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Getting from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok

Bangkok , the capital of Thailand, is a major transportation hub in Asia. Many travelers come to Bangkok on their first Asian visit, as the cultural shock is not as bad. Plus, Bangkok is a very good starting point for exploring the Asian continent.

Kuala Lumpur is the capital of Malaysia and is a cheap luxury destination in the world (yes, there are plenty of affordable 5-star hotels here!). The food, the shopping and the general feel of the city attracts tourists from all over the world.

Quick summary
Budget wise, flying and traveling by train is just as cheap. But you’ll spend 2 days on the train and only 2 hours on the plane. Alternatively, you can take the bus (1 day) , especially if you want to see the scenery.

Flights from Bangkok (airport code: BKK) to Kuala Lumpur

Bangkok’s international getaway is Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK) , hub for Bangkok Airlines, Orient Thai Airlines, Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways International. It is located about 25 km from downtown Bangkok.

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KUL) serves the capital of Malaysia and is one of the largest airports in Southeast Asia. It is the country’s main international airport and a hub for Air Asia, Firefly Jet and Malaysia Airlines.

Flights between the two cities are operated by: AirAsia, EgyptAir, Lufthansa , Malaysia Airlines, Royal Jordanian, Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways International. The flight time is 2h 15 min. The cheapest single adult ticket is on AirAsia and you can get away with 1,290.00 THB (about US$43). Pay attention that if you book via large booking engines the single ticket can be as high as US$132 on the same carrier. If you’re taking a slower route from Malaysia to Thailand, your best bets are train and bus.

>>read more about Cheap flights to Bangkok

Buses from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur

Getting from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by bus involves a stop in Hat Yai.
The first leg of the trip, Bangkok to Hat Yai, takes 12 hours. And the last leg, Hat Yai to Kuala Lumpur, takes 7 hours. But since you’ll be staying in Hat Yai for a while, the total travel time is about 22 hours.

Trains from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur

Getting from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur by train involves a stop in Butterworth (Malaysia).
The International Express connects Bangkok (Hualamphong Station) to Butterworth and takes less than 24 hours. You can choose a sleeper and the trains also have AC. From Butterworth to Kuala Lumpur you can either take the night train or one of the two daily trains. The total travel time is 2 days. A single adult ticket costs about US$50.

You have to make reservations ahead of time for both legs of the trip. If you want flexibility you can buy the tickets as you go (and in this case you can stop along the way as often as you want). The scenery is definitely worth the travel times.

Driving from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur

Renting a car in Thailand and driving all the way to Kuala Lumpur can be a very interesting experience and a lovely way to see both countries. Do take into account that you need to drive 1461 km (about 20 hours) so make stops along the way.

While roads in Thailand are well maintained, the ones in Malaysia are even better (as the country has some of the best roads in the region). Make sure to ask the rental company whether you can take the car over border or not.

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Photo credit airport ; train station