Thailand to Malaysia by train (and a couple of ferries)

If you’re in Thailand and want to go to Malaysia without getting a long bus or a plane, than you’ll be pleased to know it is possible by train(s) and a few ferries.

The beautiful Koh Samui 

Our itinerary

My partner and I recently travelled from Koh Samui, Thailand all the way to Georgetown, Penang and it went surprisingly smooth. Here's how we did it:

1. Lomprayah ferry and bus (joint ticket): Na Thon Koh Samui to Surat Thani Train Station (duration: 3 hours and 5 mins, cost: 700 baht) - booked with 12goAsia

2. Thai sleeper train (special express): Surat Thani, Thailand to Padang Besar, Malaysia (duration: approx. 7 hours, cost: 722 baht) - booked with Thai Railway Ticket

My train ticket from Surat Thani to Padang Besar

3. KTM Komuter: Padang Besar to Butterworth (duration: 1 hr 30 mins, cost: 115 baht) - can’t pre-book, got the ticket at the station

4. Butterworth ferry to Georgetown (duration: approx. 20 mins, cost: 1.20 ringgit) - got the ticket at the ferry port

A breakdown of the journey

We had heard that there was a direct train that went from Bangkok to Butterworth, Penang - but that was way too good to be true, unfortunately. The only station in Malaysia you can get to from Thailand is Padang Besar, which is just over the border in Malaysia.

Lomprayah ferry and bus

We’d used the same company to get from Surat Thani train station to Koh Phangan. It was all really straightforward and well organised (although the bus took a bit longer than scheduled).

The boats are really big with seats inside and on the upper deck. You can buy snacks and sandwiches onboard; and there's also a few decent loos - which is blessing when you're travelling any where in Southeast Asia.

When you dock back on the mainland, the buses that take people to Surat Thani train station and the airport are literally in the car park next to the dock.

They have their own connivence store and juice bar in the waiting area of the ferry dock, which is, well, convenient.

The bus took about an 1 hour and a half to get to Surat Thani train station, because we had to go to the airport first to drop people off. The bus was a big double decker with air con and a loo - so no worries there.

Beautiful views of the Thai islands from the ferry

Thai sleeper train (Surat Thani to Padang Besar)

We booked a sleeper train from Surat Thani, which is the closest train station to where you get off the ferry from Koh Samui. It left at 2am and would arrive in Padang Besar at about 9am, Malaysian time (they’re an hour ahead of Thailand).

As our train wasn’t till 2am, we booked a hostel to get a bit of kip and freshen up before the train. Word of warning about Surat Thani: there’s not much there at all. We decided to get a Grab out to a massive shopping mall (as you do when you’re a westerner) to get some food (which was pants) and just the pass time.

At 1am we made our way to the station for our 2am sleeper train to find it was delayed for nearly an hour. I was so tired and out of it to react. Then we were randomly approached by a monk who was selling pink bracelets. Naturally, I bought one - well, you can’t turn down a monk can you!

After a 48 minute delay, the train finally arrived. With our beds already made, we slipped in and went straight to sleep. 

Not as bad as it looks

Thai sleeper ain’t much, but they do the job. The two times I’ve got them I managed to sleep surprisingly well. It’s not like a Vietnamese sleeper train where you have your own cabin. It’s just one big coach, like a normal train, but the seats fold out to be beds. Rather ingenious really.

You don’t do it yourself either, a guy comes and sorts it all out for you baring fresh sheets and a pillow.

Tip: there’s little to no room to put your belongings any where on the train. If you’re a couple who are rather small or two girls, I’d recommended booking 2 beds and putting your luggage on the top bunk and sleeping together in the bottom. It’s a bit of a squeeze, but it’s alright. 

Malaysian border control

We had absolutely no idea what to expect once we got off our Thai Sleeper train at Padang Besar. Having not changed our clothes or brushed my teeth I did wonder if they’d think we were some random tramps, but thankfully everyone else looked the same. 

It was so straightforward: we got off the train, went down some stairs to what appeared to be another platform, where, randomly, the immigration office was on the right.

We thankfully got off the train before the vast majority of others so we were at the start of the queue. We were in and out in 15 mins, just in time to get KMT commuter train to Butterworth. Easy as!

KTM Komuter train to Butterworth

If you’re going to Georgetown, Penang from Padang Besar, then you need to get the KMT Komuter train to Butterworth.

You won't be able to book the KMT online because it's a commuter train. You can buy it at the station - we got 2 tickets for 280 baht (they accept baht at Padang Besar station), which is so bloody cheap!

The KMT Komuter trains are new electric trains that have replaced most of the old diesel ones. I got one of the diesel trains recently and it was delayed for an hour because it had to refuel or something. The new ones are clean, comfortable and a lot more reliable - it's a bit like the London Overground.

Getting the ferry from Butterworth to Georgetown

It takes about an hour or so to get to Butterworth. When you get off the train you’ll get swamped by taxi drivers who will tell you it’s a massive walk to the ferry, which is a load of bull. Just across from the station you can get the ferry for 1.20 ringgit (22p) over to Georgetown. 

The ferry gives you a beautiful view of Penang island.

Penang island from the ferry

Train over buses any day of the week

In all, the journey from Thailand to Malaysia was really simple. It also gives you the chance to see some of the beauty of each country. You might be a bit smelly and worse for wear after the sleeper train, but least you got there in one piece. I was really impressed by the KTM Komuter trains too.

We’re about to embark on another 2 part train journey from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. I’ll let you know how that goes...

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