55 km · Moderate
Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands
The switchback climb to the cloud line
- Drive time
- 1 hour 10 minutes
- Tolls
- RM 12–16 return
Route guides
Seven drives out of Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia is a far better driving country than most visitors expect. These are the routes we send people on, with distances we have measured, times that assume real traffic, and honest notes about the bits that are rough.
60 km · Easy
The Karak Highway Run
Malaysia's most famous stretch of motorway, driven properly
- Drive time
- 45 minutes
- Tolls
- RM 10–14 return
210 km · Committed
Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands
Tea terraces, cool air and four hours of climbing
- Drive time
- 3 hours 30 minutes
- Tolls
- RM 45–55 return
150 km · Easy
Kuala Lumpur to the Melaka Coast
Two hours south to a Straits port and a coast road home
- Drive time
- 2 hours down the expressway, 3 hours back along the coast
- Tolls
- RM 35–45 return
355 km · Moderate
Kuala Lumpur to Penang
The long north run — four hours of motorway to Malaysia's best food
- Drive time
- 4 hours 15 minutes
- Tolls
- RM 90–110 return including the bridge
38 km · Easy
The Kuala Lumpur City Night Drive
Ninety minutes, no tolls, every landmark lit
- Drive time
- 1 hour 30 minutes with photo stops
- Tolls
- None if you stay off the expressways
70 km · Easy
Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Selangor
An hour west for seafood, a lighthouse hill and fireflies
- Drive time
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Tolls
- RM 8–12 return
At a glance
Compare the routes
Distances are one way from central Kuala Lumpur unless the route is a loop.
| Route | Distance | Drive time | Effort | Tolls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kuala Lumpur to Genting Highlands | 55 km | 1 hour 10 minutes | Moderate | RM 12–16 return |
| The Karak Highway Run | 60 km | 45 minutes | Easy | RM 10–14 return |
| Kuala Lumpur to Cameron Highlands | 210 km | 3 hours 30 minutes | Committed | RM 45–55 return |
| Kuala Lumpur to the Melaka Coast | 150 km | 2 hours down the expressway, 3 hours back along the coast | Easy | RM 35–45 return |
| Kuala Lumpur to Penang | 355 km | 4 hours 15 minutes | Moderate | RM 90–110 return including the bridge |
| The Kuala Lumpur City Night Drive | 38 km | 1 hour 30 minutes with photo stops | Easy | None if you stay off the expressways |
| Kuala Lumpur to Kuala Selangor | 70 km | 1 hour 15 minutes | Easy | RM 8–12 return |
Before you set off
Three things that will make all of this easier
Leave early
Every single one of these routes is transformed by a six-thirty start. Malaysian traffic peaks 7–9.30am and 5–8pm, and half an hour in bed costs you ninety minutes on the road.
Sort the toll card
There are no cash lanes left on Malaysian expressways. Your rental comes with a loaded Touch 'n Go card in the door pocket — keep it there, not in a bag on the back seat.
Respect the rain
Tropical downpours arrive fast, cut visibility to a car's length and flood underpasses, then stop within half an hour. Pull into a petrol station and have a coffee.