Getting From KLIA
The choice from the airport to Kuala Lumpur city centre spans transportation options that mix speed, price, and convenience - those served by KLIA Ekspres or KLIA Transit, those catching coaches within a budget, and those arriving quickly via taxi or ride-hailing. What follows is what each one costs, where it leaves you and when it runs.
KLIA Rail Options
The main rail connection from Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) to the city is the KLIA Ekspres. Non-stop from KLIA Terminal 1 or Terminal 2, it takes around 30 minutes to reach Kuala Lumpur Sentral (KL Sentral). The single adult ticket is RM55.00 and returns cost RM100.00.
If you’re making stops between the airport and KL Sentral, choose KLIA Transit. It stops at Bandar Tasik Selatan, Putrajaya & Cyberjaya, and Salak Tinggi on the way to KL Sentral. Fares vary by sector on KLIA Transit.
Check the timetable before you go: both services thin out late at night.
Coaches and City Arrivals
Coaches are the cheapest way to get from KLIA or klia2 to Kuala Lumpur city centre. They set off from the transport hub opposite the KLIA2 arrivals hall, connecting to downtown, Bukit Bintang, and the Bandar Tasik Selatan Station.
Published fares run from about RM10 to RM18 a ticket, bought at the counter in the arrivals hall or from the driver.
The ride takes about an hour against the train’s half hour, which is the trade you are making.
Watch which coach you board: some run direct to the city, others go by way of KL Sentral or Bandar Tasik Selatan.
Taxis and Ride-Hailing
A taxi makes sense with heavy luggage, with a group, or at an hour when the trains have stopped. Taxis are taken from the counters in the arrivals hall, where you state the destination before you walk out to the rank. The fare starts at RM6 for the first kilometer or two minutes, then RM0.20 per 150m or 45 seconds. There is a 50% surcharge in effect from midnight to 6am, applying to metered taxis.
Ride-hailing apps work at both terminals and have their own marked pickup bays, which are not always next to the taxi rank.