Kuala Lumpur has a lot of things to offer visitors, especially when it comes to sights and interesting things to do and discover. Malaysia’s capital is also known to be a melting pot of cultures and one of the most culturally diverse cities in Southeast Asia.
A major entry point into the country, Johor Bahru is the third-largest city in Malaysia and has increasingly been one of the country’s top tourist destinations. From its well-known theme park attractions, good food and discount shopping scene to its vibrant markets, Johor Bahru is a city that has plenty to offer.
If you’re wondering how you can get from Johor Bahru to KL, the distance Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur or how you can take transportation from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru, then you’ve come to the right place.
Below, I describe exactly how to get to Kuala Lumpur from Johor Bahru no matter what you’re preferred method of transport. Whether you are looking to book a Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur flight, take a bus from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur, travel Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur by train, take a taxi from JB to KL or drive from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur by car, I cover all options in detail.
I also describe the reverse journey from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru.
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Contents
Map: JB To KL
The following JB to KL map shows you how to get between JB and KL on the most direct route.
The Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur distance is approximately 326 kilometres. This takes about 3.5 hours of driving time depending on road and traffic conditions.
BEST OPTION: How To Get From Johor Bahru To Kuala Lumpur
If you’re travelling on a budget, your most convenient transportation option is to take a bus.
Meanwhile, the quickest and most comfortable option is to take a taxi.
Here’s a summary of your options:
| Mode of transport | Duration | Best For? | Book |
| Flight | 4.5 hours | People who would prefer to fly | Book here |
| Bus | 6.25 hours | People who want the cheapest option | Book here |
| Train | 10.5 hours | People who love trains and have plenty of time to spare | Book here |
| Car | 3.5 hours | People who are happy to hire a car or who like to stop along the way | Book here |
| Taxi | 3.5 hours | Anyone who wants the easiest, quickest and most straightforward way to get between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru | Book here |
Option 1: JB To KL Flight
There are often cheap flights from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur offered by airline carriers like Malaysia Airlines, Batik Air and Air Asia Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur. Firefly also flies this route but flies into Kuala Lumpur Subang Airport instead of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Subang Airport (also known as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport) is located closer to the centre of Kuala Lumpur so can be a better choice than flying into KLIA.
The approximate flying time is an hour. Flight prices start at RM150, but you can find some cheaper deals during a sale. Find the latest prices here.
You can catch your flight from Johor to Kuala Lumpur at Senai International Airport. To get to the airport, ride a taxi or a Grab from the central city square. Distance from the city centre to the airport is approximately 29 kilometres and about 30 minutes of travel time.
Once you arrive in Kuala Lumpur, note that the distance from KLIA to the main city centre is about 60 kilometres and a 50 minutes drive.
You have three options here. Your first option is to either take the taxi or Grab. Travel time is approximately 50 minutes and costs about RM75.
Similarly, you can ride the KLIA Express that will drop you off at KL Sentral Station, travel time is approximately 28 minutes and costs around RM49. You can find more information on this option here or buy discounted tickets here.
The final option is to take the airport bus coach service or shuttle that will drop you at KL Sentral station. Travel time is about an hour, and costs from RM12. You can find tickets and times here. Make sure you book the bus from the terminal that you are arriving at in Kuala Lumpur.
In theory, flying is the quickest way to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru and vice versa, but by the time you add in travel time to and from airports and to check-in, pass security, pick up bag, etc, it’s not.
Click here to see the prices for your dates.
Want the Easiest (and BEST) Way to travel between Kuala Lumpur and Johor Bahru?
We can book a taxi for you from anywhere in Johor Bahru directly to your hotel in Kuala Lumpur for a great price.
You can pick your own departure time, relax and know everything will go to plan.
Option 2: JB To KL Bus
If you want the cheapest option, consider riding the bus to Kuala Lumpur from Johor Bahru. There are many Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur bus lines at JB Larkin Terminal that travel to KL.
Buses run very regularly and you can basically take a bus at whatever time you want. Some bus lines that travel along this route are KPB Ekspress, KKKL Express, Mayang Sari Express and Warisan Express.
The majority of buses depart from JB Larkin Terminal which is the main one in Johor Bahru. It’s about seven kilometres from where you enter Malaysia from the causeway from Singapore and the main hotel area. It takes about 15 minutes to drive depending on traffic conditions. There are local buses that run this route.
There are also some Johor Bahru to KL bus options that leave from other spots around Johor Bahru.
While there are many bus options, there are also many people travelling this route. So if you want to ensure you get a bus ticket from JB to KL at your preferred time, it’s best to book ahead especially on weekends and holiday periods. I recommend you check the bus schedule from JB to KL ahead of time as well.
Click here for all the options.
Keep in mind that the Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur bus travel time is approximately 4.5 hours, and the Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur bus fare starts at around RM30 for the cheapest options.
