Genting Highlands has emerged as one of the premier leisure destinations in the world, and it is particularly popular among both local and international tourists visiting Malaysia. Located not far from Kuala Lumpur, it boasts picturesque highways and roads that connect it to the city.
This integrated resort is nestled amid towering mountains, providing visitors with stunning, unobstructed, and awe-inspiring views from above.
Given its tranquil mountain setting, there is no railway-based transportation to reach Genting Highlands. Instead, buses are the most popular and widely-used mode of public transport. In fact, traveling by bus is not only convenient but also cost-effective! There are direct buses that can transport you to Genting Highlands in about an hour.
That being said, my husband and I would like to share our experiences of visiting Genting Highlands by bus. Since we stayed in a hotel near KL Sentral, which is Malaysia's largest transit hub, we decided to go there from the KL Sentral station.
To visit Resort World Genting, you will need to buy a bus ticket at the Bus Ticketing Counter, which is located in the basement of KL Sentral station. To get there, take the escalator near the Burger King outlet and KLIA Express. Once you're downstairs, look for a red ticketing counter labeled "Resort World Genting."
Previously, there were two ticket counters – one in the basement and another on the second floor near KL Sentral's entrance gate. However, since the pandemic, the second-floor counter is no longer operational.
Upon reaching the counter, you can purchase your tickets right away, as well as check the timetable and types of buses available. Buses depart every 30 minutes from 8 AM to 8 PM, and you can choose between the Aerobus or Go Genting.
When we visited Genting Highlands, the ticket price was RM 10 per person one-way or RM 20 for a round trip. I recommend buying round trip tickets simultaneously, so you don't have to worry about the availability when returning from Genting.
You can also purchase tickets in advance. My husband actually bought ours the day before, as we were concerned about ticket availability on the weekend. We also wanted to arrive early in the morning to make the most of our time at Genting Highlands.
In addition to bus tickets, the counter also sells tickets for the Awana SkyWay cable car. Unfortunately, they only offer Standard Gondola tickets. If you're interested in trying the Glass Floor Gondola, you'll need to buy tickets directly at the site. For more information on available packages, visit their website.
Once you have purchased your bus tickets, wait for the bus at the designated waiting area, which is located directly in front of the ticket counter. When the bus arrives, board and find your assigned seats based on the seat numbers indicated on your tickets.
During our trip to Genting Highlands, my husband and I took the Aerobus. This bus features a 2+2 seating arrangement and departs at 8 AM. We found it to be clean and comfortable.
On our return journey to KL Sentral, we opted for the Go Genting bus, which proved to be more luxurious with its 2+1 seating layout. The seats were spacious and comfortable, and the bus provided convenient, adjustable footrests that could be moved forward and backward to accommodate passengers' preferences.
Considering the same fare, the Go Genting bus offers better value and comfort, so I recommend considering your bus options when purchasing tickets at the counter.
The trip from KL Sentral to Genting Highlands takes approximately one hour. As mentioned earlier, the route features some of the region's finest highways, so we didn't encounter any significant traffic jams. To add something, as an Indonesian, I found it fascinating to see motorcycles navigating Malaysian highways.
As the bus ascended the mountain, we were treated to a lengthy, winding path offering breathtaking views of lush green hills. And finally, we arrived at the Awana SkyWay station at 8:50 AM.
The Awana Skyway Station is the cable car station that will transport you to the peak of Genting Highlands, where Resort World Genting (SkyAvenue Station) is located. Visitors have the option to continue their journey up to the resort or not.
Like most visitors, my husband and I chose to take the cable car up to the resort, as Genting Highlands is famous for its cable cars and luxurious resorts.
If you decide to visit the resorts, head to the highest floor to purchase Skyway cable car tickets. There are two types of cable cars available: the Standard Gondola and the Glass Floor Gondola. We opted for the Glass Floor Gondola to experience the exhilarating views from above.
Once you have secured your tickets, it's time to board the cable car that will take you to Resort World Genting. To learn more about the ticket purchasing process and what to expect inside the cable car, please refer to our post about using the Glass Floor Gondola at Awana Skyway.
Before reaching the resort, the gondola will make a stop at Chin Swee Temple, accessible via Chin Swee Station. You can alight here before continuing your journey to the resort. To find out more about the attractions offered at the temple, check out our visit to the temple above the clouds, Chin Swee Temple.
After a thrilling 10-minute ride on the cable car, you will arrive at SkyAvenue Station in Resort World Genting. From here, you can disembark and explore the area.
There are plenty of attractions and activities to enjoy at Genting Highlands, including indoor and outdoor theme parks, casinos, and lavish, unique hotels. To discover the various activities available, take a look at our travel stories from Resort World Genting.
After enjoying and walking around Resort World Genting, go back to Awana Skyway Station. If you've already secured your round-trip tickets, you can get on to the cable car. However, if you only purchase a one-trip ticket, head to the SkyAvenue Station to get them.
Then, go back to the ground floor to hop on the bus to KL Sentral. Again, if you haven't got the tickets, buy them at the self-ticketing machine available at the station.
If you still have some time while waiting for the bus, you may go shopping or eat in the tenants at Awana Station. The station also got a praying facility for Muslims.
When it's time, you should wait at the bus waiting area. There's a screen that informs the arrival schedule as well as the platform location of each bus. When the bus arrives, there will usually be an announcement, and the status on the screen will also change.
Get on the bus immediately since it didn't wait too long. This return trip will take an hour, just like the trip back. The bus will also stop at the KL Sentral ticket counter. So it's easy to go back and forth to Genting Highlands by bus.
I hope you find these steps beneficial, especially for those planning to come to Genting Highlands from KL Sentral. I would say that my husband and I did enjoy every minute of it. It was comfortable and convenient, and we found no obstacles at all. I also think it's mandatory to visit Genting Highlands when in Malaysia.
thanks for your trip info from KL to genting sky awana
It's our pleasure! 🙂
Thank you very much for the sharing of your experience. It was really helpful to plan my trip to Genting Highland.
You’re very welcome! Enjoy your trip ☺️