Kuala Lumpur is a world-renowned city that can be explored by many means of transportation. Trains, taxis, buses, metro – you name it, Kuala Lumpur has it! And you’re no KLite until you’ve been caught in one of our infamous traffic jams, but armed with these 11 handy hacks you can now live life on the fast lane.
To travelling smarter, safer and cheaper!
The Bounce Technique: the act of taking the train towards the end to get yourself a seat.
Let’s say you’re at Tun Sambathan heading up to Titiwangsa; to use this technique, you have to take the train down to KL Sentral. The train will reverse its direction at the end of the line (KL Sentral, in this case), so all you have to do is wait for everyone to get off the train and then you’ll be left with a whole carriage of seats to choose from.
If you’re one of the lucky few who live nearby a terminal LRT or monorail station, I bet your ‘bouncing’ skill has achieved level 100 by now.
It’s not surprising to stumble upon unscrupulous taxi drivers in Kuala Lumpur who aren’t only rough and rude, but also demand cut-throat flat and overpriced charges.
Taxi meters do matter. In fact, it’s a legal requirement so if drivers refuse to turn them on, you have every right to reject their ride. Never give in and pay for a journey that costs more than your money’s worth because the only thing you’ll get from that is regret.
Taxi drivers that adhere to the meter can most likely be found at the designated taxi areas of hotels or shopping centres but even so, you must remain vigilant.
Would you rather wave your hands frantically by the roadside to flag a taxi, or book one with just a tap of your finger?
Grab (previously known as MyTeksi) is an example of a user-friendly taxi booking mobile application that guarantees safe and quick ride-hailing for all.
One of the great things about Grab is that it provides you with the driver’s details as well as an estimated fare upon booking so you never have to worry about unscrupulous taxi drivers who rip you off.
Have you ever boarded the bus to find yourself fumbling around for your misplaced MyRapid card, only to panic upon realising you only have an RM10 note on hand?
Or how about when taxi drivers claim that they do not have any small change for your RM50 – you CANNOT leave the house without loose change. Coins may add a little extra weight to your wallet, but these little lifesavers might just save you an even bigger headache.
If you’re a rabid – and we mean at least 20 days a month – rider of the monorail and LRT, the subscription to the MyRapid Smart 30 monthly plan needs no further consideration.
A one-way trip from Ampang to Kelana Jaya for example, will cost you RM5.30. However with Smart 30, you’ll only have to pay RM4.80 – that’s RM0.50 cheaper!
RM0.50 (savings for one trip) x 2 (to and fro) x 20 (working days)
= RM20.00 (total savings per month)
Though a monthly RM10 subscription fee is required on initial purchase and subsequent renewals, even after deducting that you’ll still get to save RM10.00 every month, which could easily buy you an extra serving of dessert.
Do you know that the Kelana Jaya line (LRT) consists of a fleet of 2-car and 4-car trains? More trains = more seats, less struggling with sweaty strangers for a seat, and a smoother ride.
We’ve done the math: a new train arrives every 3 minutes during peak hour, so even if you get two 2-car trains in a row, the third one will most definitely be a 4-car train. 10 minutes is all you have to endure to get to your destination in comfort.
Would you rather get your face nestled in armpits or wait for 10 minutes? ‘Cos we’d choose the latter, without a doubt.
Every KLite would have heard of Uber.
But just in case you’ve been living under a rock, Uber is a ridesharing mobile application with not taxi drivers, but everyday people behind the wheel. You don’t need to endure the nightmarish KL traffic by yourself – all you have to do is tap a button, and get a ride. Like taxis, only better.
Unconvinced? Then I should tell you that Uber undercuts the fares of regular taxis for the same journey up to 20%. I’d bet you want to hop on the uber brilliant Uber bandwagon now!
Explore KL FOR FREE. What better way to save money than to not spend money?
Feel like a baller for a day with this free city bus service that’ll transform that dream of yours into reality. Their buses are all air-conditioned and comfortably furnished to ensure you have a pleasant ride around the city proper – you can even share your finds on-the-go with their free Wi-Fi service on board!
With the Go-KL buses travelling in various routes that cover most of the main sightseeing attractions in the city, you now have every reason to be a tourist in your own country.
If you’re looking to travel from the city to the airport but you don’t want to get on a crammed bus or break the bank with a taxi ride, the KLIA Transit is your best bet.
A standard one-way ticket from KL Sentral to KLIA or KLIA2 would cost you RM55.00; but if you have time to spare, why not split your journey and save more money?
All you have to do is buy a one-way ticket from KL Sentral to Putrajaya & Cyberjaya (RM14.00), then buy another one-way ticket from the latter to KLIA or KLIA2 (RM9.40). In total, you’ll only need to pay RM23.40, and you’ll be at the airport safe and sound.
The only downside about splitting your journey is that you’ll have to wait for approximately 20 minutes to board the next train at Putrajaya & Cyberjaya, but think about your 57% off discount and
If you’re a regular commuter of the KTMB Komuter, the KL Transit mobile application is an essential.
KL Transit lets you browse all the departure and arriving timings so you can better prepare and plan your schedules ahead of time. This way, you’ll never have to wait aimlessly for your train at the station again.
KL Transit also features a real-time community so that commuters can share and receive real-time updates from each other. Sharing is caring!
Waze is a familiar name to many drivers here in Kuala Lumpur, and this mobile application functions way beyond navigation.
Waze is not only excellent in pointing out traffic jams you want to avoid, but it also plots out the fastest route for your destination. What amazes us even more is its ability to update us with all the police blocks and roadworks. Drive in KL, and Waze will be your best friend.
We really hope this list has provided you with the information needed to travel smarter, cheaper and safer like a smart local. If there are any other great hacks that we forgot to mention on this list, please do share it with us in the comments section below!
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