ETS Train July2015

Electrical Train Service(ETS) is one of the railway transportation available in Malaysia. It has start operating in 2010 and it has brought convenience to the citizen. This train transport passengers from Kuala Lumpur(KL) Central to Ipoh, which is from the Central Region of Malaysia to the Perak Region.

Here is a Map of Peninsular Malaysia

 

The picture below shows, driving from KL to Ipoh will need 2hours and 11 minutes but the traffic on road might not be good. Traffic jam can takes up more than half and hour. Seriously accident can lengthen the journey to Ipoh. However, buying a train ticket will be worthy and save time especially during festive season/peak seasons. You can take a look with the timetable below

 

  

 Timetable

KL to Ipoh (website)

Ipoh to KL (website)

There are two different fare. It is call Silver and Gold train. Silver train stops at more stations compare to Gold train. In this case, boarding a Gold train save a little of your time but the price will differ around RM10. Also, there are only 3 different time(Morning, Afternoon and Night) for Silver train whereas Gold train operates every 1 hour or 2.

For example, KL to Ipoh for silver trips is RM25 but Rm35 for Gold trips.

The fare for ETS train. North bound and South bound.

 

The next question would be, Where to buy your ticket? 

You can just buy your ticket at 2nd floor of Kl Central(on your Right) or any station as long as there is people to serve you at the counter. 

or

You can get it online too! Go to KTMB ETS website (press me) to buy but you first need to create your own account. Note: there will be a 2 Ringgit charges buying online.

The difference between buying at the counter and online is that, ETS train have a discount card for students. The card costs RM30/year and you won't be able to use it buying ticket online. I've did some calculation on it and it will only be worthy if you're a regular customer. For example, traveling for than 5 times a year. 

Seat Availability 

You can also check the seat availability online (press me). You will find it useful if you happen to decide to travel last minute but this online apply to those that buy from the counter.

 ***

Earlier this month, July 2015, the ministry of transportation had announced that the ETS train has start operating from KL Central to Padang Besar (Central region to the north border of Malaysia).

You might ask WHERE IS PADANG BESAR? Padang Besar is located at Perlis and it is just beside the border of Thailand. 

Back then, there are only KTMB trains, local train (Senandung Langkawi Express or International Express Train) daily overnight sleeper service. However, ETS train has really bring much convenience to everyone of us. 

ETS train (Hyundai Model) from KL to Padang Besar costs RM80(adult), RM44(children) and would take 5 hours and 30 minutes at the speed of 160km/h. There is only one service trip up and one service trip down daily. The trip to Padang Besar is 9.30am from KL Central.

Note: The price is for Gold service(which means that there will be more trains)

 Timetable

 

While for the train from Padang Besar to KL is expected to be 4 hours and 15 minutes journey at the speed of 160km/h. The fare will be RM80.

Note: The price is for Gold service(which means that there will be more trains)

 Timetable

In my opinion after traveling with ETS train for 2years or more, I would be sure that ETS train are punctual but will delay a little when they need to wait for the signal from the traffic control. It rarely happens but when it does, it won't take more than 30minutes. 

You can reserve ticket at 03-22671200 by telling your date and time of departing and giving your name, phone number and Identity Card(IC) number.

I hope through this blog post, everyone will have an idea of ETS train and this is the opportunity for us to visit our neighbour country. Do not hesitate to leave a comment and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Will find time and with partner to visit Thailand one day and I'd be happy to share with all readers. 

signningout,

gie. 

Penang Island 4D3N June 2015 – Day 3 & 4

It's the 3rd day!　

Remember I mentioned that aunty wanted to bring us to the famous Chay Keow Teou? but we were too full? So early in the morning around 8.30am, aunty and uncle brought us to the hawker stall near Zoo Road for breakfast. I ordered Chay Keow Teou and it was just okay for me. I remember there is one very famous Chay Keow Teou stall opposite a police station over at Pulau Tikus. I miss that plate of Chay Keow Teou deeply! But due the inconvenience and I wasn't sure the exact location, I didn't make it there. 

