You’ve landed at Malaysia’s Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KL Airport) and maybe a bit tired from the travel. Now, you need to figure out how to get to your next destination, Melaka (also spelled as Malacca).
While taking a taxi or private car is the default way, what is the more affordable option?
Considering that Melaka is approximately 135 kilometers (84 miles) away from the KL airport, we recommend taking the bus.
The bus is convenient and the local way to travel long distances in Malaysia. Plus, it’s a cheaper travel option compared to taking a taxi, private car, or hiring a ride-hailing car. It’s also super easy to buy tickets on arrival, so you don’t need to reserve ahead of time.
We’ve taken the bus from KL Airport to Ipoh and recently from KLIA 2 (Terminal 2) to Melaka, so we’re familiar with how buses run in Malaysia.
We’ll share with you the ins and outs of traveling to Melaka from Kuala Lumpur Airport either KLIA or KLIA 2 Terminals by bus.
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The Bus Route from KLIA 2 to Melaka
First Stop: KLIA 2 (Terminal 2), Kuala Lumpur Airport
Second Stop: KLIA (Terminal 1), Kuala Lumpur Airport
Third Stop: Melaka Sentral, Melaka
How many hours does it take? It takes about 2.5 hours one way from the KL airport to Melaka.
The Easy Process to Buy Bus Tickets at KL Airport
1. After Immigration and Customs, head to the lower level of the terminal of KLIA or KLIA 2. Follow the signs to the Bus Terminal.
2. Buy your tickets either at the electronic kiosk or in person.
Note: It’s not necessary to buy tickets ahead of time, but you can if you’re worried about bookings during the peak travel season or holidays. You can check departure times on RedBus Malaysia or BusOnlineTicket.
Unfortunately, the electronic kiosk is only available at KLIA 2, not at KLIA Terminal. But KLIA has an in person counter so you can buy tickets.
If using the kiosk at KLIA 2, input your ending location, which will be Melaka Sentral, and choose your time of departure, number of tickets, and preferred seat (s).
 Here is a bus schedule from KLIA 2 to Melaka Station  Here is the next screen of the kiosk. |
Credit cards are accepted as payment for the kiosk and in-person. We saw a sign at KLIA 2 Bus Terminal that as of April 2024, payments are done through credit cards only. So, if you don’t have cash on hand, then you don’t need to worry.
The cost is between 25 to 35 MYR ($5.30 to $7.40 USD) for the bus ticket, depending on the time of departure and bus company. We used the Starmart Express Bus.
3. Scan the QR code on your ticket to enter the Waiting Area (for KLIA 2).
There are two waiting areas – one to the left side of the ticket booth and one to the right side of the ticket booth.
The waiting area on the left side requires you to scan your QR code on the ticket to enter. This side is the only way to enter the Bus Terminal area.
KLIA Terminal 2 Bus Waiting Area
TIP: We recommend that you use the toilet before entering the Waiting Area as the QR code has a one-time entry. There is a person near the Waiting Area entrance so you can ask him/her if they have an entry card in case the QR code doesn’t work. Also, the Airport to Melaka route does not have a bathroom break.
4. Wait for your bus to arrive and head to the appropriate pillar.
The ticket will have the boarding time and the pillar number to wait.
Do not lose your bus ticket!
5. Show the ticket to the bus driver or one of the workers for the bus company and then board the bus.
If you have large luggage, you can store it in the bus undercarriage. You won’t be able to access your stuff until reaching Melaka Sentral.
6. Enjoy the ride to Melaka Sentral!
Our original time to depart was at 12:45pm with Starmart Express Bus company, but it was canceled due to low turnout.
So we were placed on the next bus at 1:45pm. It was fine with us as we grabbed a quick lunch at Oriental Kopi in the KLIA 2 mall beforehand.
Our Starmart Express Bus ended up as a double-decker bus. Even though we had seats chosen for 12:45pm, the 1:45pm didn’t follow any seat arrangements. So, we could choose any open seats on the lower or upper level.
We just departed from KLIA 2 and heading to KLIA terminal
The seats were comfortable, just like what we experienced when we went from KL Airport to Ipoh. The AC was on full blast, so it got too chilly at portions of the ride.
Enjoy the leg room on the bus!
The bus didn’t have any free WiFi, so it was a good amount of time to just relax and nap.
After our pick up at KLIA 2, we went straight to KLIA Terminal, and then to Melaka Sentral. It took over 2.5 hours to arrive at Melaka.
7. Hire a Grab car to go to the Melaka UNESCO area.
Once you’ve arrived at Melaka Sentral, you’ll need to do one more transportation transfer to reach the Melaka UNESCO area.
Hire a Grab car via the Grab app, one of the top travel apps to use in Malaysia. You can have the car drive you off at your accommodation or somewhere near the UNESCO area.
We paid 15 MYR ($3.20 USD) from Melaka Sentral to our hotel, Ibis Melaka. It was a 15-minute car ride. The pick-up in front of the Melaka Station was super easy and drop-off was also smooth.
Now, enjoy your time in Melaka! We recommend checking out the delicious food options and street art.
Final Thoughts
If you’re debating whether or not to take the bus, we highly suggest that you try it.
It’s an economical transportation option that many locals use to travel around Malaysia. The bus ride cost is approximately $5.30 to $7.40 USD per person per way, so it’s a lot more affordable than hiring a taxi or a private driver.
If you have any questions about riding the bus or traveling in Melaka, ask a question in the Comment section below.
For those who want to know about the bus from Melaka Sentral to the airport, we have a post on that topic. Read more about the Melaka to KL Airport bus route here.
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