EXACTLY How To Go to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur [2023]

Published Categorized as Langkawi
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If you’re wanting to know exactly how to go to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur, then you are in the right place!

Made of 99 islands off the Andaman Sea, Langkawi is a small archipelago that has a lot to offer. It’s rich in natural resources, from pristine beaches, magical waterfalls, lush rainforests, an abundance of flora and fauna, and a vibrant local culture.

But before you get to enjoy Langkawi Island from Kuala Lumpur, you need to get there!

Below, I describe exactly how to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi whether you are looking for a quick and easy KL to Langkawi flight, or you want to take the long route with a detour via Kuala Perlis or Kuala Kedah and go from KL to Langkawi by bus or KL to Langkawi by train with a detour via Penang.

In this guide, I share everything you need to know in terms of how to get to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur, including the departure points, where you arrive in Langkawi, details on Kuala Lumpur – Langkawi schedules, tickets prices and where best to buy your tickets from.

I also cover the return journey from Langkawi Island to Kuala Lumpur.

Let’s start!

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Map: Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi Distance

This map will show you the distance between Langkawi and Kuala Lumpur.

Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi map
Click the Map to open in Google Maps. You can then access directions to each of the locations discussed in this article.

The distance from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi is 416 kilometres and the Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi travel time is approximately 2 hours and 53 minutes.

BEST OPTION: How To Go to Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur

When it comes to how to get to Langkawi from KL the fastest and easiest way to travel is by plane.

Option 1: Kuala Lumpur To Langkawi Flight

As mentioned above, when it comes to how to reach Langkawi from Kuala Lumpur, the quickest way is to take a flight to Langkawi from KL.

For KL to Langkawi flights – From KL Sentral, take the train to Terminal Skypark Komuter Station. The train leaves every 30 minutes and costs RM 3 – RM 11.

Then, transfer to Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, where you can catch one of the various Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi flights.

The Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi flight time is approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes and a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi costs around RM 140 – RM 440. You can however quite often get cheap flights from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi.  The price of a flight ticket from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi will depend on the promos and season.

Click here to see the prices for your dates.

Once you arrive in Langkawi Airport, Kuah, Langkawi’s main town is just a quick 8-minute ride by taxi. Fare costs around RM 17 – RM 21, one way.

Option 2: Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi by Bus (via Kuala Perlis or Kuala Kedah)

Another alternative is to take the Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur bus. Several bus companies travel to Langkawi from KL. You can also book online in advance to avoid long queues and the influx of travellers, especially during the weekends and peak season.

From Hentian Duta, take the Langkawi Kuala Lumpur bus (6 hours and 56 minutes) to Kuala Perlis. Buses leave on an hourly basis, and the fare costs around RM 45 – RM 55.

Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.

Then, proceed to the ferry terminal in Kuala Perlis, and take the ferry to Langkawi. Travel time to Langkawi is approximately an hour and 15 minutes and costs RM 18.  From where the ferry arrives, Langkawi’s main town is just a quick 11-minute taxi ride (RM 22 – RM 27.)

Similarly, you can also take the bus to Kuala Kedah. On this route, the travel time is an hour shorter- as it is just approximately 6 hours from Kuala Lumpur.

Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.

Then, take the ferry from Kuala Kedah’s ferry terminal. This will take 1 hour and 30 minutes and costs RM 23. Once you arrive at the terminal, the main town is just a quick 11-minute taxi ride (RM 22 – RM 27.)

Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.

Option 3: KL To Langkawi By Train (via Penang)

From KL, you can also make a stopover in Penang on your way to Langkawi via ETS high speed trains. These trains to Langkawi from KL leave either from KL Sentral Railway Station or the Old Kuala Lumpur Railway Station (Terminal KTM.)  Travel time from KL to Butterworth 4 hours via train and costs  RM 35 – RM 65.

Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.

From Penang, you can either take a high speed ferry or fly via plane to Langkawi.  Ferries at the Swettenham Terminal in Penang leave for Langkawi with a travel time of 2 hours and 24 minutes. The fare costs around RM77.

Meanwhile, if you want to travel by air, travel time from Penang to Langkawi takes 35 minutes and costs RM 65-RM550 for a one way flight.

Click here to see the latest timetables and prices.

Option 4: KL To Langkawi By Taxi

You can also book a private taxi to take your from Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Kedah and take a ferry from there as per instructions above.

Click here to get the latest prices and to book your taxi.

Travel From Langkawi To Kuala Lumpur

langkawi best things to do on a yacht

In terms of how to get from Langkawi – Kuala Lumpur, all you need to do is to take the above transportation options in reverse.

To get to your destination, you can either take a Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur flight, travel from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur by train via Penang, or take the bus and get from Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur via ferry.

The fastest way to get to your destination is to fly Langkawi to Kuala Lumpur. A Langkawi to KL flight has a travel time of approximately an hour and costs about RM 80 – RM 230. From the airport, walk for about 15 minutes, or take a taxi to KLIA T1, which will take you to KL Sentral Station in Kuala Lumpur. Trains leave every hour and cost RM 35 – RM 55.

Find flight prices and times here.

Alternatively, you can also take the ferry via Penang, Kuala Perlis and Kuala Kedah.

If you take the ferry from Langkawi to Kuala Perlis, the travel time is 1 hour and 15 minutes (RM 18). Once you arrive in Kuala Perlis, ride the bus bound for Hentian Duta in KL. The travel time is approximately 7 hours, and cost RM 45 – RM 55.

You can also take the ferry from Langkawi to Kuala Kedah, which has a travel time of 1 hour and 30 minutes. Ferries leave up to four times a day and cost RM 23. Once you arrive in Kuala Kedah, take the bus to Alor Setar (20 minutes) which will cost RM2. From Alor Setar, take a train (4 hours and 46 minutes) to Kuala Lumpur which will cost around RM 40 – RM 75.

From either of these ferry terminals, you can also book a private taxi back to Kuala Lumpur to speed things up.

Click here to book a taxi.

You can also travel from Langkawi to KL by train (via Penang.) For this route, from Langkawi, you can either take the ferry or fly via plane to Penang. Travel time via ferry is 2 hours and 24 minutes and cost RM77. Similarly, you can also fly via plane from Langkawi Airport to Penang Airport. Travel time is 35 minutes and the airfare costs around RM 65 – RM550 depending on the promos and season.

To get to KL, take a quick 20 minute car ferry from Raja Tun Uda Ferry Terminal to Sultan Abdul Halim Ferry Terminal (RM1-RM8). Then, proceed to Butterworth to catch a train to Kuala Lumpur. Travel time via train is 4 hours and costs RM 35 – RM 65.

Final Words

In this post, we’ve covered the different transportation from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi options that will get you to and from Kuala Lumpur and Langkawi.

The fastest (and most convenient way) to get to your destination is to take one of the flights from Kuala Lumpur to Langkawi. But as an alternative, you can also travel via bus +ferry, taxi+ferry or train+ferry.

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I hope you found this guide to how to travel from KL to Langkawi useful. Click here to check out our guide on things to do in Langkawi or here for where to stay in Langkawi.  If you’re travelling somewhere else after Langkawi you’ll find all our travel instruction guides 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!

By Sharon Gourlay

Sharon is an Australian who has fallen in love with Malaysia! She explores Malaysia multiple times a year, often with her kids, and has previously lived in Penang.