Take the KLIA Ekspres if you are travelling alone or as a pair and your hotel is near KL Sentral or a rail line: the nonstop train reaches KL Sentral in 28 minutes from Terminal 1 for RM55, with 10% off when you buy online (). Take a Grab if three or more of you are heading to a hotel away from KL Sentral, because one car fare is usually lower than three train tickets and you skip the transfer at the other end.
Cover and social-card photograph: Fabio Achilli, CC BY 2.0; cropped and resized.
Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is about 45 to 60 km south of the city, and Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are separate buildings. The KLIA Ekspres train, the airport buses and Grab all serve both terminals, but they end in different places: the train and most buses stop at KL Sentral, the city's main rail hub, while Grab takes you to your hotel door.
| Your situation | Better starting choice | What to check before choosing |
|---|---|---|
| Solo or two people, hotel near KL Sentral or an LRT/MRT stop | KLIA Ekspres | Buy online for 10% off |
| Three or more people, hotel in Bukit Bintang or KLCC | Grab | Pickup bay and tolls on the quote |
| Group of three or more who prefer the train | KLIA Ekspres Group Saver | Whether the offer is still listed |
| Lowest fare, no rush | Airport bus to KL Sentral | Which terminal the operator serves |
| Landing after 11 pm | KLIA Ekspres until about 1 am, then Grab | The all-stops pattern after 11 pm |
| Travelling on or after 1 January 2027 | Recalculate with RM65 train fare | New fare table before you book |
The KLIA Ekspres runs nonstop between KLIA and KL Sentral every 20 minutes, every day. The journey from Terminal 1 takes 28 minutes, and trains from Terminal 2 call at Terminal 1 three minutes later. The first train leaves Terminal 2 at 4:55 am and Terminal 1 at 5:00 am; from 11 pm all trains stop at every station, with service extended until about 1 am (KLIA Ekspres schedule).
An adult single costs RM55 and a child aged 6 to 15 pays RM25; children under 6 travel free. Buying through the KLIA Ekspres website or app takes 10% off, and online tickets stay valid for a month from the travel date you pick. Once you pass the gate, a ticket is valid for 90 minutes until you exit. The operator also lists a Group Saver at RM40 per person for three or more people travelling together, and a family package for two adults and two children.
Fares rise on 1 January 2027: the adult single between KL Sentral and either terminal goes to RM65 and the child fare to RM29, the first change since 2016 (Bernama). The 10% online discount stays.
Photo: *angys*, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped and resized.
Grab picks up from marked e-hailing bays at both terminals, and the app shows the walking route to the correct door. Since May 2026 Grab no longer charges a flat airport fare; the price now depends on distance and time, and a local test found quotes between about RM68 and RM82 for trips to the airport, with tolls on top (Newswav). From 16 September 2026 the airport e-hailing entry fee is RM2 at both terminals, usually passed on to you as a separate line on the receipt (RinggitPlus).
Book once you have reached the pickup area rather than at the baggage belt, because drivers only wait a short time at the bay. Expressway traffic into the city can slow the trip at peak times, so Grab is less predictable than the train even though it skips the transfer.
For one person, the train at RM55 (about RM49.50 online) is cheaper than a Grab quote in the RM70 to RM85 range once tolls are added. For two people the totals are close: about RM99 by train against one car fare, and the train wins on predictability. For three or four people, a single Grab usually beats three or four train tickets, unless you use the Group Saver at RM40 each.
Location matters as much as headcount. If your hotel is at KL Sentral, the train is hard to beat. If it is in Bukit Bintang, KLCC or Mont Kiara, the train still leaves you with an LRT, MRT, monorail or taxi ride from KL Sentral, which adds time and another fare with luggage.
Photo: Maksym Kozlenko, CC BY-SA 4.0; cropped and resized.
Coaches run from KLIA to KL Sentral for roughly RM12 to RM15 and take about an hour or more depending on traffic (Wego). They suit travellers with time and light bags. Some operators serve only one terminal, so check the counter or booking page for your terminal before you buy. Like the train, the bus ends at KL Sentral, so you still need a connection to most hotels.
The KLIA Ekspres keeps running until about 1 am, but after 11 pm it stops at the intermediate KLIA Transit stations, so allow a few extra minutes. Ticket counters close at 11 pm; buy online in advance or use the station kiosk. After the last train, Grab and the airport coupon taxis are the practical options, and late-night Grab prices can be higher when demand is strong.
Buy KLIA Ekspres tickets online before you fly if you are sure you will take the train; you get the discount and skip the counter. If you plan to use Grab, install the app, add a payment method and save your hotel address. Note which terminal you arrive at, because the two are not walking distance apart.
A co:sim data-only eSIM can be installed before departure so the Grab app and maps work as soon as you land. It provides data only, without a Malaysian phone number, so keep your home SIM active for SMS codes if your phone supports two lines.
Decide by group size and hotel location first, then compare co:sim for the rest of your Malaysia trip.
For one person, yes. For three or more people going to a hotel away from KL Sentral, one Grab fare is usually lower than separate train tickets. The Group Saver fare narrows that gap if you prefer the train.
From 1 January 2027 the adult single between KL Sentral and KLIA rises from RM55 to RM65, the return to RM118 and the child single to RM29. The 10% online discount continues.
Yes. Trains start at Terminal 2, call at Terminal 1 and then run nonstop to KL Sentral. The fare is the same from either terminal.
You need data to book a Grab and to see where your driver is waiting. You do not need it to ride the KLIA Ekspres if you have a ticket, but it helps with the connection from KL Sentral.
A co:sim data-only eSIM provides data without a phone number, calls or SMS. You can set it up before departure and use it as soon as you land. Compare network and validity details on co:sim's Malaysia plan page before choosing.
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Travel TipsTake the Keisei Skyliner if your hotel is in Ueno, Asakusa or north-east Tokyo: it reaches Nippori in as little as 36 minutes for ¥2,580. Take the Narita Express if you are staying near Tokyo Station, Shinjuku, Shibuya or Yokohama, because it runs straight there, and the ¥5,200 round-trip ticket brings each leg close to the Skyliner fare.
Travel TipsTake bus 86 if you are travelling light, land before mid-evening and are staying near Hoan Kiem Lake: it costs about 45,000 dong and takes 50 to 70 minutes. Take a Grab if there are two or more of you, you have big bags or you land late, because one car to the Old Quarter usually costs about 230,000 to 320,000 dong and drops you at the door.
Travel TipsTake the Airport MRT express if you land in the daytime and your hotel is near Taipei Main Station or a Taipei Metro line: it takes about 35 minutes for NT$160 and is not affected by traffic. Take Kuo-Kuang bus 1819 if you land late at night, when the MRT has stopped, or if your hotel is on Zhongshan North Road, where the bus stops before Taipei Main.
co:sim Team