|
This is part of a series of pages on walking the hills of Penang.
This page was updated on 7th October 2022 noting the withdrawal of the 501
service between Balik Pulau and Teluk Bahang. Please ignore any references to it
below and elsewhere on my site.
This page was updated on 26th February 2020 noting that the 308 service is
now reported to be hourly. There have still been no new buses for some
considerable time.
This page was updated on 29th December 2018 with observations made during our
2018-9 visit.
We have again hired a car but the comments below broadly remain unchanged.
Significant events include:
1. The older buses appear to be receiving some reconditioning including
tickets printed on board. While this ensures the right prices are charged from
experience is slower than the old system. There are now 'next stop'
announcements in English and Bahasa Malaysia.
2. The Penang State Government has paid for free short distance bus services
within certain areas. While in theory this is a commendable initiative, usage is
very low, no doubt because the frequency is not great. These buses readily
identified as they are painted green but none is likely to be of any use to
hikers.
3. These buses have been taken from the main fleet, consequently service
frequency has decreased. This has not led to overcrowding, rather from
observation passengers are probably using other means to get about - Penang has
an Uber style network ('Grab') which offers rides far more cheaply than
traditional taxis.
(2017-8 update) We have broken with tradition by hiring a car throughout our 4 month stay.
Although far more expensive than using the buses - the petrol alone is more than
the fares - the time saving on travelling is huge, especially as we have
historically used the 501 service between Teluk Bahang and Balik Pulau several
times a week and our activities had to be arranged to match its infrequent (5
times a day) operation.
We have used buses occasionally in the course of hiking where the start and
finish points were different and the excellent service is unchanged as are the
timetables as far as we can see.
The much heralded fleet of double deckers has failed to appear and the first three
have vanished without trace. Additionally, it seems there have been no new single deckers
delivered for a while, the newest buses are all PLx registrations (the latest
vehicle registrations are well into PPx by 2020). While Rapid Penang maintain their
buses well, this does not bode well for the long term. The (controlled) fares
have not changed since we started coming here regularly and I guess that returns
have diminished to the point where further investment cannot be justified,
shades of the situation when the previous private operators walked away from the
island some 10 years ago.
The state government has announced that free key 'commuter' bus services will
be introduced in April 2018 (ahead of the general election) but the number of
buses allocated will be insufficient to offer a good service, my estimate is
that it will be no better than once every 30 minutes which isn't going to do
much to get Penangites out of their cars. Only congestion charging and the
introduction of bus lanes would do that and it would probably be electoral
suicide.
Rapid Penang https://myrapid.com.my/bus-train/rapid-penang/
provides modern air-conditioned buses which cover virtually all the parts of
the island which are accessible by road. The service is not perfect,
overcrowding is a hazard paticularly on the 101 service at weekends and
holidays but it represents
the best Penangites have ever experienced. In the early years, published service intervals
were
frequently exceeded, sometimes because of the traffic, sometimes because
there were insufficient drivers willing to work overtime to maintain them and
increasingly rarely because of good old fashioned incompetent management. The
situation now (November 2016) is much improved. Fares are
MYR 1.40, 2.00, 2.70, 3.40 and 4.00 according to distance and no change is
given. Revenue protection is poor, particularly between Tanjung Bunga and
Batu Ferringhi where tickets are often recycled and foreign tourists and
some locals known to the drivers are often not given tickets at all. Given
the wages paid, this is not really very surprising; I suspect that if the
rules were enforced there would be very few buses in the evenings and
weekends (when of course the ticket inspectors are off duty).
To avoid the need to keep a pocketful of 'shrapnel', consider buying a
bus card at the Rapid Penang kiosks at Komtar or the Jetty (the facility at
some beach hotels has now been withdrawn). These cost MYR 30 for 7 days
unlimited travel (on the spot, just show your passport) or MYR 110 for a
calendar month (requires a passport photocopy plus passport photo and a one
off MYR 5 registration fee). They are exceptionally good value for hikers
who need never consider taking overpriced taxis whose venal drivers are
almost universally despised
by the locals.
