How to get from Penang to Hat Yai

Why visit Hat Yai?

Hat Yai is a popular shopping destination in southern Thailand. It’s a tourist hub, not really for Westerners but for local Thais, Malaysians, and even Singaporeans. It is also a common gateway for tourists exploring Thailand from Malaysia.

There are 3 ways to travel the 215 kilometers (134 miles) from Penang to Hat Yai. You can choose between the minivan, private transport and train. The journey takes 3 hours 5 minutes to 6 hours and the quickest way is by train. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by train with tickets starting at 166 THB ($4.90).

Travelling by train from Penang to Hat Yai is a nice way to cross the Malaysia-Thailand border like a local. It includes several transfers, but they’re all pretty much interconnected so you wouldn’t have a hard time finding your way.

For this option, you’ll have to take a ferry and 2 trains from Penang to Hat Yai.

To take the train, you will first have to get to Butterworth, a mainland town just across Penang Island. If you’re staying at George Town, you can take a 5-minute taxi or 20-minute bus (Line 101) to Weld Quay, where ferries bound for Butterworth depart from. Taxi and bus rates start from 15 MYR ($3.40) and 5 MYR ($1.10), respectively.

From Weld Quay, you can expect a ferry departure every 30 minutes from 06:30 to 20:30. Travel time to Butterworth is only 10-20 minutes and a ticket costs 2 MYR ($0.50) .

Your ferry will dock at Pangkalan Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal, which is conveniently connected to Butterworth Train Station by a walkway.

Trains from Butterworth to Padang Besar depart almost every hour from 05:20 to 21:35. Travel time is about 2 hours and you can buy your ticket at Butterworth Station for 12 MYR ($2.70).

Customs & Immigration at Padang Besar Train Station

Before you can transfer to your connecting train to Hat Yai, you will first have to be cleared at customs & immigration at Padang Besar Station. This is quite easy as there is only one office for both Malaysia and Thailand, and you can find this between Platforms 1 & 2 of the train station.

Show your passport so you can be stamped out of Malaysia and stamped into Thailand. Be prepared to have your luggage checked as well. If you’re travelling on a weekend, try to be quick when getting off the train to skip the long queues.

Once you’re cleared to enter Thailand, you can head upstairs to buy your train ticket to Hat Yai.

*IMPORTANT UPDATE: The last time we checked (June 2022), the cross-border train from Malaysia to Thailand is suspended. There is no update yet about the resumption of train services on this route.

There are only 2 trains operating from Padang Besar to Hat Yai daily. These depart at 09:55 and 16:40 daily. Note that Malaysia is 1 hour ahead of Thailand.

Also here, you can only buy your ticket at the train station. Fares start from 50 THB ($1.50) for a 3rd class seat. Travel time is only 55 minutes.

We highly recommend that you time your departure from Penang to be able to make it for either of these 2 trains.

If you miss both of them, there is a “special” train bound for Bangkok that departs at 17:00. This also makes a stop in Hat Yai, but a ticket costs 270 THB ($8), more than 5x more than the regular train.

Just in case there are no more trains available when you arrive in Padang Besar, you can also take a minivan to Hat Yai. However, this is in no way as simple as taking the train.

First, if you are taking the minivan, you have to skip the immigration process at the train station altogether. Head to Level 1 (where the food court is located), and then find Gate D. Take the roofed pedestrian walkway, which will lead you to Malaysian immigration. That’s only around 200 metres, so you can disregard anyone offering a ride.

After being cleared at the Malaysian border, you’ll have to walk another 600 metres to the Thai border. Here, you’ll have to fill out an entry card. Chances are they will not give you the card for free. Expect to pay around 2 MYR ($0.50) for the card.

After you are cleared to enter Thailand, you’ll need to take a motorbike taxi to the market. Fares for this ride start from 60 THB ($1.80).

At the market, minivans bound for Hat Yai are available from 07:00 to 19:00. A ticket costs 60 THB ($1.80) for the journey that takes around 1.5 hours.

There are four companies offering direct minivan ride from Penang to Hat Yai. The ticket cost starts at 522 THB ($15.40), which you can book through BookAway.

Departure and arrival station

Nominatee Tour departs from Komtar Bus Terminal. It is 5-10 minutes away from George Town city centre.

Nominatee Tour parks at its office at 171 Thammanoonvithi Road, Hat Yai city centre.

A private transfer is a convenient option when travelling in a group from Penang to Hat Yai.

Rates start from 3,764 THB ($110) for a 4-seater private transfer. Divide the cost and that’s about 941 THB ($28) per person. Travel time is around 4 hours.

Private Transport options from Penang to Hat Yai