SIN - KUL Train Experience
 

I'm planning on transiting from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur in Feb. I've already made a flight reservation from KUL - SIN to catch my next flight to TPE.

However, I'm debating between taking the coach bus to KUL or taking the overnight train. The coaches seem quite enticing but I haven't been able to locate timetables. The overnight train works because i don't lose any daylight sightseeing hours.

Does anyone have any experience with the overnight trains? Even the first class still seems pretty price efficient.

Any feedback would be much appreciated!

I did the overnight train both ways, but this was way back about 4 years ago.

The comfort was fine, and the price was right, arrivals and departures on time

One bit of advice, dont know if it still works that way, but booking your ticket on the ktmb.my website prices it out in MYR instead of SGD, for substantial savings

A good website, for reference, is: http://www.seat61.com/Malaysia.htm

I'd certainly recommend the train over the coach, any day.

As per the above two posters, the train is a good way to travel.

I took the second class sleeper SIN - KUL and the first class cabin on the way back, KUL - SIN and I'd use it again. Booked through Ktmb.my and a bargin considering it saves a hotel room.
In first class you get a small, basic meal in the evening and morning, a bed to sleep on (max two per room) and they come with reasonably spacious ensuite showers (when you consider you are on a train).

Only thing I would point out, is if you are using the night train, try to get asleep as soon as possible as you will get woken up at the border in both directions and this often cuts your sleep time a tad short. That said, travelling SIN - KUL, don't bed down until you've passed the border! I found a few co travellers used up all their mosquito spray and unpack their belonging only to find the carriages stood open at the border as all the pax passed through immigration.

I also believe that if you travel in the first class berths there is a first class lounge at either station, but this may not be open on weekends.

My trip report for KTMB first class from SIN to KUL a few years back:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317727

I'm generally a train buff who among other things has spent 3 months Interrailing around Europe, but all things considered, I prefer the bus. The narrow gauge trains shake and rattle quite a bit, making it tough to sleep, and the early morning arrival is pretty brutal.

As for tickets, you'll get charged in SGD (=double the price) if you book any trip out of Singapore. I thus booked the cheapest possible SIN-somewhere trip in cheapo class (in SGD) plus a JB-KL first class sleeper (in ringgit), which saved a fair chunk of cash with minimal inconvenience (because you have to get out of the train with all your stuff at the border anyway).

I've also done this trip in both directions in March 2006 (SIN-KUL overnight, then actually onto Penang and back). I bought my ticket for SIN-KUL at the train station in SIN. Probably more money, but I liked the flexibility and didn't have internet access at the time in SIN to make the purchase online. The ride was fine. Bring some food if you're hungry. Otherwise, you can buy some stuff they sell on board, but it didn't look too appealing to me at the time. I'm sure it was fine, just didn't look too appealing.

You probably won't get too much sleep on the 2nd class sleeper depending on how tall you are. I'm 5'7" or 5'8" on a good day and I couldn't lay out flat without my knees bent. So if that's a concern, you may wish to pay for a higher class cabin or buy a seat and pretend it's a flight in Y. ;) Also, while there are curtains you can close, they tend to leave the lights on in the train compartment and light can seep through. Also, since people are constantly getting on and off the train, at stops people will sometimes brush by your curtain and pull it a little, etc. Nothing that is abnormal to train travel around the world, but perhaps a bit of a nuisance to someone who hasn't done much overnight train travel.

On the return, since it was daytime, I took the 2nd class seats. It was very comfortable and the ride was beautiful. Looking at the countryside from a train window is very therapeutic and a great way to be introspective, if you're into that kind of thing. ;)

It sounds like there are other experts on this route, but if you want to ask me anything further, please PM as I might not catch this thread again.

Thanks for all the feedback!

It looks like I'm a bit far out to book anything so I'll probably re-investigate as a I get closer.

I did manage to find a few bus companies that run an overnight but i'm thinking the train might still end up better - especially if I can get a cabin with a shower.

now the only concern is how long the sleeping surface is since i'm 6'2"! :-)

Exactly !

