If you live Kuala Lumpur near the ‘latest new thing’, TRX, using public transport to KLIA is easy. Hop on the MRT Putrajaya line and connect to the KLIA Transit, a one change trip, costing less than RM15. But if you live in, or are visiting places west of Kuala Lumpur like Subang, Shah Alam or Klang, your options for getting to KLIA (Kuala Lumpur International Airport) T1 or T2, are very limited, especially using public transport.
We take you from Klang, west of Kuala Lumpur, to KL International Airport in 10 minutes using Public transport. Two LRT services (LRT3, Shah Alam and Kelana Jaya lines), two MRT services Kajang and Putrajaya lines, KLIA Transit (ERL) and KTM Komuter.
Public Transport to KLIA
Pre-covid, Prasarana, the operators of Rapid KL buses, the LRT and MRT services, set up a service that offered a RM10 ticket from anywhere on the LRT network to Putra Heights, transferring to a KL Rapid bus to KLIA T1 and T2. You can read about it here. Unfortunately, it was ‘canned’ during Covid, when almost all travel was suspended and has not been reinstated.
So what non-public transport methods are currently available?
Grab or other ride share
This will cost you upwards of RM70, depending on distance, type of car and pricing is dynamic, depending on time of day, traffic conditions.
Bus (Aerobus)
This is the only one currently available. There are others advertised, but you cannot make any bookings. Aerobus operates from Aeon Bukit Tinggi offering 10 trips per day, 2 hourly. It costs RM15 and you can pre-book. The journey takes 75mins.
We’ve not been able to find any buses leaving from Shah Alam Section 17 Terminal and none from Putra Hts, Jetbus advertises 4 services per day, but cannot be booked.
Self-Drive is frustrating because of the jams on the Elite Highway, and the West Coast Expressway (WCE) is still incomplete, with no opening date in sight.
Options available, using the shortest distance/shortest time
Both KTMB and RapidKL have upped their game and ERL, operator of the KLIA Ekspres and Transit services has good info for timetables, fares and online booking. You can plan your trips using the MyRapid Journey planner and download their App (Pulse) for more. You can purchase KTM Komuter tickets on their app (Kits Style), but you will need to set up an e-wallet.
1. Klang (Bandar Baru Klang) – Glenmarie 2
Adult Fare: RM 3.30
Duration (Tap in to tap out) 38min +10 min walk to Glenmarie
Total 48 min
Time and fare vary depending on your starting station. Be careful when you walk across to the Glenmarie Station, don’t step on the side drain and fall. This line runs from Johan Setia on the south side of the city.
2. Glenmarie – LRT/MRT Pasar Seni
Adult Fare: RM 0.00 (DON’T TAP OUT)
Duration 35min +6 min walk to MRT Pasar Seni
Total 41 min
Klang/Shah Alam by KTM Komuter to Kuala Lumpur Station and walk across to Pasar Seni LRT/MRT is also possible, but KTM upgrading works affecting schedules make this option unreliable between 9.30am and 5.30pm for the foreseeable future. The cashless adult fare is around RM5.20. Cash fare RM6.00.
3. MRT Pasar Seni- Tun Razak Exchange (TRX)
There are two stations in between these stops, the journey takes takes 6 minutes and you don’t tap your card, just cross the platform.
4. Tun Razak Exchange (TRX)-Putrajaya Sentral
MRT Pasar Seni-Putrajaya Sentral via Tun Razak Exchange (TRX)
Adult Fare: RM 6.90
Duration 1hr 36min including walking time
Putrajaya Sentral
Before continuing our journey, we stopped for a quick bite. There’s hot a lot of choice, but you may find more in the new Mall that’s opened beside the MRT Station, Destina Outlet Mall Putrajaya.
5. Putrajaya Sentral-KLIA T2(KLIA Transit)
Adult Fare (pre-booked): RM8.45
Duration 17min plus walking time
This Ticket was pre-booked online, earning a 10% discount on the normal RM9.40 fare. The ticket/s have a 31 day validity so both legs can be used the same or a later date. NOTE: Fares for ERL services KLIA Ekspres and KLIA Transit will be raised from January 2027.
TOTAL COST Klang – KLIA T2
Adult Fare: RM18.65
Time taken (including walking time & coffee break) 3hrs 12min
Return Journey
1. KLIA T2-Putrajaya Sentral(KLIA Transit)
Adult Fare (pre-booked): RM8.45
Duration 17min plus walking time
As it was getting late, I did a quick cost/time analysis MRT/LRT just under an hour for around RM5, depending on route VS 19 mins for RM14 cashless. Time won on tiredness level, so it was back to tap on the KLIA Transit. This also involves much less walking.
2. Putrajaya Sentral-KL Sentral
Adult Fare (KLIA Transit cashless): RM14.00
Duration 19min plus walking time
At KL Sentral, the KLIA Transit, LRT Kelana Jaya line and the KTM Komuter are all side by side along the central concourse, so walking time is minimal. Fewer changes also saved time.
3. KL Sentral-Klang
Adult Fare (TouchNGo cashless): RM4.50
Duration 1hr 10min plus walking time
The train arrived early from Tanjung Malim, but our departure was delayed around 10 minutes while we waited for Signal Clearance. However, we made up a lot of time and arrived in to Klang station 4 minutes early. We were travelling on new tracking, so timing is improving, though scheduling changes happen regularly as work continues on the upgrading of tracks. Trains currently do not run between 9.30am and 5.28pm and services may be reduced as well, so check the timetable before you travel.
TOTAL COST KLIA T2-Klang
Adult Fare: RM26.95
Time taken (including walking time & coffee break)
2hrs 24min
Conclusions
Even for two travellers, both options (Route 1 RM 18.65 per person, Route 2 RM 26.95) were well inside the fare for a ride share car and not a lot more than the bus. If you have the time, it wasn’t particularly stressful, though it could be tiring before or after a long trip.
Suggestions for improvement
Quick Implementation
Bring back the RM10 LRT/bus from Putra Heights option as noted above. This would depend on availability of buses and should be frequent (half hourly) to be effective.
Long Term planning
The area south of Klang is a very fast developing area and planning a circle line that connects these areas to the wider Klang Valley public Transport network is best done before it becomes very difficult to secure transport corridors.
This line would be most effective if it can connect the LRT Shah Alam line from Johan Setia to Putra Heights LRT Station and on to Putrajaya Sentral. It could even be extended to include fast growth areas like Dengkil, Jenjarom and Banting.
We’d love to know your thoughts and suggestions, so comments are very welcome.
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