Ticket Purchase Area at the New Puduraya Bus Station
The budget hotel I was staying at in Kuala Lumpur was okay. It was clean and nice and quite affordable, it wasn’t China cheap but it was still okay. The queen sized bed was perfect and I fell into bed instantly, probably because it was already one in the morning. Not to mention that just this morning I was still in Beijing. My vacation is about to end and it was time to return to reality. After a very long day, I finally fell asleep. The next day was another busy day, but at least it won’t be as busy as the one from the previous day. I needed to get a bus to Singapore and I was hoping to be able to get to the bus station to get on. I was under the assumption that there would be buses at the Berjaya Times Square but I didn’t see any that night.
Waiting Area of Puduraya Bus Station
I checked out of the budget hotel and was trying to figure out where to go. I looked down the road and saw something very familiar to me. It was the Puduraya Bus Station, I had no idea I was that close to the bus station. I have been here in Kuala Lumpur several times and we were always dropped at this bus station in the wee hours of the morning. It was a short walk to the bus station as I was relieved that I won’t have to walk very far to catch my bus. Upon entry into the Puduraya Bus Station, I was amazed to see that it has been totally renovated. The building remained the same but everything was brighter and cleaner. Best of all, it was already air-conditioned. We would spend sweaty hours outside the Puduraya Bus Station waiting for our bus but that is history. Travellers can how purchase bus tickets at a kiosk on the third floor which was similarly renovated. You can purchase tickets from whichever bus company you choose, this was a far cry from the touts which would swarm you whenever you’re in the vicinity. As for me? There was no bus back to Singapore here, it seems that I have to go to another bus station, oh well, it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
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I have enjoyed my travel to Malaysia two times with my family total of 21 days. The most horrible place I visited is Puduraya bus terminal. I liked every place in Malaysia such as KL, Genting, penang, Langkawi, Alo setar etc and specially the friendly and charming ever helpful Malaysians except group of rowdies at Puduruya bus terminal. We went there to book tickets to Penang. At the doorstep a guy caught us with a a walki talki in hand and demanded where are we intended to travel. I didn’t want to answer. Then he walked with us forcefully asking questions. Being in an unknown country I had to say Penang. Then he directed us to a certain counter. But I booked ticket with a another. It was ‘Nice’ bus company counter. A lady there issued me a some writing on a paper and demanded money. I insisted on tickets finally they gave tickets but altered by pen. We were asked to be at the office counter at 7 a.m as we booked the 7.30 bus.
Horror occurred when we came the other day morning. There were very few at the terminal at 7 am. When we entered a chubby dark coloured guy appeared and asked where we want to go. According to previous day experience I decided to directly walk to the counter. Then he blocked the way without allowing us to go. I managed to walked to the counter but others ( including two children ) were blocked by that man. Then a lean dark coloured man appeared and tried to talk. When I didn’t respond he tried to man handled me by touching and grabbing my hand. Then both of them came to me and blamed in utter filth
To add more, the counter man said 7.30 bus has broken and we have to wait till 8.30. Once in a while they came to us and shouted at us but we could not do anything but wait for one hour.
Later I leaned that though I booked tickets at “Nice Company”. Tickets have been issued by bus service called ‘ Allison’. Being there for 1.30 hours I understood all the thugs work for “Allison” company.
If you are expected to travel by bus in Malaysia, don’t go to Puduruya bus terminal. It is a hell. Totally different to rest of the country. Though you buy online ticket when you go there they will harass you. A fat lady there asked me where am going. To avoid problems I said I have bought tickets. Then she demanded ” show me the tickets” and came after me. Finally we were asked to go to platform 15. A man came and shouted like herding animals. We didn’t understand any. At the last moment we found the Penang bus was parked elsewhere not at platform 15 and fortunately we could board the bus
I felt deadly afraid with my family at PUduruya and therefore don’t go there. And the government should appoint a police personnel there and avoid this harassing of tourists
hi sudantha,
that sounds absolutely horrible. i never experienced this kind of thing in the old or the new puduraya bus terminal. perhaps things have changed since my last visit. i would agree that this area of kuala lumpur has always been a little dodgy but nothing has happened to me so far in the many times that i have gone through this bus station. my understanding is that only that north-bound buses in malaysia would now be based in puduraya, while the south-bound buses will be in the much better bandar tasik selatan station. someone please correct me if i am wrong. this means, there might not be any avoiding of puduraya bus station if you intend to travel by bus to north of kuala lumpur. the best you can probably do is buy your tickets online and hope no one bothers you.
thank you for telling us of your experience, and hopefully this will help other people out there to watch out for themselves, hopefully the local authorities would be able to look into this matter but somehow i doubt anything would happen.