The trains are slow, prone to delays and very bumpy. I have ocassionally taken the train over the years and have never been a happy passenger. I also would never consider the night train and I dont undertstand why so many here are willing to torture themselves with the overnight train inorder to save a night accomodation when one can get a decent 4 star hotel room in KL for as little as USD50-60.

That is not correct. The KUL-SIN prices in Ringits, but SIN-KUL will price in SG$.

I have done KUL-SIN only three times, second class seat, second class sleeper, as well as 1st Class sleeper (between 1999 and 2006). I have never done SIN-KUL as it's twice as expensive to do SIN-KUL than KUL-SIN. If you want to see the landscape, day trip is better. The Second class sleeper was adequate. The meal in the First sleeper was barely a meal. The best feature was the ensuite shower. I liked being clean and fresh in the morning. The freh feeling doesn't last very long as you are sweaty within minutes of leaving tghe train.

Since you are doing the night trip, a second class seat would not be appealing at all.

I ran the math and it appears to be still cheaper to book a KUL-SIN-KUL r/t than a SIN-KUL one-way. I can just toss the first leg.

I'm still torn between the train and the bus. The train has the advantage of a shower.

as for rocking, it actually helps me sleep but i can sleep through anything!

When you choose a berth, try to avoid the ones at the end of each carriage as these will have more shaking and more noise.

In January, I tried the night train in F, JHB to Sentral KL. The routing to get there was fairly convoluted since I had flown in on Air Asia from KK (Kota Kinabalu), took a taxi to the former Pan Pacific, had dinner there since I had a 5 hour layover, took a taxi to the JB train station and boarded there.

I agree that the ride is definitely not smooth. I had a two-berth compartment to myself. One can also book both bunks to ensure not room partner. The TV did not work, but who cares at midnight? I still have the 2 meal tickets since I got only something to drink after departure and before arrival. The train was about 1.5 hours late into Sentral. Although the 1st class coach is non-smoking, no one polices the policy and thus I suffered for a number of hours inhaling the chain-smoker's next door second hand smoke. The rooms are not airtight, not even close.

Sleeping was not easy. Beware that the train stops at a couple of stations other than Sentral before reaching it. I awoke in a panic since the train was sitting in a station at the scheduled arrival time. Fortunately, looking out the window verified that the train was not at Sentral.

The best thing about the trip was the ability to walk across the street to the Hilton at 0830, check-in to the executive floor and immediately have breakfast in the lounge. Hilton KL treats golds and diamonds quite well even that early in the morning.

Would I do it again? Probably not. The bus sounds like a better option even when arriving at JHB. Although it is tough not to be able to walk directly to the Hilton and having to deal with the KL taxi mafia instead. There is a bus from JHB to Larkin where one can pick up the executive bus to KL.

Add me to those that would recommend the bus over the train (and I'm a train fan). Taking the likes of www.transtar.com.sg or www.aeroline.com.sg you can book easily online and have a very comfortable trip between SIN-KUL, with a travel time of 4-5 hours. There's plenty of cheaper options than these, but they're quite comfortable and not exactly breaking the bank anyway :D.

Since SIN-KUL(-ZJR-BKK) is a trip I, too, intend to take in early March, I followed Seat61's advice at Tip 3 under 'Tickets bought in Singapore' and priced out (but didn't buy yet) on the KTMB site:

A '0th-class' (Deluxe Sleeper) on Train 12, SIN-KUL, combined with a dummy 2nd-class on the previous day, KUL-SIN: MYR141.80 (USD42 or GBP20)
A '0th-class' (Deluxe Sleeper) on Train 12, SIN-KUL alone: MYR310.32 (USD92 or GBP45)

The advice works. :)

Anyone ever then been on to Penang and Bangkok (or the other way round)? I'd be interested what's thought of these segments.

Also, Singapore is probably the right forum; deep in this thread might not be the right place, but here goes: I've also been pricing BKK-SIN flights, and the cheapest seems to be Jetstar Asia...anyone flown this airline, particularly this route?

Thanks!
Chris