With the tight transit time, I had to head back to klia2 by train so that I can be assured of an accurate journey time and arrival time in order to catch my AirAsia AK721 flight to Singapore. However, I didn’t feel like paying RM55 for a train ride to catch a budget flight despite the tight connection I have. As this was the weekday evening peak, I decided to get on the KLIA Transit with 15-minute peak frequency to head to klia2 for only RM23.20 with a change of trains.
Here’s how.
I tapped into the KLIA Transit system with my Touch ‘n Go card as usual, and headed down to the train.
You could do this journey with a single trip ticket as well, but since I had topped up sufficient value in my Touch ‘n Go card, I decided to skip the hassle of queuing for tickets again. Besides, I showed up for the train just in time so I couldn’t risk any queue.
I got the CRRC Changchun Equator EMU for my first leg of the journey.
The interior of the CRRC Changchun Equator EMU.
Departing from KL Sentral.
A strange goodbye to KL this time, it was as if I just got in less than 2 hours ago.
Making a brief stop at Bandar Tasik Selatan. Do NOT change trains here as higher fares are charged between Bandar Tasik Selatan and KLIA/klia2.
Making a brief stop at Putrajaya & Cyberjaya. You could get off here, but you wouldn’t get maximum savings as somehow, the separate fare between KL Sentral and Putrajaya, and Putrajaya to klia2, costs 20 sen more than if you were to change at Salak Tinggi.
Sorry, I’m cheap.
But besides, Salak Tinggi is much more airy to wait 15 minutes in than the confined Putrajaya & Cyberjaya ERL Station.
Heading onwards to Salak Tinggi to maximise the low fare.
Hmm, 2 out of 2 KLIA Express CRRC Changchun Equator EMUs are resting in the depot during peak hours.
Getting off the train at Salak Tinggi.
Do NOT continue with the train onwards to KLIA and klia2 from KL Sentral, as the system would charge you the full RM55 KLIA Ekspres fare. You must break your journey in order to enjoy the lower KLIA Transit fares.
Tapping out of the KLIA Transit system, with a fare of RM18.30 deducted from my card for the journey from KL Sentral.
After checking that there was no upcoming departures for the free Bas SMART Selangor to klia2, I tapped into the KLIA Transit system again, starting a new journey.
A KLIA Transit CRRC Changchun Equator EMU on the opposite platform heading towards KL Sentral.
My incoming KLIA Transit Siemens Desiro ET 425 M EMU to klia2, with another KLIA Ekspres Siemens Desiro ET 425 M EMU on the opposite side zooming past the station towards KL Sentral.
Push the button to open doors.
The interior of the KLIA Transit Siemens Desiro ET 425 M EMU.
Approaching KLIA with planes taking off beside.
Waiting for my previous KLIA Transit trainset to exit KLIA so that my train can enter the track.
Passing by the former end-on KLIA Transit platforms at KLIA.
Making a brief stop at KLIA.
Heading towards klia2. Hmm, it was as if I just saw this terminal a couple of hours ago.
Alighting from the KLIA Transit at klia2.
This journey, inclusive of the 15-minute break in between at Salak Tinggi, takes 54 minutes.
While it is more than the time taken by the KLIA Ekspres, this journey costs less than half of the express train and gets you into KLIA and klia2 efficiently, as compared with the bus which is subject to the great KL jam when departing from the city at 5pm.
I’ve always used this combination even with the old fares when I’m partially in a rush to catch the flight (meaning that I don’t want to check-in too early), and I’m now sharing it with you so that you can get not necessarily the fastest way but definitely a reasonably efficient way between KL Sentral and KLIA/klia2 to beat the traffic jams.
I hope you will enjoy your RM23.20 train ride to the airport soon.
Thank you for the tip