How to get from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur

Why visit Kuala Lumpur?

Kuala Lumpur (KL) is Malaysia’s capital, a vibrant mix of skyscrapers, Asian-European architecture, large shopping districts, and flavourful cuisine. The busy city can be quite overwhelming, but it’s all about finding your rhythm in Kuala Lumpur’s beautiful chaos.

The Petronas Towers — the tallest twin towers in the world — are the city’s most iconic attraction. But there’s so much more to see in Kuala Lumpur. The old KL Railway Station, KL Tower, Bukit Bintang, and Jalan Alor are all must-visits. And if you have more time, the colourful Batu Caves is just 30 minutes away from the city.

There are 4 ways to travel the 200 kilometers (124 miles) from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur. You can choose between the bus, taxi, train via Ipoh and train via Tapah Road. The journey takes 3 hours 40 minutes to 5 hours 40 minutes and the quickest way is by train via Tapah Road. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train via Tapah Road with tickets starting at 44 MYR ($10.20).

Buses operating from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur depart from Tanah Rata Bus Terminal almost every hour from 08:30 to 17:30.

You can choose from at least two companies:

• Perak Transit: Arrives at Kuala Lumpur Bus Terminal (TBS)
• Unititi Express: Parks at either TBS or KL Sentral
• CS Travel: Can take you all the way to Kuala Lumpur Airport

Although tickets are easily available at the bus terminal, we highly suggest booking them beforehand if you’re travelling during the high season. All two buses from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur are available to book online with these schedules:

If you prefer to travel by train from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur, you can hop on one from either Ipoh or Tapah Road.

Since there are direct buses available, we don’t really see the point of dividing your journey with a train ride – unless you really love trains or are planning to explore either Ipoh or Tapah.

Ipoh, located 90 km west of Cameron Highlands, is the more popular gateway to Hill Station. If you’re looking for an interesting stopover on your journey from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur, you’ll find here Buddhist temples, limestone caves, castle ruins, and so much more!

From Tanah Rata Bus Terminal, there are buses departing for Ipoh from 08:00-18:30 daily. You can buy your tickets at the local office desk, but you can also book them online via BookAway. Since this is a very busy route, we suggest buying tickets in advance.

The bus journey to Amanjaya Terminal in Ipoh takes 2h 40m and you can get a ticket from 38 MYR ($8.70).

Although you will have reached Ipoh, the railway station is actually still some 10 km away from the bus terminal. You can take a taxi for 15 mins or a bus for 50 mins. Fares start from 30 MYR ($6.90) and 4 MYR ($0.90), respectively.

Prices for a ticket from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur start from 36 MYR ($8.30), depending on which train you take. Trains depart every 30 mins to 1 hr from 05:00 to 20:15. Travel time is 2.5 – 3 hours.

Make sure to check the KTM website at least a day before your trip for the latest schedules. You can also book your train ticket in advance through the link below.

Located 70 km south of Cameron Highlands is the quiet town of Tapah. It used to be the more common stopover when travelling by train from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur, but it has since been overshadowed by Ipoh.

If you’re looking for a cheaper way to travel by train though, this route may be the better choice for you!

Regal Bus operates several daily trips from Tanah Rata Bus Terminal in Cameron Highlands to Tapah Bus Terminal. A ticket costs around 15 MYR ($3.50) and travel time is a little over 1h 40m.

You can already see the bus schedules below, but we highly recommend that you double-check these with your hotel or the bus station to avoid any hassle.

There are 12 trains that operate from Tapah Road to Kuala Lumpur’s KL Sentral daily. These depart almost every hour from 05:47 to 21:04.

Rates start from 29 MYR ($6.70) for a travel time of 2 hours. You can check the latest schedules and book your ticket online through the KTM website.

Travelling with a small group? You can book a taxi online with BookAway for 2 to 7 people. Rates from Cameron Highlands to Kuala Lumpur start from 600 MYR ($140) for a car and 645 MYR ($150) for a minivan.