After passing the custom and walking out of the gate, I saw this Rapid Penang Bus Booth. With the information I got from the internet, I purchased the Rapid Bus Passport for RM30.00 which allowed unlimited rides on their buses for a maximum of seven days. It is so very convenient and their buses are very clean and air conditioned too. After purchasing, I headed outside to catch Bus No. 401E to go to Komtar bus terminal to catch the free shuttle bus to my hotel. Komtar is the tallest building in Penang and there are malls over here. Will come to the mall at later posts.
Outside the airport, there's another Penang Rapid Bus Booth, you can ask them information about the buses. If you do not want to purchase the Bus Passport, you can use notes and coins to go to Komtar. I think it is about RM3.00 to komtar.
The taxi stand is also at the same place where we waited for the bus. The taxi do not follow meter so you have to bargain for the fare.
Information on the buses and their routes. You can get a similar map in the Bus Passport Pocket Guide that they give you when you purchase the Bus Passport. Oh do remember to collect a map of Penang at the airport. I collected mine at the Rapid Penang Bus Booth.
After a 45 minutes ride on Bus no. 401E from airport, we finally arrived Komtar, Georgetown. Over here you can change another bus to bring you to another destination but as it is my first day in Penang, I decided to take the free shuttle bus to my hotel. I asked around for the busstop of the free shuttle bus. Spotted the Free shuttle bus stop no. 9 under some pedestrian bridge at komtar.
My hotel (Cititel Penang Hotel) is actually opposite the free shuttle bus stop no. 7 but as this bus just came from bus stop no. 7 and no. 8 and arrived at this bus stop no. 9 so the nearest bus stop that bring me to my hotel is free shuttle bus stop no. 12 and I just walked backwards for about less than 5 minutes to reach my hotel.
This is how the Bus Passport looked like. They will write your name and passport no and the valid date on the card. Each time you take any rapid penang bus, just show them the card. No need to dig out coins or notes to pay the fare. You have to get the exact coins/notes to pay the fare, the driver just issue tickets and they dont change any money for you.
For more information on the Rapid Penang Bus, you can head to Penang Travel Tips . I got most of my information for this website. Very useful.
8 comments:
alice, hi.. this Rapid Bus Passport for RM30.00 - this is valid for only one person or could be used for other person to? as gong to travel there next week (3 people). thank you>
alice.. hi.. the Rapid Bus Passport for RM30.00 is it valid only for one person only or can be used shared with others? as going to penang next week (3 people).. thank you..
Magdalena, it is RM30.00 per person and can be used for one person only. But I guess your friend can use if you are not using cause the card only got your name and passport no. written and no photo attached on it. The driver just looked at the valid date. If you are only going 2 days, you dont need buy the card, just pay cash, the bus fare is very affordable and make sure you have the exact amount, they dont return any change to you. Buy the card only if you are going more than 3 days or you expect to take a lot of bus rides. Remember there's also the free shuttle bus that take you round the heritage area but intervals of 30 minutes. Feel free to ask me for more information. Hope you have a plesant and enjoyable trip.
Alice, am staying there for 3 days,but the 3rd , fly to kl (actially going 2 stay @ cititel too- your blogs surely helps a lot :D).my plan is on 1st day-as arruvung @ 9am -airport-hope can pass by the snake temple before headed to hotel)plans on 1st day-reclining budha,kek lok si,batu feringhi-hard rock,n gurney drive.on 2nd day going to orchid hibiscus-bkt jambul garden, then heritage tour.. So should I buy the pass? Also any suggestion of shopping area? :p thanks a lot
Hi Alice..
Am goin to stay there for 3 days but 3rd day is heading to KL.
Soon 1st day plans to go to reclining budha,kek loks si,batu feringhi-hard rock,gurney drive n plaza.
2nd day- orchid n hibiscus garden-bukit jambul,heritage tour-by CAT n komtar,prangin mall and red square.
So should I buy the pass?
Btw, I'm goin 2 stay in cititel too-that's why I'm excited when found your blogs.so helpful-thanks a lot
Magdalena, this means you only spend two days in Penang. No need to buy the pass. The bus fare is around RM2.20 to RM3.00 (i think) depending where you are going. Taxi is about RM15 to RM20 for short journey. Taxi from airport to town is about RM42. They dont follow meter, bargain before you take any taxi. If you take bus to cititel is around RM3.00 (45 mins), you get take bus 401E to komtar(tallest building in penang-tell the driver to tell you to alight but most will alight at this komtar), then walked to the free shuttle bus stop no. 9 and take alight at bus stop no. 12 (tell the driver to tell you when the bus reach no. 12 or count the bus stop, the bus will stop every stop i.e. 3 bus stop from no. 9) From bus stop no. 12 you can see the hotel.
Cititel Hotel's staff very friendly and helpful, ask them any information you need to go anywhere. Please collect Penang Map from the airport. Try to ask for high floor and seaview. You can pop over to Red Garden Food Paradise for dinner (opposite Cititel Hotel), a lot of hawker food, only open at night or you can eat at coffeeshop (next to cititel hotel, the wantan noodle and porridge very good and cheap about RM3.00. You can shop at komtar and prangin mall (shoes are around RM15 average but fashion wise Singapore better.) Do try to visit the wet market-Chowrasta market (ie. behind bus stop no. 12 - I have not posted anything on that, the morning marketing and shopping very interesting site. Keep tuned as I am posting in few days time.
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