What to expect when visiting Taman Negara
Taman Negara is one of the oldest tropical rainforests in the world — over 130 years old! Trekking through its lush jungle will give you a glimpse at its wide diversity of flora and fauna (some 3,000 species) and various wildlife (including the rare Malayan tiger).
You can choose from a number of trails depending on your capability — from an hour hike to Bukit Teresek to a week of jungle adventure taking you to the peak of Gunung Tahan. Other activities you can enjoy in Taman Negara include white water rafting, bird watching, caving, and of course, the 500-metre canopy walk.
3 ways to get from Penang to Taman Negara
There are three ways to travel the distance of 540 km (336 miles) from Penang to Taman Negara: by bus via Cameron Highlands (9h 30m - 13h 50m), taxi (8.5 hours) and bus via Temerloh (9h 55m - 10h 05m). The journey takes between 8h 30m - 13h 50m and the quickest way is by taxi. The lowest priced tickets start from 61 MYR ($12.70) for the bus via temerloh.Penang to Taman Negara by Bus via Temerloh
This bus route from Penang to Taman Negara via Temerloh can be quite complicated because of the bus schedules. However, if you’re travelling in a group and willing to add a taxi ride to this journey, it can be a convenient but more expensive option.
Step 1: Penang to Butterworth by Ferry
The first step is to travel to the mainland by ferry. Butterworth is the nearest mainland town only 3 km away.
You will find the ferries at Weld Quay, which you can reach from George Town by a 5-minute taxi with rates from 3 MYR ($0.60) or a 20-minute bus (Line 101) that costs 5 MYR ($1).
At Weld Quay, transfer to a ferry bound for Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal in Butterworth. A ride costs 3 MYR ($0.60) and takes 10-20 minutes. Ferries depart twice every hour from 05:40 to 00:40.
Step 2: Butterworth to Temerloh by Bus
Next, you’ll need to take a bus to Temerloh, a quiet town in central Pahang. This leg of the journey covers 470 km around the mountainous area of Pahang.
There are several companies offering bus trips for this route. Be aware that the bus time you pick for this leg will determine the rest of your journey. A ticket costs from 45 MYR ($9.40) when you book with BusOnlineTicket.
A few things to consider when choosing your bus schedule:
- If you take a late-night bus, you’ll arrive early morning in Temerloh. You won’t have much to do here though except to have breakfast. And then, you can either wait for the first available connecting bus at 13:15 or just take a taxi to Jerantut.
- If you take one of the day buses, you’ll only have to wait a few hours for your connecting trip to Jerantut. However, you won’t make it in time for the minibus trips from Jerantut to Taman Negara and will have to settle for a taxi.
Step 3: Temerloh to Jerantut by Bus
From Temerloh, you’ll have to take a northbound bus to Jerantut, the main transport hub when visiting Taman Negara. Transnasional offers three trips every day and a ticket costs 6 MYR ($1.30) when you book online beforehand through BusOnlineTicket.
Keep in mind that you are only assured a connecting minibus in Jerantut if you take the 1st bus from the three schedules above. With the 2nd bus, you still have a chance if there’s no traffic, but if you take the 3rd bus, you’ll have to take a taxi from Jerantut to Taman Negara.
Alternative Option: Temerloh to Jerantut by Taxi
If you take a late-night bus from Butterworth, you’ll have quite a long waiting time in Temerloh. Another option that we recommend is to just travel by taxi to Jerantut. With rates from 145 MYR ($30), it might be worth considering, especially if you’re travelling in a group.
This way, you will arrive early in Jerantut, where you can take a cheap minibus to Taman Negara.
Step 4: Jerantut to Taman Negara by Minibus or Taxi
Similar to the earlier option, you have two choices when travelling the remaining 70 km from Jerantut to Taman Negara. You can take a minibus for 7 MYR ($1.50) or a taxi for around 125 MYR ($26).
Option 1: Jerantut to Taman Negara by Minibus
There are seven minibus trips from Jerantut to Taman Negara. If you arrive early with a taxi, you can take one of the cheaper minibus trips that cost only 7 MYR ($1.50). But if you take the earlier buses from Temerloh, you’ll also have to settle for a more expensive minibus transfer to the national park.
You can buy your tickets at Jerantut Bus Terminal. If travelling with NKS, you can also contact them beforehand through their website.
Option 2: Jerantut to Taman Negara by Taxi
If you arrive in Jerantut in the evening, you’ll have no other choice but to take a taxi to Taman Negara. Rates start from 125 MYR ($26) for the whole journey that will take you 1 hour.
Penang to Taman Negara by Bus via Cameron Highlands
The bus schedules from Penang to Taman Negara via Cameron Highlands make it hard to complete the journey on the same day – unless you’re willing to spend a fortune on taking a taxi for the 2nd half of the trip.