The bus drivers are friendly and patient with tourists who are unfamiliar
with Penang and its buses, although some could do with some intensive
training on actually driving one. All speak sufficient English for their
needs although first time non-native English speakers sometimes struggle to
communicate. The buses are GPS fitted although very little practical use is
made of this, Rapid Penang desperately needs a proper smart card system like
that used in Hong Kong, Beijing, London etc. This would not only speed up
boarding which can take minutes at times, especially where tourists are
involved but it would have a very short pay back time as it would
dramatically cut down revenue loss. They might even be able to afford to pay
their drivers a decent wage...
The vast majority of bus services are radial, running to/from the
Jetty (for the Butterworth Ferry) and passing by 'Komtar', this is the case
for the destinations below unless otherwise stated. There are almost no non-radial buses in the
north-east of the island, those that exist are irregular and of no practical
use for hikers.
Note that the 104, 20x series and 401E buses tend to
wander away from the direct routes to serve areas of low income housing. The
30x series buses serve the developed east side of the island south of George
Town and are of little use for hikers, save the 302 and 308 which serve Sungai
Ara, 302 also serving the base of Bukit Gambir. As stated below the times for the
403, 404 and 501 were believed correct for November 2016, the 501 having
changed significantly in October 2013 but are subject to change
and should be checked before travelling if possible - at Balik Pulau Bus
Station. This page lists the bus routes and has links to maps of them
(something Rapid's own website does not) - http://www.penang-traveltips.com/rapid-penang-bus-routes.htm. Rapid Penang's website
has not been significantly updated for a
very long time and most importantly does not reflect changes brought about by the modifications to the one way
system in the Pulau Tikus area, these affected primarily buses 10, 103 and 104
but also 101 and 102 in that area. This suggests other routes may have suffered
unreported changes too...
North Coast
-
The frequent 101 and infrequent 102 services take you to
Tanjung Bunga,
Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang.
-
The infrequent 104 (which now starts at Komtar) is only useful for reaching the Pump
House in Vale of Tempe, Tanjung Bunga.
Kebun Bunga / Waterfall Gardens / Botanical Gardens
-
The infrequent 10 is the only bus which reaches here and
it follows a circuitous route.
Hill Railway (Road)
-
The 204 is the only bus that goes the whole way, but the 201
and (direct) 502 pass by the end of Hill Railway Road (Jalan Stesen
Bukit Bendera) - get off just before the
roundabout by the war memorial. The 203 also reaches the end of the road
but goes a very long way around via Paya Terubong to get there.
Air Itam (= Air Hitam, Ayer Hitam)
-
The 201 and (direct) 502 go here. The 203 and 204
services also reach here, but follow very and quite indirect routes
respectively.
Paya Terubong
-
The 201 and (direct) 502 go here. The 202 goes past the
site of the former Lee rubber factory (being cleared by January 2015) and the 203 passes the north gate of the
United Hokkien Cemeteries, both follow indirect routes and are best
described as acquired tastes - interesting to ride once! The 202 and 203
pass Jalan Bukit Kukus off Jalan Thean Teik for Bukit Kukus.
Glugor (Bukit Gambir)
- The 302 follows Jalan Bukit Gambir which runs along the bottom of
Bukit Gambir.
Relau
- The 301 runs up Jalan Relau from which you can access the upper Sungai
Ara area. In theory, the 306 can be used too but this runs only hourly
from the General Hospital to the Airport.
Sungai Ara
- The 302 wiggles its way through the truly awful Bandar Bayan Baru before
serving Sungai Ara which is next to the southern hills. The 308 also
serves Sungai Ara but starts from Sungai Nibong (and finishes at Gertak
Sanggul). Coming from Balik Pulau, ask the driver where to get off in Bayan
Lepas to make the conenction.
Balik Pulau
-
The 401 and 401E go via Bayan Lepas and Teluk Kumbar and
take forever, particularly the 401 which is best avoided. The direct 502 goes through
Air Itam over the Relau Pass
and then over the 'new' road in about half the time, it's a nice ride.
None is very frequent, it's not unusual to wait 30 minutes for one.
-
The 501 service has been withdrawn.