 

The plan for the day was to go for shopping at several shopping malls and to worship 牛奶神. Since I don't really shop and I don't worship the god, I've decided to meet up with my Penang friend. It is Saturday and is a day for church so I went to church around 11am and help out with the activities they will be having for the day.

It was around 4.30pm after service and we all went to Penang hill. It was my first time there despite visiting Penang for more than 5 times. So here we are and I wasn't too excited because I think it will be some ordinary tourist spot.

Where is it? 

 

So reached Air Itam Penang hill around 5.30pm

 

Bought the ticket right after we reach(many people, be fast) while others taking photos.

After buying tickets, walk to the entrance and start lining up for the cable car for about 30mins.

 

Taking this picture inside the cable car while going up to the hill top

A beautiful view looking down 

It was cooling and humid up the Penang hill and took the photos below near the cable car stop. It was really beautiful and I didn't expect so much.

 

You'll have around 8minutes walk up. There is a space that gets to see Penang and you'll be able to spot Penang bridge! The time you visit really matters, you'll know why later on. Too many ｂｅａｕｔｉｆｕｌ　ｐｉｃｔｕｒｅｓ　Ｉ　ｄｏｎ＇ｔ　ｕｓｕａｕｌｌｙ　ｇｅｔ　ｔｏ　ｔａｋｅ　ａｎｄ　ｓｅｅ．You'll be able to see a very big word behind, BUKIT BENDERA (Penang hill). That's where I took all these pictures.

 

 

After taking photos, we headed to the other side of Penang hill, which is the love lock and canon. After visiting those places then we went back to the first we were at for night view! Below is only a picture of the night view because snapping night views using handphone don't give the best out of it.

 

Time to leave, time for dinner. It was already 8pm I guess. We need to wait for our turn to board of the cable car and that alone took us around 45minutes. The locals were deciding where to eat and was told that gurney drive is for tourist, not the locals and the food there isn't tasty. Therefore we went to Northam Beach Cafe for dinner or supper. 

We order a lot and so we can taste a little of every varieties. 

Jawa Mee, Fried Oyster, Curry Mee, Chay Keow Teou, Rojak, Ikan Bakar, etc.

 

 

Stingray!

 

ABC (Ais Batu Campur in Melay Language) refers to shaved ice.

That ends day 3 with delicious Malaysian local food. Leaving tomorrow! 

Day 4!

We will be leaving after lunch and so we did not really go out this day. We went to buy some local famous biscuit before leaving Penang.

 

RM7.40

So it is time to leave after 4 days at Penang. The friend that fetch us was so kind to buy us cold 豆腐花/Tau Fu Fah (Cantonese) for us. He bought it at Air Itam, somewhere near Penang Hill. It taste good but unfortunately, I'm not sure where to get this. I'll try to find it out and update it here.

 

"For every beginning there is an ending, with every ending there is a new beginning"

Time to get back to classes and assessments. Looking forward to more trips. 

They might not see this but I would like to thank my friend's family for allowing us to stay 3 nights and have so many meals at their place. Really grateful for the hospitality and sacrificing up their rest time for us.  Good-bye and take care! 

To readers: We only spent around RM100 for this budgeted trip. The transportation up to Penang costs RM20 per trip. If you're planning a 4D3N trip there, accommodation and few meals will be around RM150.

Gentle reminder: Curry Mee and Mixed pig intestine porridge in Penang has pig blood. If you CAN'T eat, remember to inform when ordering. 

Hope you enjoy reading it. Feel free to comment below if you have any thoughts or questions. 

Have a nice day!

Signing out,

gie.

Penang Island 4D3N June 2015 – Day 1& 2

My university trimester had just started not long ago. Since it is the beginning of a new trimester and my friends and I have decided to head to somewhere before all the assessment and homework fully book our time. One of our friend is from the island of peninsular Malaysia and so we have decided to head up to Penang Island which is the north of Malaysia. Also known as the food paradise! 

We departed at 4.30pm on Thursday and expect to reach at 6.30pm, which is a 2 hours journey. 

Our journey starts off with a good weather and we talk all the way up to Penang.

