Melaka Transport

Getting there & away

The Lebuhraya (North-South Highway), linking Johor Bahru and Kuala Lumpur, is the main route through the state. Most travellers arrive and depart from Melaka overland, as the airport outside town does not handle domestic flights. Express buses to KL and Singapore are plentiful and bus connections link with other peninsular destinations. Trains do not stop at Melaka but at Tampin, 38km north of town. Daily boats connect with Dumai in Sumatra.

Melaka is 144km from Kuala Lumpur, 224km from Johor Bahru and just 94km from Port Dickson.

Contents

Local transport

Taxi

Taxis leave from the long-distance bus station. Whole-taxi rates: Port Dickson (RM100), Johor Bahru (RM200), Seremban (RM90), Mersing (RM200), KL (RM130) and Kuala Lumpur International Aiport (KLIA; RM120).

Land

Bus

Melaka Sentral, the huge, well-designed modern long-distance bus station is inconveniently located opposite a huge branch of Tesco on Jln Cempaka, off Jln Tun Razak, in the north of town. A taxi into town should cost around RM15, or you can take bus 17 to Chinatown. Frequent buses head to Singapore (RM16, 4½ hours, departures approximately hourly), KL (RM9.40, two hours), Johor Bahru (RM14.60, 3½ hours), Ipoh (RM25, six hours) and Seremban (RM5.50, 1½ hours). There are also less frequent departures for Butterworth (RM33.35, two hours), Jerantut (RM16.70, five hours), Mersing (RM14.50, 4½ hours), Kuantan (RM21, six hours), Kota Bharu (RM39.40, 10 hours), Kuala Terengganu (RM33, eight hours) and Muar (RM3.90, one hour). Luggage deposit at Melaka Sentral is RM2 per bag. There is also an accommodation reservation counter for hotels in Melaka, a money changer and restaurants. Luxury buses (645 3218) also depart daily to Singapore (RM20, 4½ hours, 1.45pm) from the Century Mahkota Hotel.

From Singapore, buses to Melaka can be booked at the Lavender St bus station in Singapore or from an agent operating out of the Lavender MRT station.

Car

Car-hire prices begin at around RM168 per day (per month RM1900) for a Proton Wira 1.5L automatic; prices are inclusive of insurance and tax. If driving, Melaka’s one-way traffic system requires patience. Try Hawk (283 7878; 52 Jln Cempaka, Taman Seri Cempaka, Peringgit Jaya).

Train

The nearest train station (441 1034) is 38km north of Melaka at Tampin on the main north-south line from KL to Singapore. Taxis from Melaka cost around RM40.

Boat

High-speed ferries (281 6766) make the trip from Melaka to Dumai in Sumatra twice daily at 9am and 3pm (one way/return RM80/150, 1¾ hours). Boats return from Dumai at 10.30am and 1pm. Dumai is a visa-free entry port into Indonesia for citizens of most countries. Ferries also run to Pekan Baru (one way/return RM120/210, six hours) in Sumatra. Tickets are available at the Dumai Ferry Service (286 1811; G35 Jln PM2, Plaza Mahkota) and other ticket offices near the wharf. Same-day tickets are on sale after 8.30am, but it’s best to book the day before.

Air

There are currently no domestic flights to/from Melaka, although Malaysia Airlines (282 9597; Jln Merdeka) has an office in the Century Mahkota Hotel.