Previously it passed Titi Kerawang from where there are paths to
the centre of the island including Air Itam / Balik Pulau and Bukit
Laksamana / Western Hill / Tiger Hill. This was a lovely ride, the best
on the island by far. In recent years, departures from Teluk Bahang had
been at 07.50, 10.30, 13.10, 15.50 and 18.30, departures from Balik Pulau
being at 06.30, 09.10, 11.50, 14.30 and 17.30. Since we first used the
service the times have changed several times and the frequency reduced. In view of
this history then best ask at the kiosk at
either end on your arrival for current times, do NOT rely on any
published times elsewhere. They are not on the Rapid Penang website but
we met a couple of tourists who had found them on Google Maps. These buses may leave up to
15 minutes
EARLY from the Teluk Bahang end. There is almost no local traffic and
the service must be hopelessly uneconomic. Unless more tourists learn
about it and use it, then its future must be uncertain.
Pulau Betong
-
There are irregular 403 services from Balik Pulau at
06.00, 07.30, 09.00, 10.30, 12.00, 13.30, 15.00, 17.00 and 19.00. They go out and back
on a slightly different route at the outer end.
Pantai Acheh
-
There are irregular 404 services from Balik Pulau which,
like the 501 also serve Sungai Pinang. These leave at 06.00, 07.45,
09.45, 11.30, 13.30, 15.15, 17.15 and 19.15. They return from Pantai Acheh
about
half an hour later, the 13.30 service connects nicely with the 14.30 501
from Balik Pulau at Sungai Pinang, there's a 'safe' wait of 20-30
minutes, enough time for a snack if the 404 is on time. This service also pops into the Botanica development
which is handy if you are going up the Sungai Air Puteh valley.
Gertak Sanggul
-
The 401 and 401E services (George Town - Balik Pulau via
Bayan Lepas) pass the turn off at Teluk Kumbar, from here there are 308 buses (which start from Sungai Nibong on the airport road) which finish at the start of the path
to / from Pulau Betong. Note that the frequency of the 308 has been
quietly cut back from half hourly to hourly, they leave each end 'on the
hour' according to one of the drivers which agrees with observation at
the Gertak Sanggul end. The variable traffic will make their tin=me of
passing through Teluk Kumbar difficult to predict!
If you are into buses, then when Rapid Penang took over
the services when the private companies walked away, the initial main
fleet was formed of Chinese Higers (registrations in the PHx series),
these proved themselves not fit for purpose very soon, not least they
were underpowered and unreliable, and when further buses were ordered they came from
Scania in Europe (registrations in the PJx and now (2014) PKx and PLx series).
By 2013, the Higers had
been relegated to the marginal routes as noted in the hikes (308, 403,
404, 501 outside George Town, 10, 11 in George Town) although
there were then not enough left on the island to cover every service. There
were then rather more working on the mainland part of Penang State. There were
very few in 2014 and by 2015 they were all gone. The
Scanias are excellent buses although the original ones were definitely showing their age
after intensive use and in 2014 I felt that maintenance was clearly not 100%.
All buses are 'wheelchair friendly', although the way they are driven
certainly is not! All bear a similar livery, the easiest ways to tell
them apart from a distance is the presence
of an emergency door on the driver's side of the Higer, of course there are all
sorts of differences apparent close up particularly the headlights, the seating
arrangement and windows. A trip to the mainland in early 2013 showed that at
least some of the Scanias there were of an earlier vintage and slightly
different from those on the island. As of January 2015, my
impression was that the new generation of Scanias (PLx) had removed the pressure
to overuse the buses and that maintenance levels were much improved. There have seen minor improvements to the interior, larger
route indicators and, I believe, newer engines. This is a good sign. By
November 2015, deliveries of new buses had continued and service intervals were
approaching those advertised except during periods of traffic congestion. There
are still a few drivers who are 'unfit for purpose' but the vast majority seemed
to have worked out that long term survival requires a measured approach and
we've had just one bad journey of many in our first 10 days here, a situation
which pertained throughout our stay. In November 2016, we found
that high class Dennis double deckers (3) had entered service on the 101 route
with more promised soon. This will herald a new era of comfort with less
standing necessary. Excellent. (Sadly they had disappeared a year later and
there was no sign there had been any new buses at all for some time.)
|
|