a SIM card at Celcom in KLIA2. My research tells me Celcom has the best (or almost only) coverage in outlying areas such as Mabul Island where I will be spending a week. I will have limited time in Kota Kinabalu. I didn't find a Celcom location in KLIA and the other providers don't have coverage in Mabul.
Jan 30, 2018, 1:12 am
#15
Join Date: Jan 2017
Posts: 305
And critically, it is before the immigration counters at main arrivals. So one can take the escalator down to the main arrivals area, get a Celcom card (but I dont know if the counter is open after midnight) then head back up to the “transit” area.