Most buses arrive at TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan) in Kuala Lumpur which is about a 15 minute drive from the central area of Kuala Lumpur. There are also a few buses that arrive at Berjaya Times Square which is in Bukit Bintang in KL and can be much more convenient for getting to your KL hotel.
Taking the coach from JB to KL is the most cost-effective way to get to your destination since the bus ticket Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur is relatively cheap.
So, getting a bus fare from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur is perfect if you’re a budget-traveller. However, if you’re short on time, then we recommend that you fly via plane or take a taxi.
Click here to see the latest timetables and prices
Option 3: Train From JB To KL
Another option is to take the train from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur. This involves taking two trains that don’t run often and don’t connect that well, so I only recommend this option if you really, really love to travel by train. It’s the longest option for travelling from JB to KL and is also pricier than taking the bus.
From JB Sentral, catch the first KTM train that will take you to Gemas. There are around four trains a day on this route, but only the earliest one will get you to Gemas in time to travel on to Kuala Lumpur by train on the same day.
Currently, this train leaves at 8:30am and takes around 4.75 hours. It costs RM21.
Click here for more details on this train.
From Gemas, you can take a train to Kuala Lumpur. Currently, these only depart twice a day. At the time of publishing, you can take a train at 3:20pm which takes about 2.5 hours to KL Sentral. Tickets start at RM32
All in all, taking the Johor to KL train options will take approximately 9.5 hours, and this isn’t including the time to get to and from the stations. The train ticket from JB to KL starts at RM53 for both journeys.
You should check the schedule of the KTM Johor Bahru to KL Sentral in advance to make sure you can take trains within the one day.
The KTM JB to KL is more expensive than the bus and takes longer, but taking the JB train to KL is an option.
Click here to see the latest timetables and prices
Option 4: Johor Bahru To Kuala Lumpur By Car
If you want to travel by car, note that the distance between Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur is about 326 kilometres with an approximate driving time of about 3.5 hours.
You can either bring your own private vehicle or look for a car rental from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur.
Looking for a car rental JB to KL is a great option because you’ll have a more flexible itinerary, allowing you to drop by notable attractions along the way. It’s easier to go from one attraction to the next. However, one way rentals are pricey and sometimes not available so it’s better to take this option if you’ll return to JB again.
Click here to find car rental prices or click here to read more about driving in Malaysia.
Option 5: Taxi From JB To KL
The last option is the best and that is taking a taxi from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur. This is the easiest and quickest way to travel between the two places.
This takes approximately 3.5 hours and costs around RM750.
We can book your a private taxi with a trustworthy local operator here.
Similarly, you can arrange a private transfer from JB to KL via Klook (but our service here is better and cheaper!)
Taking the taxi is a convenient option which means no lugging around your luggage in the heat and getting there as fast as possible so you have more time for more fun things. You can be transferred directly between your hotels. It’s just so easy!
Kuala Lumpur To Johor Bahru
If you’re wondering how to get to Johor Bahru from Kuala Lumpur, all you need to do is to take the same transportation options above in reverse.
From Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru (KL to JB), you can either take a KL to JB flight, ride a KL to JB bus, hop on a KL to JB train via Gemas, travel from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru by car or a take a taxi.
If you’re flying, you can take your Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru flight at either the KL Subang airport or Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Pick the cheapest flight from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru if you want to cut costs. Click here to see the prices for your dates.
The next option is to take a Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru bus. There are a lot of buses that travel on this route at the Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), and buses depart frequently. Just make sure to check the KL to Johor Bahru bus schedule and purchase your bus ticket from KL to JB in advance to avoid any problems.
When riding a KL to Johor Bahru bus, the approximate travel time is 4.5 hours. The bus fare from KL to JB starts at around RM30.
Click here to see the latest timetables and prices
Similarly, you can also travel from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru by train. You need to ride the first KTM KL to JB train from KL Sentral to Gemas.
Then from Gemas, ride the second train that will take you to JB Sentral. You will have to take two trains all in all to get to your destination. There is no express train from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru.
Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.
Alternatively, you can also travel from KL to Johor Bahru via car or taxi. We can book a private taxi for you here.
There are more details on each of these options in the section above.
Final Words
If you’re travelling from Johor Bahru to Kuala Lumpur, the quickest way to get to your destination is to take a taxi.
But if you don’t mind longer travel times and you want to cut costs, a cheaper alternative is to take the bus.
You can also consider flying. We don’t recommend taking a train unless you are a huge train lover and don’t mind spending the day doing this.
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No matter what method of travel you decide on, I hope you found this guide to how to travel to and from KL to Johor Bahru helpful. Check out our full travel guide to KL here and Johor Bahru here. You can also find our guide to where to stay in Kuala Lumpur here or our three day itinerary for KL here.
Planning a trip to Malaysia? Have any questions? Join our Malaysia Travel Planning Facebook group here now! It’s the perfect place to ask any questions and to be inspired!