It does, however, give you a chance to stay a night in the beautiful Cameron Highlands. Read on for more details!
Step 1: Penang Island to Butterworth by Ferry
Your first step is to travel by ferry from Penang to Butterworth, the nearest mainland town just 3 km away.
Ferries depart from Weld Quay, which can be reached from George Town by a 5-minute taxi or a 20-minute bus (Line 101). Fares start from 13 MYR ($2.70) and 5 MYR ($1), respectively.
At Weld Quay, ferries bound for Butterworth depart twice every hour from 05:40 to 00:40 every day. You can buy your ticket at the port for only 3 MYR ($0.60). The trip takes 10-20 minutes and the ferries dock at Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal.
From here, you can just follow the walkway to Penang Sentral, where you can find the buses bound for Cameron Highlands.
Step 2: Butterworth to Cameron Highlands by Bus
From Butterworth, you’ll have to travel 240 km southeast to Cameron Highlands.
The buses are parked at Penang Sentral and you can choose from at least 2 companies: Perak Transit and Unititi Express. Go for Perak Transit if you want more comfort and space. A ticket costs 43 MYR ($9) when you book on BookAway.
The buses park at Tanah Rata Bus Terminal in Cameron Highlands, which is also the departure point for buses bound for Taman Negara.
Alternative options from Penang to Cameron Highlands
If you’re not comfortable with the combined ferry and bus option from Penang to Cameron Highlands, there are actually three other ways you can travel this route: by direct bus (around 5 hours), by taxi (3.5 hours), and by train (5 hours).
Check out our guide for Penang to Cameron Highlands for more details.
Step 3: Cameron Highlands to Taman Negara by Minibus or Taxi
There are two minibus trips from Cameron Highlands to Taman Negara every day. However, they both depart at 08:00. With the ferry and bus schedules mentioned in the first two steps, it’s really not possible to arrive at Cameron Highlands in time for that.
So we have two recommendations: either spend a night in Cameron Highlands and then take the minibus the next day or just take a taxi to arrive in Taman Negara on the same day.
By Minibus
You’ll only be able to take the minibus if you stay the night in Cameron Highlands. We think that’s a great thing though because it’s a beautiful town.
If you arrive early, you can even enjoy its rolling tea plantations and wonderful climate. At night, you can have its famous steamboat (hot pot) for dinner! You will find many steamboat restaurants in town.
As for the minibus, you can choose from Han Travel, Eco Cameron, or NKS Hotel and Travel. Both are trusted companies for this route.
We prefer Han Travel because they offer free hotel pick-up and a direct minibus journey. Also, it’s available to book online beforehand via BookAway for only 70 MYR ($14.60).
Eco Cameron is a good option for those who want to enter Taman Negara via a longboat. The minibus will only take you to Kuala Tembeling, where you will transfer to a longboat to the national park. Tickets are available on BusOnlineTicket, also for 70 MYR ($14.60).
NKS makes a short stopover in Jerantut, a town south of Taman Negara. This makes the total travel time longer. If you want to book with them, you’ll have to contact them directly through their website.
By Taxi
If you don’t mind spending more money to arrive in Taman Negara on the same day, you can also just take a taxi. Long-distance taxis should be available just outside Tanah Rata Bus Terminal.
Fares start from 580 MYR ($120) for the 5.5-hour journey.
Penang to Taman Negara by Taxi
Travelling in a group? Especially if you’re on vacation with your family, you might be thinking of taking a direct taxi from Penang to Taman Negara.
Sadly, this is an uncommon route so you might have a hard time finding a driver who’s willing to take on this journey. You can always ask your hotel for assistance, but be prepared to pay at least 1,170 MYR ($245) for the taxi ride from Penang to Taman Negara that lasts for 8.5 hours.
If you don’t mind paying that much, but are not having any luck in finding a driver, you can also divide this trip into 2 taxis – one from Penang to Cameron Highlands and then another one to Taman Negara.
Frequently Asked Questions about Penang to Taman Negara
What is the distance from Penang to Taman Negara?
The distance from Penang to Taman Negara is 540 km (336 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Penang to Taman Negara?
The fastest way to get from Penang to Taman Negara is by taxi and takes 8.5 hours.
What is the cheapest way to get from Penang to Taman Negara?
The cheapest way to get from Penang to Taman Negara is by bus via temerloh with ticket costs starting from 61 MYR ($12.70).
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Penang to Taman Negara. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Kate is a writer, (ex)Management Consultant and avid traveller. She recently returned from a 2-year career break exploring the world and decided corporate life wasn’t for her. She’ll soon be testing life as a digital nomad. She’s visited over 40 countries and fell in love with Latin America in particular. Her travelling has inspired a passion for yoga, salsa, hiking and Spanish.
