Getting to any districts in the northwestern part of Johor, Malaysia, or beyond the State of Johor is easy using long-distance bus services from Larkin Sentral or train services from JB Sentral (if applicable). Fortunately, getting to Kluang District (居銮) in the central part of Johor is as easy as A-B-C:
A. Long-distance bus services
B. Train services
C. Domestic buses
A. Long-Distance Bus Services
If you intend to travel from Singapore to Kluang using long-distance bus services, cross the Causeway to Johor Bahru, proceed to the bus bay below JB CIQ checkpoint and take one of the public buses available to Larkin Sentral. Other than Kluang, you will be able to travel to Muar District, Batu Pahat District, etc, in Johor or to Malacca, Kuala Lumpur, etc, beyond Johor's border.
Travelling time of the buses between Larkin Sentral and Kuang Bus Terminal is around 1.5 hours. However, it may take around 2 hours during peak hours, especially along the Skudai Highway to Larkin Sentral on the way back. Service frequency is determined by individual bus companies. The fare is around RM16 (excluding fees and other charges) but varies depending on bus type.
All Kluang-bound buses (or coaches) will arrive at Terminal Pengangkutan Awam Bandar Kluang, or Kluang Bus Terminal, in Kluang Town, unless otherwise specified. Note that Kluang Bus Terminal is a common terminal for both intercity and domestic buses and taxis. The train station is located about 700 metres away.
B. Train Services
Kluang is one of the few towns in Johor that has a railway station. The old Kluang Railway Station is still in operation today with a new station being constructed barely a hundred metres away (see photo). However, the old railway track is no longer in use and passengers will be guided to the new elevated railway track to board the trains.
Note that the trains that go through Kluang Station are the older and slower KTM-Intercity trains. The newer and faster ETS trains will probably start operation along this route in 2025.
There are 4 services in each direction per day:
JB Sentral to Kluang @ 8:30am, 2:40pm, 6:05pm and 8:25pm
Kluang to JB Sentral @ 4:34am, 10:15am, 12:22pm and 5:54pm
Fare is RM14 per person one-way
Travelling time of each train in either direction is slightly more than 2 hours. Although travelling by long-distance bus seems to be faster, there is still a travelling time from JB CIQ to Larkin Sentral plus waiting time for the bus. However, there are more bus options than using train, which has only one service in the morning to Kluang at 8:30am.
Notice that the last train of the day to JB Sentral is at 5:54pm? This is during peak hours regardless of weekday or weekend and is one primary reason why the train is a popular choice to skirt road congestions in Johor Bahru. Therefore, pre-booking of train ticket is strongly advisable.
Note: Train schedules are subjected to changes. Do refer to KTMB Online for up-to-date timings. To save the hassle of going to the train station to get advance tickets, download KTMB's official mobile app from respective app stores.
C. Domestic Buses
If you have a lot of time to spend or will like to go on an adventure to explore Johor on the way to Kluang, try using domestic buses. You can take myBAS T30 from JB Sentral to Kulai then switch to City Bus 2 to Ayer Hitam Bus Terminal or take City Bus 2 from Larkin Sentral to Ayer Hitam Bus Terminal via Kulai. From Ayer Hitam Bus Terminal, take Johore Motor Bus 56 to Kluang.
I travelled from Johor Bahru to Kluang using solely domestic buses. Find out what to expect using this option: West Malaysia Day 1: Long Journey to Kluang in Johor
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Do plan ahead and use either bus or train services to get to or from Kluang District.
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