 

Looking out the window and captured the moment on the Penang bridge

Our butt starts to feel a little itchy, we can't really sit still after 2hours. We were entering the state and was happy that we will reach my friend's house in a short while, maybe 10mins. However, it was the peak hour on the road as everyone just finish working for the day and heading home.We took half an hour or more to reach and we all were kinda exhausted. 

Having a place to stay and having dinner daily at her place had really save up a lot. Really grateful to have my friend's parents to accommodate and to entertain us for 4 days 3 nights. 

DAY 1

Time for dinner at 7.50pm. Aunty(friend's mum) asked whether we had anywhere we want to go so she can fetch us there for a visit. Since non of us have any specific place to visit, she had decided to bring us to have a tour at the island.

The first place we headed to was Karpal Singh Drive. The is a seaside promanade at Bandar Sri Pinang Jelutong.

This is the place where the Ubah bird (Sarawak hornbill) was placed in 2013 as the mascot for GE13.

Picture below shows Celebration of the Blue Sky by Hitori Nakayama. There are 4 posts but you get to see 2 or 3 or even all 4 posts. Aren't it amazing? 

Here's a video about it. Watch it :)

 

 

Where is it?

That's the first place for the night. Aunty really introduce us the places in Penang and it took us lest than 2 hours. However, we didn't get to take pictures because it was at night and I couldn't take good photos with my phone.
We have a quick view and passed by all the places stated in the picture I attached at the beginning of my post.

So that was our first day in Penang.

DAY 2 

Early in the morning, the sky was full of clouds and a little dark. So we was afraid that it will rain because we plan to visit street art, Georgetown. We will be walking the whole day according the the plan. Malaysia had not rain for months so we didn't see this coming.

A great day starts off with a good breakfast. We had Dim Sum (Cantonese small bite-size traditional food) for breakfast. The is known as the cheapest and best dim sum shop. I food was not bad.

 

 

Where is it?

The rain was not on our side that morning, it started to rain when we start to have our breakfast and we pray that it will stop after breakfast. Unfortunately, it didn't. We got no choice but to stay a little while at the Dim Sum shop after our breakfast for the rain to turn lighter. After half an hour, we decided to buy umbrella at the nearby shop to continue on with our day at Georgetown.  

Trishaw! Something you don't get to see at the city. There are a lot of it at tourism spots like Penang and Melaka.

 

My Penang friends led us to the street arts area the below are the few we found. 

Where is it?

 

After finding a few, we came to this street art below. There were stalls selling things and they provide free map. So we got one from them. The map helped us a lot too. It was very specific and it shows the picture along with the location.

Oh ya, thank God that the rain gets lighter and lighter and it was more convenient without the umbrella.

 

 

Passed by the coconut stall and the weather was sunny so we got one for ourselves. Can't remember the price but I remember it was pretty expensive. 

 

 

 

We so for a few more street arts on the way to the 3D museum.  

 

The 3D museum is call Penand Amazing World Studios located at Weld Quay.  

RM15 for students

 

  

 

  

Here are just a part of the photos we took, just for your information. And the studio was quite big or should I say we ourselves was tired and our legs are going to break so we actually found a place for us to rest. haha. we used the place as if it is our place. We sat on the floor, things all over the floor and we start taking photos for a short while. 

After this studio, we were really hungry! It was 3pm and the last time eating a proper meal which is breakfast was at 8.30 in the morning. So we found a food court and the others didn't want to eat although they was hungry because they are waiting for something better! 

I ordered Lam Mee for my lunch before going to eat the famous Cendol.

 

My friend told us that it was quite far for us to walk and under the hot weather will be torturing! We continue walking for a short distance and we were at the bank street (a street with many different banks). The street is quite unique and I like the design structure and the street. 

 We saw 2 trishaw infront of us and we sat on to Penang Road for Cendol. It costs Rm10 for a trip.

 

Luckily there wasn't a long queue when we are there. It is good to have a cold drink after walking for half day and under the hot sun. Rm 2.50 for a bowl.  

 

And

A plate of Rojak for RM12/15

 

After this, we went to a nearby shopping mall. 

1st Avenue for window shopping at to enjoy the air-conditioner inside the mall. Hahah! 

It is just beside Komtar, a core place in Penang.